[heni30]

Help! 2005 2.5s

1. I turn the key on - not car - and the tail lights and 2 small lights in the front come on. These 4 lights stay on as long as the car is running.

2. I apply the brakes and the tail lights do NOT get brighter??? Using the brakes have no effect on tail lights so no one behind me knows I'm braking from looking at the tail lights.

3. My go-to guy for smaller jobs put in a new brake switch under the steering wheel but the problem still persists.

Any ideas or similar experiences?

Thanks.

 

[heni30]

Hey, Turns out both brake bulbs were out. We might have been driving around without brake lights for a couple of years! Yikes. I guess you can never step on the brake and look at the back at the same time. Seems like something so important should be indicated on the display!

I found you can check the lights reflected in a store front window.

Well, one more thing. Having trouble pulling the key out of the ignition once I stop the car. Any quick fixes?

 

[d0ugmac1]

Try some dry lock lubricant (usually graphite and which can be quite messy if you aren't super careful) and inspect your key for wear. If you get the spray form of the graphite lube...mask everything off with tape and plastic and drop cloths...getting graphite out of fabric or off most surfaces is a giant PITA.

 

[heni30]

Thanks - I'll give it a try.

 

[aperez]

Just burned out light bulbs? I think I would find a new mechanic.

 

[heni30]

I agree. Car wouldn't start and I had to sell it fast so I had to take a chance and call a craigslist mobile guy.

He did pretty good with the fuel pump and the mass air flow sensor replacement (showed up in the check engine code). With the brake lights we changed the brake light switch with no change.

I guess the bulbs were so obvious and we were just overthinking it. You don't expect both bulbs to go at the exact same time. I think that was his next step but the car was outside and it was raining.
I can't believe I had never checked the brake lights, just in general. Wonder if that happens a lot?

 

[soapmyster]

It can happen.
Even with years of experience.
Sometimes they go at the same time, sometimes one goes out and the other goes out later.
I am familiar with this as well because I have known people to get jumped by a booster and the booster blows the bulbs when the lights are turned on while boosting