Car is parked in driveway, off for a few hours when my neighbor comes over a few minutes ago and tells me I've left my lights on, which is not the case they go off when the driver door opens and the car is off, but sure enough, the tail/brake lights are on even though the car and lights are off???

Any advice?????

 

check the brake switch get down there and shake it....

 

Brake light switch tab on the brake pedal most likely got brittle and broke. Look at the floor near your pedals. You will see broken pieces of plastic. It's an easy fix.

You can get the part from the dealer. It's cheap. Or you can get a plastic interior tab from any parts store. You can also use a small nut and bolt or cover the hole with tape.

It's located on the brake pedal. You will have to lay down under your dash with a light and follow the pedal up and you should see exactly where it goes.

 

do a quick check:
get someone to get on the brakes and see if it is the lights being on, or the brakes "being applied".

Then go from there.
SCViolenece is assuming the brakes are "being applied", which is the more likely cause, but just incase.

 

Thx guys....after a quick check I found it is the plunger thing on the brake light switch...it's not coming out enough but doesn't appear broken. I put a wedge in there to shut them off for tonight and will fix it in the a.m.

Thanks again for the help!

 

OK, so I go out this morning and it is the plastic piece that is on the brake pedal with a little *** sticking out that has broken off...so I found a little piece of plastic that fits in the hole to push the plunger in when the brake pedal is at rest which cuts off the brake lights...

only now I notice a clicking sound coming from the gear shift area when I push the brake pedal while in park--it doesn't make the sound when in gear. I removed the cover from the gear shifter and see a switch making the clicking sound. Any ideas WTH happened?

 

Isn't that the shift lock release switch? If you want to shift from park, you have to press the brake pedal.

 

sounds reasonable...will have to google it. it never made a sound before...

 

It probably did you didnt notice it. Should be a faint switch when you hit the brake.

 

This. happens on all auto based transmissions from the past 20-30 years.

 

it was dead quiet until last night after the brake light switch issue. if there was a clicking, it was inaudible.

i am wondering if the brake light switch is bad, would it cause this? it seems too coincidental to me...

 

i noticed the same exact noise a few weeks ago and everyone i know has assured me that its completely normal. up until this car ive only owned manual transmissions so the sound freaked me out a little too but ive been assured that it is %100 normal. dont go pullin ur shifter apart for it dude it aint worth it, its the shift release switch moving so that u can put it into gear