Brake lights problem
 

Hello,

I am new to this forum and hope someone can help me with this "strange" problem.
I don't know when it started but when i brake the brake lights come on, but also the headlights turn on. Appart from that the clock on the dashboard fades as wel. The other thing that is not right, when i turn on the headlights... the third brake light also turns on... and that one should only come on when i brake!

I hope someone can help me with this. Its a 1997 Mazda 323; sedan 1.5. I have not noticed anything until a week or so ago... and the only thing i can think of is that i have replaced a rear light bulb in januari... I don't know if the two are related or not .

Thanx in advance

RE: Brake lights problem
 

Double check that bulb you installed. If a single element 1156 bulb is installed in a socket designed for a 1157 dual element bulb or visa-versa voltage can short between the terminals inside socket and feed over to another circuit. Look at the underside of the bulb ( the part you plug into the socket ) and see if it has one or two gray lumps on it . then look inside the socket and see if there are one or two contacts inside. Must match or will have all kinds of problems.

RE: Brake lights problem
 

Thanks for the reply babyhuey!

You were near to solving the problem... it was indeed the light bulb... although it was the right type (the one with 2 contacts). What happend was that one of the the bulb "tungsten" wires (the one that glows) was a bit long and sort of welded itself to the other tungsten wire holder. There fore i did not notice anything in the beginning, it probably happend after i went over a bump and braked or something. :)