My car is haunted...

Post by **spl310** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:47 pm

I noticed something interesting the past two times I have driven the blue lady. When I get home, the rear parking lights are on. I have made sure that the light switch is in the off position. If I step on the brakes, they light, so it is not them. If I turn the lights on, the lights on the car come on as intended. It is weird...

SLOroadster · Post by **SLOroadster** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:24 pm

Sid, arn't you supposed to be posting this sort of thing in Oct? As for the lights staying on, I had a similar issue with the alfa, turned out to be a bad pressure switch.

Will

Post by **spl310** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:51 pm

Ghosts know no seasons....

If it were the brake lights, I would buy that, but it isn't - it is the parking lights...

Post by **dbrick** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:56 pm

The ground on something else is most likley loose, and it is grounding through that circuit. Have fun finding it, it can be tough

67 1/2 1600 · Post by **67 1/2 1600** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:55 am

Its haunted Sid! Thats why it was parked since the 70s.....

Your switch is probably bad causing them to stay on? Or the ghostly spirits are sending you a sign....

exit64 · Post by **exit64** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:35 pm

I'd start by pulling fuses and note when they go off. A good place to start. Pull each fuse one at a time and try all the circuts even after they go out. Must be an open ground somewhere. Does this happen all the time or only intermittantly?

Post by **spl310** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:02 pm

Well being as the r/r turn signal lamp does not work with a known good bulb, and that the fuel gauge goes from empty to full at will, I believe that the short will be at the back end of the car. Easy to track down I hope!

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:29 pm

DELETED

Post by **spl310** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:50 pm

Well, the radio did start freaking out...

dharma · Post by **dharma** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:10 am

Sid ,

The light switch also may cause this problem , i have experience this before on other cars , the contacts inside the switch may get connected if its too old , remove the switch and service it by spraying WD40.

Or remove the rear light bulbs and check if it on still

,

if yes....

Good luck sid

Dharma

Post by **dbrick** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:57 pm

Radio Shack sells a can of contact cleaner, it's about $10.00. It will fix just about any corrosion/dirt problem you may encounter in a switch. It leaves a very thin coat of mineral oil on the parts after the solvent evaporates to prevent further corrosion. WD40 also works, but this is made for the job.
So far my $10.00 can has saved me personally about $100.00 in parts, and saved my customers about $40,000.00. I work on alot of old fire alarm panels where there are no replacment parts available.

A bad bulb will also cause problems, the dual filament bulbs can short internally, so when you step on the brake, the parking lights in front come on!!