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brake light failure display

Have a friend step on the break pedlel for you while you physically wiggle all of the bulbs while they are in their sockets.

You might also want to have a friend look at the breek lites while you wiggle the braake pedle switch (down by the breke peddle) to see if maybe if it is bad.
 
Lyle,

I haven't driven my car for weeks now, but I suspect the problem is still there. I went and bought 2 new brake lightbulb sensor but it didn't fix the problem.

Henry.
 
nsxhk said:
Fredderf,

Any update on your brake lamp problem? I'm having your exact problem and having a hard time fixing it.

Thnx.

Henry.

The gremlins have made it over to my car :( My brake lamp comes on and off to...usually after long periods of driving. Did you have any luck fixing your problem?
 
My car has the same problem for the last 6 weeks, new bulbs, brake light failure sensors, cleaned ground points, and clean bulb contacts still did not fix it. the brake light failure light stay on when ignition is turned on or started. I plan to pull the taillights out and perform continuity test on the wiring harness. Hopefully I can find the short. will post when it is fixed.
 
I too checked all the connections and grounding.... problem still persists.

I wonder if it's the instrument cluster itself being faulty?! I wish I have an extra cluster to test.

This problem arised after I got my front end re-painted. Any of you had a recent paint job done? Mine is a '91, I wonder if it only happens to the early models only?!

Henry.
 
Briank said:
Lyle

I pulled out the electricial trouble shooting manual, found the route the signal takes from the trunk. In the trunk its connector C555 ORN/WHT wire from there it goes to C407 #14 ORN/WHT wire located behind the left kick panel with the dash removed, from there its goes to the gauge assy. connector C412 ORN/WHT wire pin 12 located at the lower left of the gauge assy. Looks like you can get to it by disasenbling the stuff below and in front of the gauge assy.

C412 is a 30 pin green connector
C407 is a 20 pin blue connector
C555 ia a 8 pin grey connector

Good luck

BrianK

If the elec t/s manual is helpful, does anyone have this book and is willing to scan a couple of pages out of this book that is applicable to my problem? I didn't find a good wiring diagram in the svc manual. Is there one in there?
 
I may be wrong but, from reading the schematics, it appears that the problem might also be the switch at the emergency brake. The name of the indicator is, after all, "Brake System Indicator Light".
 
PM me your fax # , I can fax you those sheets.

PM sent.

I may be wrong but, from reading the schematics, it appears that the problem might also be the switch at the emergency brake. The name of the indicator is, after all, "Brake System Indicator Light".

I recently changed out my rear rotors and brake bads. Wonder if this has anything to do with it since the emergency brake cable has to be loosened in the rear :confused:
 
unfortunately, I haven't had time to remove my taillight assembly to look for shorts, give me your fax # again so I can fax you pages from ETM, The brake light failure warning light is major PIA to look at, but I just don't have the time yet. (one of my tech is on vacation this week, thus the lack of time)
 
EIFFEL said:
unfortunately, I haven't had time to remove my taillight assembly to look for shorts, give me your fax # again so I can fax you pages from ETM, The brake light failure warning light is major PIA to look at, but I just don't have the time yet. (one of my tech is on vacation this week, thus the lack of time)

PM sent.
 
update:

I went and double check on the new brake light failure sensor that I bought recently, it turns out that they're the wrong brake light sensor! I'm in the process of ordering a pair of nsx specific brake light sensor. I hope this will cure the problem. Will keep you guys posted.

Henry.
 
Why drive yourselves nuts over a silly little idiot light in the dash? If you ground the Orange/White wire coming out of the sensor in the trunk it will permanently disable the Broken Bulb Indicator.

I'm having a different problem of sorts. I replaced the 4 brake light bulbs with halogen 1157s which are 8w/30w and really brighten up the back end. There are no problems when the headlights/running lights are on but at night when the headlights are on and if I have the brakes on for more than a few seconds the dash indicator lights up and of course all 4 bulbs are good.

I can't figure out why this happening just beacuse the other filament in the 1157 is on. The easy way is to ground the Orange/White wire and be done with it.
 
I had the same problem, Hugh when I switched over to LED bulbs.
The brake lights would be working fine even though the idiot light on the dash would always light up whenever I hit the brakes and then stay lit for the duration the car was on.
I surmised the detector in the circuit sensed the current drain of the OEM bulbs and if the current was off value, the indicator would light up. I think halogen bulbs draw less current than conventional OEM so you may have the same problem.

I measured the current draw of the old bulbs, then the new LED bulbs (which were way less) then calculated the resistance needed in the circuit to make up the current difference.

I added a 25 watt resistor parallel to the LED bulbs and the problem went away.

At the time it seemed like a lot of work just to make a light in the dash go out but the blinkers were going too fast with the LEDs and it slowed those down as well.
 
EIFFEL said:
My car has the same problem for the last 6 weeks, new bulbs, brake light failure sensors, cleaned ground points, and clean bulb contacts still did not fix it. the brake light failure light stay on when ignition is turned on or started. I plan to pull the taillights out and perform continuity test on the wiring harness. Hopefully I can find the short. will post when it is fixed.

Did you change to a different type of bulb ?
The indicator senses current. If the bulbs you put in draw more or less current, it will probably cause it to light up.
 
Kinan said:
[I think halogen bulbs draw less current than conventional OEM so you may have the same problem. [/B]

I think you got that part backwards. The halogens are a much higher wattage rating than the incandescents.

You're right, the resistor is a lot of work. I'm going to simply ground the Orange/White wire.

I'm still baffled why everything works fine except for when the tail light filaments are also lit.
 
Wires

When you say "ground the orange an white wires" does that mean to hook them together?
As you can see by my avatar I have needed to do this to get my dash light to go off.
By the way, my cruise control stoped working when I did the LED instal and I am hoping the sensor fix will fix this also.
 
Re: Wires

jdnsx said:
When you say "ground the orange an white wires" does that mean to hook them together?

There is one wire that is colored orange and white exiting from the right taillight. This wire sends the signal to the idiot light in the dash. As long as this wire goes to ground the light stays off.

Hopefully in your case that will end the signal going to the ECU and you'll get your cruise control back.

Of course if all else fails I guess we could go back to OEM bulbs. :)
 
I completed the mod and it appears to work. The Orange wire with the White stripe runs the length of the car and sends the signal to the idiot light. However it is easier to ground the White wire with Green stripe that directly exits the failure sensor.

This is clearly shown in the photo. I simply cut a small length of 16 ga wire, crimped a spade lug on one end and acheived ground by securing it to one of the nuts that holds the lens assembly in place. (upper left of photo). The other end is simply spliced onto the White/Green wire exiting the 6-P connector attached to the failure sensor.

This is only done on the right (passenger) side of the car.

Yes if you lose a brake light bulb the car won't tell you but idiot lights are for sissies anyway.

blfs_mod.jpg
:)
 

I'm still baffled why everything works fine except for when the tail light filaments are also lit. [/B]


Because the sensor can only detect current when the bulbs are on?

Regarding whether halogens consume more or less current than oem I can't tell in your situation, I don't know what you installed. I only try to point out that what was installed isn't the same as what was there before and will draw different current. The sensor detects this different current and illuminates the dash light.
Have you tried putting the stock bulbs back in to see if the problem goes away?
 
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