It sounds like a bad light socket. The brake light and the parking/running/regular part of the socket are shorting out. When you press on the brake petal it's shorting out on the turn signal and sending current to the indicator (arrow) on the dash.. When you use the blinker, it's shorting with the brake light and causing them both to flash...
Check the socket and get back to me with the result.
Yes you can replace the socket. If you can't find the "pig tail" socket for your vehicle at a local auto parts store, you can find a used one at a junk yard. You'll have to splice it into the harness. Cut the wires as close to the socket as you can. Strip about a half inch of the outer coating off. If you get a new one it should already be prepared the same way. You can either buy "**** connectors" and install the new socket. (any auto parts employee should be able to help you) Or you can twist the wires together one at a time and tape them with electrical tape. It's a relatively simple process.
I'll check back on your progress, so keep me updated.
One final note...If the bulb is an 1157 it appears to be able to go in two ways...However, one prong on the side of the bulb is higher up than the other. Try spinning the bulb half a turn then push it in and twist.
And again...I'll check back.
For some reason the site won't let me write the correct term and edits it with stars/asterisks so the proper term would be the word But, with two "t"'s Connectors
Hi Tracy: I'm glad to see that it's apparently getting better. Re check both bulbs and make sure they're in correctly. Push in in twist...but you know that by now. The bad socket may have damaged the stop light switch on the brake petal, but we'll leave that alone for now. Is there a possibility that one (two) of the wires got switched? If the brake light wire and the ground wire got switched that could cause the problem you are now experiencing. Instead of the current going to the brake light, it sounds like it's going to the ground. Since your car is the ground, it will send power through the car, to the ground on the other side and make it light dimly. Turn on the headlights and if you have a test light (around $5) find out which wire has power going to it at the tail light you just replaced the socket on. The brightest one is the one you want to leave alone. Double check the way you have it wired. If it's correct, get back to me. If not, switch those two wires that don't light with just the headlights (and tail lights) on.
I'll check back around 5:00 PM Eastern tomorrow. (3/15/10). And one more time later tonight.
I read it again...and then pondered over it. Check the ground wire after you do the rest I'm thinking that may have been what started it all.
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The problem is the switch,, That lever u use to turn the indicators (blinkers) from left to right.. More than likely it needs replacing..
When checking your bulbs check that the brightness is the same on both sides front and rear . Also check turnsignals with and without parking lights on. By what you describe you have one or more bulbs with a broken filament which has fallen down on the other filament in the bulb. This happens rarly but when it does unless you've seen it happen it is hard to figure out your lighting problem.
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the left blinker socket, far left appears to be faulty. When i put bulb in I have to push down really hard on bulb to get it to light up. It won't stay in socket tightly. So, you are right. Now, how do I fix the problem? Can i replace just that one socket? it's part of a harness.
Hi bbbman,
I found a socket that was faulty and replaced it today. I turned on left blinker and it works just fine as well as the right blinker, however while the left is blinking, the right one is also blinking dimly and visa versa. Also, when i apply the brakes neither blinker works. So, although that socket did need replacing there must be another cause. What next? And thank you so much for taking the time for me and my dilemma.
Tracy
OK bbbman, I just discovered that this Corsica uses the same bulb for all three, Tail, Stop, Turn Signal. Part # 2057, which is a 2 filament bulb. When I originally pulled tail light assembly off and checked bulbs, i replaced 2 of them which were burnt out. I replaced them with what was is there, which was Part #'s 1156 and 1157. One of them being only one filiment. There are presently 2 bulbs in the assembly with only one filament. Could this be the whole problem?
Thanks
Hello RonPark,
I have replaced every bulb in each tail light assembly, both turn signal bulbs, stop and tail lights. I have also replaced one of the the sockets which appeared to be shorting out. However, I still have the same problem. The blinkers work unless I apply the brakes or turn the lights on. The thing is, that's not always the case. A couple times yesterday, the blinkers failed to work even when brake was NOT being applied. I am afraid that the problem is in a switch in or around the steering column. Could that be the case and how do I determine for sure without taking steering column apart?
thanks for your help
Tracy
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