Unusual brake light switch issue

I'm at a loss on this one: '02 V-6 5-spd. When depressing my brake pedal, both of the turn signal indicators on the dash illuminate with a solid light as long as my foot is on the pedal. If the turn signal or the emergency flasher is on, brake application overrides it and the indicators go solid and the turn signal stops flashing (the actual signal bulb outside). The brake lights work normally. Anyone ever see anything like this?

 

Haven't seen that exact issue, but in the past when I've had bulbs light when they aren't supposed to it's a bad ground somewhere.

 

do you have a trailer light harness. the converter boxes can cause weird issues with brakes and turn signals

 

I do have a trailer harness. I've been thinking of removing the hitch anyway, so maybe now's a good time.

 

X2

 

^this. My money is on a bad ground. The voltage finds it’s way to ground by backfeeding thru other circuits lighting up other lights. My guess is when the other lights come on they’re dim right?

 

Actually, I haven't driven it much since I noticed this issue. However, I think I did drive it at night and didn't notice dim lights. Next time out I'll pay closer attention to this. Not looking forward to chasing a bad ground.

 

have to tried disconnecting the trailer light harness? if not i still advise you do, these converters are notorious for causing odd electrical gremlins

 

Haven't done anything yet. I noticed you referred to a converter box. I looked at the harness and it looks like it's connected to the wiring for the rear lights. Is there typically a converter box for a hitch harness, and if so where are they usually installed. I have no experience with trailer hitches or their electrical connections. This truck came w/ hitch and wiring, which I'll never use. Thanks for the help!

 

trace the harness down.. its likely held up with sticky tape under the bed.. at least thats where i find most of the aftermarket ones

 

If the connection to the harness is plug and play id just unplug the unit and see if the problem goes away plugged into the factory harness without thew aftermarket

 

I finally made time to mess with this. The problem had morphed into my turn signals going to emergency flash mode every time I tried to signal for a turn, a safety issue plus a piss-off other driver issue. First, I located the converter box and unplugged the pigtail connector for the trailer. Same problem. Then I traced the wires from the converter into the tail lights but found no splice on the three-wire lead to the driver's side (single lead to passenger side was spliced). So I had to cut the wires on that side and...………...problem solved! So thanks for the input everyone (especially Empty Lord). I never would have thought that could be the problem.

 

Good to know it’s fixed.. first time I experienced issues like that I was hunting like crazy thinking a ground issue or something... ended up being the converter lol. 9 out 10 times that’s the issue with trucks and aftermarket converters