New member here...first question

[PDXterra]

Hi everyone, just joined and wanted to say hello. This looks like a great forum with tons of information, and it appears that you aren't plagued by "search nazis" like other forums. I've been lurking for a couple weeks trying to resolve an electrical issue, but after dozens of searches and Googling everything on the Web, I finally decided to join. Now maybe I can help someone at some point.

Of course, I'd love to end my first post here, but in truth I'm kinda stuck. Bear with me...I know this is a long post!

I'm having what - judging by several other posts - appears to be a common problem with my 1990 Celica GT, a brake-light/dash-light SNAFU.

1. October 2003: I purchase a 1990 GT with 138K miles.

2. Jan 2004: I installed some Silverstars as the stock lights weren't cutting it. The wattage is a bit higher than stock.

3. Jan 2004, a couple days later: brake light died. Replaced it.

4. Jan 2004, a couple days after that: another brake light bit the dust...replaced that one too. "Hmm...wonder if this is due to the Silverstars drawing more power?" I check all other bulbs, they're ok.

5. Feb 2004: blinkers on the fritz...they blink s-l-o-w-l-y on one side, and super fast on the other. Found a side marker out, replaced that. Blinkers work fine again. Given that the car is nearly 14 years old, I installed all new bulbs all the way around. I figured problem solved.

6. March 2004: it appears my car is angry with me. When I hit the brakes, my driving lights and side markers come on. With the key out of the ignition and the car stopped, if I hit the brakes the driving lights come on and the dash "beeps" as though my headlights are on (they aren't). I fill the car with regular unleaded in protest.

7. April 2004: From old posts here, I learn how I might fix things. I remove every light and check the connections, sockets, bulbs, and various grounds. This requires 3 hours and five beers to accomplish. Everything looks OK. I check the battery, and it is old, but I'm not sure how old. It could be Ancient Egyptian old for all I know: the installer forgot to punch out the month/year tabs. It's not stock though... I clean all terminals and the battery ground just to be safe. Brake fluid is full, all lights are working.

8. May 2004: The dash lights join in on the fun. When I brake, they come on, when I don't brake, they go off, so I'm driving blind. I pick up a couple more batteries for my mini mag light...

My thoughts: alternator? Battery? Posessed car?

[Deep]

I'm gonna go with possessed car.

Thats friggen weird man. Has sombody messed with the stereo at all? cut up wires and not taped them off or somthing.

[Kidane]

Check your fuses. Usually fuses just blow and then nothing works, but I had a weird problem on my Celica. After I installed my headunit, every time the dome light came on, it would turn off the fuel pump, and the horn was permanately on. Turned out to be a blown fuse.

[lcarocha]

I pick option number 3: Posessed.

I'm on my second ST18X Celica and nothing like that has ever happened to me, I would suggest you put some relays on those Silverstars.. the higher current drawn by the lights will eventually fry the light switch and that is no cheap part to replace.

I will go along with the other guys here, check the stereo wiring and ALL the fuses. Toyotas are VERY delicate cars when it comes down to electrics so triple check the wiring... I happened to me that if I turned off the car, the clock would remain ON, I didn'r really notice this new "feature" in my car until the SOB drained my battery; it turned out to be the stereo in cahoots with the electric aerial

[Tercel GTS]

I'm gonna try a process of elimination for ya...

first, take the brake light bulbs out and see if you still have unwanted lights turn on as applying brake

if no replace the bulbs one at a time and see when the problem starts, the filaments can touch each other and create that problem, or using the wrong bulb can do it, such as an 1156 in an 1157 socket

if yes then unplug the brake light switch and try again

let me know the outcome of those tests and we'll continue as needed

[PDXterra]

Hey all, thanks for the feedback. I'm gonna pull the brake bulbs tonight and see if I still get the driving lights to come on when I hit the brakes. Never thought of that.

Will follow with your other tests Tercel GTS, thanks for the help. And all of this on Cinco de Mayo At least I can drink beer and pretend it's a holiday for me.

I'm still on the stock head unit (AM/FM Radio...yeah, no tape or anything) so chances are it's not the radio, but who knows.

Fuses...I've taken a quick look and haven't found any burnt ones, but I suppose it's time I do this...one....fuse....at...a....time. It's a b!tch to get to the stuff under the dash, but driving without gauges is a b!tch too.

As for the Silverstars, I think they're the 55/65 wattage type. I didn't think they'd drain so much, but you can definitely hear the engine drop a few RPM's when they kick on. Relays are a bit outside my skills so I'll do some searching on that one.

I'll post a follow up tomorrow or Friday after I've done all this.

Thanks again

[lcarocha]

As for the Silverstars, I think they're the 55/65 wattage type. I didn't think they'd drain so much, but you can definitely hear the engine drop a few RPM's when they kick on. Relays are a bit outside my skills so I'll do some searching on that one.

Ah, I thought your lights were in the vecinity of 80/90 115/130 watts or something like that but if that is the wattage then you are Ok, stock ones are 50/65 something like that... BUT... you have a problem there.

If some of your lights dim when you turn the main headlights on and the revs drop then you have another problem: Voltage Regulator and a real bad earth connection. Check the regulator (inside the alternator, so you will have to take it apart) and the earthing wires.

[PDXterra]

Well, long story short, it was a bulb!

I pulled all the brake lights, turn signals, and backup light and then hit the brake and nothing happened. No beeps, no warnings, nothing, so I knew I was on the right track. So I started looking at every bulb, one by one. There was nothing wrong with any of them, so I put them all back in, hit the brake, and... nothing happened. I started to think I was crazy, but wondered if maybe it had something to do with having the engine running, so I got in and went around the block a couple times, and by the second pass the dashlights started doing their thing.

I stopped, got out of the car, pulled out the key and hit the brake, and sure enough the dash beeped and the lights came on. So, back to the brakelights...

I found an 1137 (the dual fillament ones) that worked correctly - both constant and brakelight fillaments worked fine - but in fact ONE of the fillaments had broken right at the END of the wire. When you flicked the bulb the fillament would dance around, then come back to the spot it was on before and the light would work again fine. Needless to say, I replaced this bulb and...it all worked fine.

Thanks everyone for your input, I can't believe what a b!tch this was to replace but I never would've figured it out without your help!

[Erbe]

yeh that is weird....o and some of us are "search nazis" zoni....please stand up...but welcome to the boards

[Tercel GTS]

[userlain]

nice job man!

[CamNub]

So, since you solved ur problem does it mean your not going to come on Tn anymore?

C'mon man, you should stay, you'll learn a lot about ur car, and we have some pretty cool and some weird conversations in Off Topic.