Interesting Tail Light Electrical Problem

[davidathans]

I shut the mustang off and pushed the headlights switch all the way in to shut off the headlights as usual. However today for some reason, the tail lamps were all lit as if i had left on the headlights after shutting the car off. I had already shut off the headlights switch and the lights were staying on with the car off and the switch off!

so i started the car and turned the headlights on and then off and they turned off. But later that night i shut off the headlights and turned the car off and the taillights were still on draining the battery. The only way i could get them to turn off this time was disconnecting the negative battery terminal, because starting the car and turning the headlights switch on and off like i did earlier wasnt working after many attempts...

Is my headlights switch sticking somehow and leaving the taillights on while the switch is in the off position?

Has this happened to anyone?

The switch may be original, i have never replaced it, but i also have never had this problem before.

Thanks,
David

 

[our special]

I shut the mustang off and pushed the headlights switch all the way in to shut off the headlights as usual. However today for some reason, the tail lamps were all lit as if i had left on the headlights after shutting the car off. I had already shut off the headlights switch and the lights were staying on with the car off and the switch off!

so i started the car and turned the headlights on and then off and they turned off. But later that night i shut off the headlights and turned the car off and the taillights were still on draining the battery. The only way i could get them to turn off this time was disconnecting the negative battery terminal, because starting the car and turning the headlights switch on and off like i did earlier wasnt working after many attempts...

Is my headlights switch sticking somehow and leaving the taillights on while the switch is in the off position



Has this happened to anyone?

The switch may be original, i have never replaced it, but i also have never had this problem before.

Thanks,
David

Hi Dave,

Are you sure that it's the taillights, not the brakelights that are staying on?

I am wondering if it's not a problem associated with your brake light switch or brake peddle sticking.

Dave

 

[rvrtrash]

It's either the brake light switch or the headlight switch that's faulty. Both have power whether the car is on or off.

Steve

 

[Mustanglvr]

I had the same problem and it was the brake light switch.

 

[davidathans]

thanks for your feeback...i dont know which switch...all i know is that i restarted the car and turned the switch on and off and it turned the taillights off and when i tried to do the same thing the next time it happened, that didnt work...i did try steping on the brakes but that didnt affect the problem...

probably the best thing to do would be to fix the brake switch first and if it still doesnt fix it, then it must be the headlights switch, correct?

thanks again

 

[rvrtrash]

The next time it happens, have someone stand behind your car or put something back there that will reflect light. Step on the brakes. If the brake lights come on, it's the headlight switch. If nothing changes, it's the brake switch.

Steve

 

[PFSlim]

David

Both switches are cheap to buy. My bet it is the brake light switch as well but it very well may be the headlight switch. The headlight switches seem to go weird all of a sudden. I would order both, start with the brake light switch. Then move to headlight.

Paul