Dash lights don't work unless braking (blowing fuses)

[Zenja]

A few days ago I noticed my dash lights (along with the cigarette lighter, climate control lights, etc) stopped working (totally off), but they sometimes turn on for a bit. I then noticed that they only turn on when my brake lights are on at the rear. What could cause this to happen? It's like the power for the dash lights is now also getting ran through the brake light switch.

It doesn't sound like a blown fuse since they do still light up when braking. This just happened on its own, I didn't mess with anything before it happened.

 

[I-luv-em-all]

Yes, it is fuses, when you brake it connects the circuit in another way. Replace the "tail" fuse, its under the hood. Also replace the Cig lighter fuse. And last replace the "room" fuse, those are in the in car fuse box.

 

[Zenja]

I didn't know that was the case, but it makes sense. I'll check them tomorrow.

Thanks, and hello from Saskatoon. It's nice to see someone else from SK here.

 

[I-luv-em-all]

For sure. We need more people on here from the good old prairies. Later man.

 

[Zenja]

Ok, so the tail fuse was blown. I replaced it, got back into the car, and found that the dash lights still don't work. I go back and check the new fuse to see that it too is blown. So wtf, now I must have a short circuit somewhere or something. Any ideas where to start to track down the problem? Just to clarify, the brake lights and tail lights work even without the fuse, and the dash lights come on when the brake lights are on.

Also, for the sake of not starting a new thread, I made some progress on another problem. My interior lights never came on when the doors/hatch was open like they were supposed to (well, except for a period of a day or two where they worked mysteriously then stopped again). I pulled the bottom right fuse on the inside fuse box (which was fine), and when I put it back in, the dome lights came on and everything was how it was supposed to be for a few seconds, then they faded out over 2-3 seconds and stopped working again. Each time I pull the fuse for a few seconds and put it back in, things work fine for a few seconds then die again. I can't even think of a remote reason for this happening. What could cause it?

 

[Zenja]

I just did a search and this (the tail light fuse) seems like it could turn out to be very painstaking. I think I'll check some things like the radio wiring and then mess around a little bit with a multimeter, but beyond that I doubt I'll spend dozens of hours trying to figure this out since I have many bigger problems to take care of. I don't really need to see my gauge cluster and I can just tap the brakes if I do need to see it.

I think my tail lights still work, but I'll double check again at night. I think they work for the same reason my headlights are always on even if the headlight switch is off, as long as the key is in the on position (the switch can still manually turn them on if the car is off and high beams can't go on if the switch is in the off position). I don't know why this is, but I think the previous owner had it rewired for some reason.

Would anyone have suggestions for the interior lights/door open problem though?

 

[I-luv-em-all]

Did you recently install a Cd player? If so who ever did it, did a poor job. I had the same problem on my laser rs, and i didn't want to keep replacing the fuse and didn't want to look for a short, so i just put in a 15amp instead of a 10amp, worked fine for about 6 months before i sold it.

Also sinse you live in Canada, all of the Canada models have DRL (daytime running lights), I never have to turn the lights on or off, they are always on front and back, at all times, nothing to be worried about their.