2004 XG350L brake lights won't turn off

[lucyb]

Wouldn'tcha know...holiday weekend, and my neighbor knocks on my door, 'Lucy, I was pulling out of my parking space and suddenly...your brake lights went on!"

Dark out, but I opened up the car, turned the engine on and off, lifted the brake pedal, backed up and went forward, did everything but kick the tires and curse at it. Obviously, battery is dead cuz of the lights not turning off.

Battery least of my problem. THAT I can fix.

WHAT can cause this brake light thing, brake light switch? If so, where is it located, how difficult is it to adjust/replace, and in the Ft. Myers, FL area, what kinda jab to my wallet may this problem be?

PLEASE be kind to me. Not only am I new to this forum, but I look like the stereotypical blonde and need the right words to keep from being ripped off.

My former mechanic got sick of the rat race, left his garage and is in the Keys, running a resort. He's laid down his wrenches so to speak and I'm lost without him.

[Admin1]

Welcome here! Yes its most likely the brake light switch. Look under your dash on the brake pedal. You will see a 4 wire connector. Unplug it an your brake lights should go out. If they do then that's your problem.

[lucyb]

THANK YOU! :clap2:

So, would the switch need replacing or adjusting?

It's late and dark, but I'mma gonna git the battery jumped tomorrow, and fiddle with it myself, first.

I SO appreciate the quick response, Folks. I hope to get to know y'all besides being the knights in shining armor, and me being duh blonde.

I'm owner #3 with this vehicle, 70k miles and this is the first problem I've had with it. And it doesn't seem all that major, thanks to you.

Later.....I'll give an update tomorrow.

Thanks again.

[Rsquared]

If it's the switch you will prolly have to replace it. We can send you a manual if you'd like. Also were all three of the brake lights on, or only the two by the bumper?

[lucyb]

Thanks for the offer, I'd love a manual. I had one but it disappeared.

all three lights were on, and the small one was hot! I thought if I at least disconnected that one, I might be able to save some battery energy (I told you, I'm blond).

You have no idea how nice it was to wake up to this reply about my problem.

Once the plumber gets here (disasters come in threes, I count the dead battery from the brake light problem as one of the three) and deals with the faucet, I shall crawl under the dash board and see what I can see. I'll have to get a jump first, but I think I can solve this somehow, thanks to you.

I appreciate this, you have NO idea...

Stay tuned...

[lucyb]

OK, Folks, problem fixed...

I fumbled around the brake pedal. There's a hole there. I wiggled sumpin, and a piece of plastic fell out, found it and what looked like its other half, on the floor mat.

Hmmm. Toddled off to the local auto parts store. They kinda know me since I do as much minor stuff as I can myself. Showed it to the fella there, tall, young guy. He knew what I needed to do...found a nut and bolt and told me what to do. I was a bit baffled, but I figgered I could muddle thru. Kid looked at me, "You come here often, live close?"

Yup.

"look, I get off in a few minutes, I'll do this for you, done it a lot."

OK, gave him my address a few blocks away.

He pops over, does the deed, even jumps my car since the battery was dead, had to in order to see if what he did actually worked.

Took him about 2 minutes. I offered him a cold beer and sumpin to eat.

"no, thanks, Ma'am."

I offered him a twenty.

He acted like I offered to bite him!

"Ma'am, I would hope if MY Mom needed some help, someone would help her like I helped you. Just let me know if you need anything else." Off he went.

Ma'am. Mom. Great. Looks like my daughters are right. I could nevah be a cougar...I look more like Mrs. Butterworth than Mrs. Robinson.

I really should feel complimented, I am nowhere near his Mom's age....I honestly could be his granny!

Anyway, I'll be checking in here often, you all are terrific.

[Rsquared]

Check your PM, sent you a manual.

[Admin1]

I'm glad you got it handled. Sounds like the nut fell of the brake light switch. That is very nice that guy came to your rescue. Courteous people like that are very hard to come by these days.

[Rsquared]

Oops, I didn't notice your "got it fixed" post. Glad to hear it's all taken care of.

And yea, people like that are a dieing breed. And don't sell yourself short...he might have been a brunette, or redhead guy? lol.

[Admin1]

If you ever see that guy again give him our website! :-)

[sbr711]

Had a couple recently where the switch' lock nut come loose and switch get sideways allowing the plunger to hang out.

Sonata last week or so, the nylon/plastic pad on the pedal that the plunger rest on split and fell on the floor, so the plunger sticks out too far, same as pedal being pushed...

Ended up using a piece of 3M tape weight and stuck it to the pedal, then a smear of RTV to cure and hold it beyond the sticky on the weight, all done.

[Admin1]

This post is very odd because we talked about this yesterday an as soon as I walked into the shop this morning I had a good customer drop in with a very noisy brake pedal an hard to get out of park. Come to find out it was the spin nut on the stop lamp switch was loose. Same thing as you. Odd...