My Mom's car is being stupid!

[mstechca]

Here's the scenario:

Every now and then, when the car is turned off, the brake lights are consistently on. I tried pushing and pulling the brake pedal, and there is no change in the lights.

When I pulled out the 20A fuse which is required to operate these lights as well as turn signals, it was hot. The label on the fuse box also stated 20.
I replaced it with a brand new 20A fuse, and that one heated up as well.The moment the new 20A fuse touched the contacts, I saw blue sparks. When the fuse is in, new or old, the lights were working, and still, the brake lights were on!

The car is a 1991 Pontiac 6000 LE.

I was afraid to use a lower value fuse because it could break. I was also afraid to use a higher value fuse, because it could allow too much current to go through.

Can anyone help me?

My week so far has been horrible, and I want it to end!!!

 

[audioguru]

Here's the scenario:

Every now and then, when the car is turned off, the brake lights are consistently on. I tried pushing and pulling the brake pedal, and there is no change in the lights.

The brake light switch is probably located near the arm for the brake pedal. Either the switch is broken or its wires are frayed and are shorting together.

When I pulled out the 20A fuse which is required to operate these lights as well as turn signals, it was hot. The label on the fuse box also stated 20.

Maybe the fuse made poor contact with its holder, causing heat.

I replaced it with a brand new 20A fuse, and that one heated up as well.

Corroded fuseholder?

The moment the new 20A fuse touched the contacts, I saw blue sparks.

Normal. Incandescent light bulbs draw 10 times their normal current when cold.

I was also afraid to use a higher value fuse, because it could allow too much current to go through.

A power source doesn't "allow" too much current. The resistance of the load determines its current. You could use a 1000A fuse and the current would be the same, until something shorts.

 

[mstechca]

Here's the scenario:
Every now and then, when the car is turned off, the brake lights are consistently on. I tried pushing and pulling the brake pedal, and there is no change in the lights.

The brake light switch is probably located near the arm for the brake pedal. Either the switch is broken or its wires are frayed and are shorting together.

So it must be a SPDT or a DPDT or a DPST switch.
I do know what a switch is, but since I have (if I am lucky) 1% knowledge with fixing automobiles, is this switch different from ordinary switches?

I don't want to be ripping apart the entire car.

When I pulled out the 20A fuse which is required to operate these lights as well as turn signals, it was hot. The label on the fuse box also stated 20.

Maybe the fuse made poor contact with its holder, causing heat.

No, it has good contact.

I replaced it with a brand new 20A fuse, and that one heated up as well.

Corroded fuseholder?

No.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

So it must be a SPDT or a DPDT or a DPST switch.
I do know what a switch is, but since I have (if I am lucky) 1% knowledge with fixing automobiles, is this switch different from ordinary switches?

It will just be SPST, although that doesn't really apply because it's only a momentary contact switch and not a latching one.

The switch will be a special one, and may be unique to that particular car?, but it will have push-on connectors, unplug those and see if the lights go out - it's a pretty simple test to do!.

 

[jrz126]

On my 95 monte carlo ls, the brake light switch is even more complicated, since there is only 1 bulb for turn signals and brake lights.
It shouldnt be too bad to change out. maybe look into getting a Haynes repair manual for it.

 

[mstechca]

It turned out to be a dirty switch.

I opened it up, and there were random tiny pieces of metal inside it causing contact at the wrong time.

Thanks for the help.

 

[audioguru]

It turned out to be a dirty switch.

I opened it up, and there were random tiny pieces of metal inside it causing contact at the wrong time.

The tiny pieces of metal are what used to be its contacts. That switch is probably worn-out and should be replaced. It will get worse and might fail to turn on the brake lights causing a rear-ender. Whiplash is a nasty injury, unless you want to make a lucritive insurance claim. But when the insurance co hears from the other guy that the brake lights didn't work then you have a lasting whiplash injury and no car.
Hey! Isn't the gas tank back there? Ka-Boom!

 

[mstechca]

It isn't that bad!

 

[bloody-orc]

better safe than sorry.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Hey! Isn't the gas tank back there? Ka-Boom!

That's only in American cars 8) , in the rest of the world petrol tanks don't explode in accidents (well, only EXTREMELY rarely!).

The American film industries portrail of petrol tanks exploding in the slightest accident has caused many severe injuries to crash victims, as well meaning bystanders drag them clear "before it explodes".

 

[audioguru]

There are very few old Ford Pinto cars remaining on the roads because they all blew-up! Their gas tank was their rear bumper. :cry:

MStechca's mom's car is pretty old and rusty (the roads here are white not because of snow and ice, it's the darn salt they overuse), so its gas tank is ready to fall off with the slightest bump.

 

[mstechca]

There are very few old Ford Pinto cars remaining on the roads because they all blew-up! Their gas tank was their rear bumper. :cry:

MStechca's mom's car is pretty old and rusty (the roads here are white not because of snow and ice, it's the darn salt they overuse), so its gas tank is ready to fall off with the slightest bump.

it aint that old, but at least she doesn't have to pay several hundred dollars a month for it!

In fact, she only paid $2,500 and the only thing she needs to pay is insurance. No monthly fee, no interest!

What are you paying for your 2006 jaguar? :lol:

 

[audioguru]

Jaguar??? Who would be silly enough to buy a "rusty-Ford" Jaguar???
You don't measure fuel economy with a rusty-Ford, you measure the distance between topping-up its oil! :lol: :lol:

I drive a 4-months old 2005 Chevy Cobalt that was a steal at GM's "employees pricing" deal. GM's interest is only 2.9% so I keep my shares in the stock market and laugh all the way to the bank.
I talked to a nubee car salesman who was extremely anxious to make his very 1st sale. I joked about a very high tradein price for my old car and was shocked when it was approved by the manager.
My new car has an awesome subwoofer and plays MP3's. Can't you hear it over in Hamilton? :lol:

 

[mstechca]

Jaguar??? Who would be silly enough to buy a "rusty-Ford" Jaguar???
You don't measure fuel economy with a rusty-Ford, you measure the distance between topping-up its oil! :lol: :lol:

Aren't you rich? You can afford it! :wink:

I drive a 4-months old 2005 Chevy Cobalt that was a steal at GM's "employees pricing" deal. GM's interest is only 2.9% so I keep my shares in the stock market and laugh all the way to the bank.

You are lucky your saving account grows large enough to accomodate for the 2.9% interest.

My new car has an awesome subwoofer and plays MP3's. Can't you hear it over in Hamilton? :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

My mom's car has a heater that makes lots of noise when it is on. Can't you hear it in Missisauga?

 

[audioguru]

Aren't you rich?

I'm definately not rich. I am a cheapskate who spends wisely.

You are lucky your saving account grows large enough to accomodate for the 2.9% interest.

I have a small Loblaws Grocery Store bank account that paid $.23 interest last month. It gives me lots of free groceries each time I pay a bill from it, and I pay all my bills from it.
My stocks gained a few thousand dollars last month. I made some lucky and wise investments in the stock market. Maybe I should have bought more real estate instead, then I would be rich.

My mom's car has a heater that makes lots of noise when it is on. Can't you hear it in Mississauga?

I was wondering what made that noise when my wifey and I walk our dog along the boardwalk in Burlington. :lol:

 

[zachtheterrible]

Maybe I should have bought more real estate instead, then I would be rich.

Don't we all wish that :lol:

Down here in california a postage stamp sized lot with a house on it used to be 150 grand, now its sellin' for 500 grand!

by the way audio and mstecha, how far away from each other do you guys live?

 

[Roboticinfo]

Zach and I live I think like 8 hours away on car and 1:30 in a plane.
I wonder if we are the closes members by each other.

 

[mstechca]

I'm definately not rich. I am a cheapskate who spends wisely.

You are a heck of a lot richer than me!

I have a small Loblaws Grocery Store bank account.

I'm with PC Financial.

It gives me lots of free groceries each time I pay a bill from it, and I pay all my bills from it.

If you are with PC financial, they don't give points for making bill payments any more.

My stocks gained a few thousand dollars last month. I made some lucky and wise investments in the stock market. Maybe I should have bought more real estate instead, then I would be rich.

How did you end up getting yourself some stocks? Did you sign up for a GIC or something at your bank?

I was wondering what made that noise when my wifey and I walk our dog along the boardwalk in Burlington. :lol:

It wasn't THAT LOUD! :lol:

Don't we all wish that

I'm barely able to have cash myself, considering my family is not in the best shape financially.

Down here in california a postage stamp sized lot with a house on it used to be 150 grand, now its sellin' for 500 grand!

Everything financially goes up everywhere except for the things that go to your advantage. Mainly your wage.

by the way audio and mstecha, how far away from each other do you guys live?

About 40Km. I'm in Hamilton, He is in Missisauga.

Hey Roboticinfo, What's up with the HTML Template? I didn't get a word from you yet.

 

[Roboticinfo]

Sorry my friend came down from nevada so I havent been on the computer much.

 

[audioguru]

How did you end up getting yourself some stocks?

I got lucky and wise.
I started my electronics career working for Philips, but they stopped making stuff in Canada so I joined a small sound system contractor.

I was with the sound system contractor for many years when telephone systems were allowed to be sold and installed in Canada, so I became a telephone systems "expert". My boss won the exclusive Canadian distributorship for a large Japanese manufacturer and telephone systems were sold to dealers all across Canada.
After about 8 years I noticed that the warehouse became empty and my boss didn't want to talk about it. Then I had a call from a colleage about a new American company in town. The new company manufactured telephone conferencing equipment and had a service that competed better than Bell. I said good-bye to my old boss who looked like he was going bankrupt and joined the Canadian headquarters of the new tele-conferencing company. My old boss sued me for leaving and after many visits to a high priced lawyer and a few days in court, I won but lost some money.

The new company had shares on the stock exchange which were doubling in price every month. Employees were offered to buy the stock shares with a fantastic discount so I bought many. My new boss asked if I knew what I was doing. The stocks multiplied then a huge American Telco bought the company which made the stock value even higher and the stocks had to be sold to them. Yippee! :lol: :lol:
The new management messed-up the company big time so I left just before they went bankrupt.

My old sound system contractor boss also got lucky. His warehouse was empty because the Japanese manufacturer cut him off because of poor sales. They broke the exclusive contract with him and started selling to dealers themselves. He sued them and the case was settled out of court for 7 million dollars! :lol: