Short?

The brake light is Toyotas way of telling you that you have a charging problem. They figured a brake light on would make you take notice and it worked. I think you have a bad or nearly bad alternator. Have someone check it out.

I had the plug on the alternator go bad, and just the idiot light for the charge system came on. This seems more like an occasional short. Parked facing uphill, the lights sometimes go off, but as soon as I get it level or downhill, they come back on. I'm wondering where to look for a wire that would kill the charge and bring the brake light on.

I don't think what you have going on is a short if so it would blow a fuse. I think it is a ground problem. I would check all grounds from the battery to the engine, engine to fire wall and battery to frame. Remove and clean as often there is a disimiliar metal problem that causes corroision.

For many years Japanese vehicles have had a system where a fuse opens or there is a loss of a light or voltage and odd light will light on the dash. I have seen this the early 70's. Good luck