Brake lights-main beams
 

Hey,
Just wondering if anyone can steer me in the right direction. I have searched the forum (all 119 pages) and haven't come across this.

When the main beams are off (during the day) the brake lights work fine HOWEVER I have noticed that the clock on the radio display dims when I brake as does the side lights.
When I turn on the main lights (night-time) the brake lights come on ie WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL!!!
I have unplugged the brake light switch at the pedal but the brake lights remain on with the main lights. So I can possibly rule out a faulty switch there.
Since the brake light/tail light run from the same bulb I am veering towards a) a faulty control unit (the lights on/off switch) on the dash or b) a breakdown in the wiring somewhere.
Just wanna see if anyone has any thoughts before I go stripping out the dash and ordering parts
Its a UK 1999 Voyager 2ltr Petrol
Cheers

Sounds like a classic bad earth at the tail light cluster. Have you or your garage replaced a brake/tail light bulb recently? Remove the brake light bulbs and check they are in the right way round.

If just one of those twin element brake/tail light bulbs are in 180 degrees out you get exactly the symptoms you describe........and it's the last thing you'd think to look at.

Hey Booke23, Yeah I changed the left hand busted tail lamp. will have a look and switch it around. Hopefully it will be as simple as that.

Sounds like thats your culprit.

I had no idea these twin element bulbs had to go in the right way round, until the same thing happened to me a few years ago. Car came back from a service and the guy replaced a tail light......symptoms were the same as you.

Only really discovered the fault by accident.....after spending days trying to work it out!

yeah.That was the culprit alright. Unbelievable. Such a simple thing. was on the verge of dismantling the dash to chase wires. Thanks. I owe ya