Gauge lights turn on when brake pedal depressed.

[robftw]

76 280z.

This just started the other morning, and i can't figure out why its happening. When i depress my brake pedal all of my gauges turn on, and my front indicators with my brake lights..

Worst part is i just got stuck somewhere with a dead battery and i think its because of this, i just checked all of the wires and externally they are all solid, i have no loose ends anywhere. This is driving me nuts.. is this any type of warning signal that something is failing by chance? Also my red volt meter LED turns on and stays on until about 2500-3000 RPM.

Does this mean failing alternator? The needle on the volt meter does not work so i don't know what voltage im operating at.

[Z train]

First thing to check is grounding.Sounds like something is hunting for a ground,and when you step on the brakes,it has it.

[Zs-ondabrain]

Also check the bulb sockets in the rear. Make sure they aren't melted together or connecting some how. That's the best place to start and one of the very few places that the 2 circuits come together.

Did you recently change a bulb or did something smack the inside or outside of the tail light area....??

Dave

[robftw]

Also check the bulb sockets in the rear. Make sure they aren't melted together or connecting some how. That's the best place to start and one of the very few places that the 2 circuits come together.

Did you recently change a bulb or did something smack the inside or outside of the tail light area....??

Dave

Actually i did change one of my rear brake bulbs, i grabbed a similar bulb when i was in the parts store (they dont have any others) i should have checked the part no.

[Zs-ondabrain]

There ya go. The parking light wire and brake wire go to teh same bulb and you made an internal connection with the "Wrong" bulb.

It happens. And just so ya know, if you see the dash lights on with the brake pedal, then ALL of the parking lights are coming on, but in the seated position, you'll obviously only see the dash bulbs.

Dave

[robftw]

haha oh wow, it was a single bulb... Maybe this will stop my battery dying too.

all of these problems only started once i changed the bulb

[SteveJ]

Rob, FYI, the FSM for the 76 has the proper bulb types. You might have to cross-reference them online to get the modern numbers. Superbrightleds.com actually has a pretty good cross-reference.

[Zs-ondabrain]

The standard is 1156 for a single filament and 1157 for a dual filament.

about $3 at almost any auto parts store for a 2-pack