1999 Cadillac Deville rear lights

MARKVELLUTATO

MEMBER
1999 CADILLAC DEVILLE
V8
150,000 MILES

For the past two months, I've had to get my battery replaced twice and my car jumped several times. It is completely dead every now and then. I think I finally found my problem. Someone saw my tail lights on while my car was parked. Apparently this has been draining my battery. About every 10 times I drive the car, the rear lights stay on when I turn the car off. I haven't found the trick to getting them to go off other than start the car and drive it several times until they eventually go off. Do you have any ideas what could be causing this intermittment problem? I have to go behind my car and check the lights every time I turn the car off and it's a real pain in the butt.

Sunday, July 13th, 2014 AT 5:21 PM

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
110,176 POSTS

Is it the brake lights?

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Sunday, July 13th, 2014 AT 8:11 PM

MARKVELLUTATO

MEMBER
43 POSTS

Yes it is the brake lights. I don't know if this means anything, but I notice that "only" when I put the car in park, there is a clicking sound when I push the brake pedal. I don't know if this is normal when in park, but I don't remember hearing this before.

Again this morning, I drove about 5 miles and the brake lights stayed on when I turned off the car. I started it up and drove another 2 miles, turned the car off and the lights went off. Very confusing?

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it either, but when I use my left turn signal, it works fine, but does not release after the turn. I have to manually push the lever back to the neutral position to turn the blinker light off.

Thanks for your suggestions.

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Tuesday, July 15th, 2014 AT 3:53 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
110,176 POSTS

The clicking you hear is the park lock solenoid. That is normal. The turn signal not returning is the result of a small plastic return clip that must be broken on the signal switch itself. Not related.

I am 99% sure that either your brake light switch is out of adjustment and not turning the brake lights off or the switch itself is bad. The brake light switch is located at the top of the brake pedal (under the dash). You need to check to see if it is loose or if it just needs replaced. Chances are it needs replaced. It isn't an expensive part and other than there not being much space to work in, they are easy to replace.

Let me know what you find or if you need anything.

Joe

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Tuesday, July 15th, 2014 AT 9:56 PM