Dash Light Problems - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

kamikazekyle05 · 03-09-2009, 12:46 PM

Im having a weird problem. When i press my brakes, my dash lights come on. Now this doesnt happen all the time, so i figure somethings loose. Any ideas on what to check, Thanks Kyle

Longhorn Man · 03-09-2009, 04:49 PM

a cheap quick check, would be to replace both tail light bulbs.

68gmsee · 03-09-2009, 05:39 PM

That's one I haven't heard of before. Gonna be hard to isolate since it only does it occasionally, but another thing you could do is to disconnect the brake lights switch and see if it still does it. You can isolate part of the wiring that way. You would have to do it in a place where having no brake lights would not cause a problem. Maybe a large parking lot.

And, while you're under the dash, look to see if there's any wires rubbing on the pedal parts.

kamikazekyle05 · 03-09-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

a cheap quick check, would be to replace both tail light bulbs.

Thanks Ill try that. Im curious though why that would fix it?

**El Jay** · 03-09-2009, 07:46 PM

Check your grounds.
I've seen some loose/bad grounds do some really, really weird stuff.

Longhorn Man · 03-10-2009, 06:20 AM

your bulbs have 2 filliments, one for parking lights, one for brake/turn signal. If the filliment for the brake/turn signal blows, and is hanging by one side, and dangles down to the parking light filliment, then when you hit the brakes, and energize the remains that are sitting there making contact to the parking light side, then when ever you hit the brake, the parking lights will get powered up to include, the dash lights.

kamikazekyle05 · 03-10-2009, 09:41 PM

Ok i put some new tail light bulbs in, hopefully this will fix it

STOCKISH · 03-10-2009, 09:53 PM

You have the wrong bulbs in the brake lights. Most likely anyway.

monte0185 · 03-10-2009, 09:59 PM

I agree with longhorn to a point but i bet its a taillight socket. Fords are famous for it. What happens is the socket gets wet and grounds out causing a short then when you hit the brakes it backfeeds through the fusebox. Took me awhile first time i ran across that one.

Longhorn Man · 03-10-2009, 09:55 PM

GOOD POINT... did you get 1156, or 1157? They take the latter

kamikazekyle05 · 03-10-2009, 11:13 PM

I put 1157 in, is that right?

72BLUZ · 03-10-2009, 11:16 PM

at our shop, we have found that tail lignt bulbs are the number one cause of malfunctions, they cause a feed back thru the sytem when malfunction.

Longhorn Man · 03-11-2009, 06:13 AM

cool... 1157 is correct.

kamikazekyle05 · 03-12-2009, 12:05 PM

Well so far no problems with the new bulbs, it rained 4 inches last night and it didnt seem to effect them when i drove to work this morning

monte0185 · 03-12-2009, 12:20 PM

Great!!! Hopefully it'll stay that way. At least it was a cheap easy fix!!

03-09-2009, 12:46 PM	#1
kamikazekyle05 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vernon, Texas Posts: 331	Dash Light Problems Im having a weird problem. When i press my brakes, my dash lights come on. Now this doesnt happen all the time, so i figure somethings loose. Any ideas on what to check, Thanks Kyle

03-09-2009, 04:49 PM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Dash Light Problems a cheap quick check, would be to replace both tail light bulbs.

03-09-2009, 05:39 PM	#3
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: Dash Light Problems That's one I haven't heard of before. Gonna be hard to isolate since it only does it occasionally, but another thing you could do is to disconnect the brake lights switch and see if it still does it. You can isolate part of the wiring that way. You would have to do it in a place where having no brake lights would not cause a problem. Maybe a large parking lot. And, while you're under the dash, look to see if there's any wires rubbing on the pedal parts. Last edited by 68gmsee; 03-09-2009 at 05:40 PM.

03-09-2009, 07:46 PM	#5
El Jay Gone to greener pastures Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gateway to the Delta Posts: 7,354	Re: Dash Light Problems Check your grounds. I've seen some loose/bad grounds do some really, really weird stuff. __________________ '69 Chevy 1/2 T LWB Stepper: Daily Beater '72 GMC 3/4 T Fleet: Another Daily Beater '72 Plymouth Gran Coupe: ? "Ah women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent." Friedrich Nietzsche "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day." Harry S. Truman GUN CONTROL: Never having to say, "I missed you." Always fire two warning shots into your attacker's chest area before putting a bullet between his eyes. Paraphrased from Louis Awerbuck

03-10-2009, 06:20 AM	#6
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Dash Light Problems your bulbs have 2 filliments, one for parking lights, one for brake/turn signal. If the filliment for the brake/turn signal blows, and is hanging by one side, and dangles down to the parking light filliment, then when you hit the brakes, and energize the remains that are sitting there making contact to the parking light side, then when ever you hit the brake, the parking lights will get powered up to include, the dash lights.

03-10-2009, 09:41 PM	#7
kamikazekyle05 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vernon, Texas Posts: 331	Re: Dash Light Problems Ok i put some new tail light bulbs in, hopefully this will fix it

03-10-2009, 09:53 PM	#8
STOCKISH Formerly- 1972SuperCheyenne Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wake Forest NC Posts: 5,782	Re: Dash Light Problems You have the wrong bulbs in the brake lights. Most likely anyway. __________________ --Josh My Build Thread:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=799218 A good crossthread is better than Loctite any day. Life is not about what you have, but who you have to share it with.

03-10-2009, 09:59 PM	#9
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Dash Light Problems I agree with longhorn to a point but i bet its a taillight socket. Fords are famous for it. What happens is the socket gets wet and grounds out causing a short then when you hit the brakes it backfeeds through the fusebox. Took me awhile first time i ran across that one. __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.

03-10-2009, 09:55 PM	#10
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Dash Light Problems GOOD POINT... did you get 1156, or 1157? They take the latter

03-10-2009, 11:13 PM	#11
kamikazekyle05 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vernon, Texas Posts: 331	Re: Dash Light Problems I put 1157 in, is that right?

03-10-2009, 11:16 PM	#12
72BLUZ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: lafayette, ga. Posts: 832	Re: Dash Light Problems at our shop, we have found that tail lignt bulbs are the number one cause of malfunctions, they cause a feed back thru the sytem when malfunction. __________________ Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.... Ronald Reagan

03-11-2009, 06:13 AM	#13
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Dash Light Problems cool... 1157 is correct.

03-12-2009, 12:05 PM	#14
kamikazekyle05 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vernon, Texas Posts: 331	Re: Dash Light Problems Well so far no problems with the new bulbs, it rained 4 inches last night and it didnt seem to effect them when i drove to work this morning

03-12-2009, 12:20 PM	#15
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Dash Light Problems Great!!! Hopefully it'll stay that way. At least it was a cheap easy fix!! __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.



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