Brake Lights Stay On When Headlights Are On -The Cause and Fixes

Your brake lights signal to other drivers that you’re slowing down. That’s why they’re activated only when you press the brake pedal. If your brake lights stay on when headlights are on, there can be a few different things wrong with your vehicle. 

So, how to tell what has caused your brake lights to malfunction and what should you do in this situation? Keep reading to find out.

Common Reasons Brake Lights Stay On When Headlights Are On

There can be a few different reasons for your brake lights malfunction this way.
Let’s take a look at the probable causes:

Improper Bulb Installation

Incorrectly installed brake lights are one of the most common reasons for this issue and one of the easiest to fix. You can reinstall the lights yourself and save a lot of money in diagnosis and repair. If your dual filament bulbs aren’t wired properly, your brake lights may come on at the wrong time. 

Faulty Dual Filament Bulb

The filaments in your dual filament bulb may be touching each other, causing a short circuit. A dual filament bulb is designed to give out a high beam by one filament and a low beam by the other simultaneously. Any one of the bulbs in your parking lights or rear tail lights may be the culprit here.

Poor Grounding

This can be one of the easy problems to solve. When brake lights aren’t properly grounded, it can cause them to flicker, come on at unexpected times, or even not work at all. A simple way to solve this issue is to clip a jumper on the bulb socket. This will create a secondary ground. 

Shot Brake Pedal Switch

The brake pedal switch is the one placed under your dash, next to the pedal. When the switch is working, it should depress fully. That’s how it sends a signal to the brake lights on when you press the pedal. So, without this switch working, your brake lights can go haywire. 

Bad Multi-Purpose Switch

The multi-purpose switch sends electric signals that enable the driver to activate the headlights, turn signals, windshield wipers, etc. You’ll find it attached with screws to the steering column on the left side. When this switch is defective, it can send inaccurate electrical impulses and activate your brakes at the wrong time. 

Compromised Wiring

If your car has a rear hatch, the wiring there can be damaged or corroded, causing your brake lights to malfunction. 

Steps to Take When Brake Lights Stay On When Headlights Are On

Even if you aren’t sure what has caused your brake lights to stay on when the headlight is activated, you can go through the following checklist. The aim is to save as much of your money as possible because we all know how steep those diagnostic charges can be.

Step 1: Start By Grounding Your Brake Lights

Establishing a secondary ground is easy. Clip a jumper on the bulb socket and you are good to go. Start by disconnecting the negative terminal from your battery. Bend the exposed ends of the jumper wire into a hook shape. Connect each hook with the two terminals of the bulb socket. You can use electric tape to insulate the exposed wire before connecting the battery to the negative terminal again. 

Step 2: Check and Replace The Lights

Replace your brake lights if you haven’t replaced them in a while. If that doesn’t solve the issue, move on to the rear tail light bulbs and parking light bulbs. These bulbs are inexpensive and it’s always best to make sure that’s not the cause of your issue.

Step 3: Check & Replace The Brake Pedal Switch

You can locate the brake pedal switch next to the pedal itself and check if the switch is depressing normally. If it’s stuck or doesn’t go all the way down, chances are, replacing them will solve your problem. 

Step 4: Inspect The Hatch Wiring

If your car has a hatch in the rear, inspect the wires there. You may need to clean them as dirt and debris can be behind your malfunctioning brake lights. If the wiring is corroded beyond repair, you can also try replacing it.

Step 5: Get Professional Help

You have done everything. Now, it’s shop time! At this point, it’s better to get a professional to take a look. I’m sure you are out of patience after trying everything. There’s no reason for you to neglect to get your brake light repaired ASAP, as you must keep all of your car’s brake lights working at full capacity. Yes, even the middle brake light.

Could Worn Out Brake Pads Be the Cause of My Brake Lights Staying On?

When it comes to brake pad longevity issues: common causes and solutions, you may wonder if worn out brake pads could be the cause of your brake lights staying on. While it’s unlikely for worn brake pads to directly affect the brake lights, it’s essential to address this issue promptly. Brake lights staying on might indicate a faulty brake light switch or other electrical problems, which should be inspected and fixed by a professional mechanic.

Tips to Prevent Your Brake Lights From Switching On When Headlight Is Activated

There’s really no way you can ensure that your brake lights won’t go bad. However, there are a few best practices. 

• When you replace the bulbs on your brake lights, always make sure that the wiring is done correctly.
  
• Inspect your brake pedal every few weeks. This will take you only a minute.
  
• For cars with rare hatches, cleaning up the wires and repairing them from time to time is the best practice to avoid short circuits.
  
• Replace any bulbs in your brake lights, tail lights, or parking lights as soon as they fail. This is important for your safety as well.

FAQs

In this section, we’ll respond to commonly asked questions about malfunctioning brake lights. 

Final Words

It’s a genuine safety hazard if your brake lights stay on when headlights are on. You shouldn’t take the situation lightly and get to fixing this issue immediately.

In case you have some DIYing experience with repairing cars, you can start by inspecting and replacing the bulbs in your brake lights, tail lights, and parking lights. Changing the brake pedal switch is also a good idea. 

However, after doing all these things, if your brake lights still aren’t working properly, you have to get your car to a repair shop. This can cost you anywhere from $50-$650.