Its not the blue stopper or the switch getting stuck.. they work fine. While driving with headlights off (day time) my brake lights work normal. Interesting part is when my headlights are off the clock light is very bright, when I apply the brakes the brake lights come on and the clock dims. With headlights on (means brake lights always on) the clock stays dim.

When I turn my head lights on, the brake lights also come on. When the vehicle is off, the brake lights are off.

Any thoughts?

 

weird

 

check your brake light bulbs, you might have a single contact bulb instead of a dual.

also make sure your sockets are clean and free of corrosion.

 

grog right on man, the problem was one brake light bulb. Replaced it with a dual light bulb and everything is working properly!

 

I am having the same problem with my 1999 Honda Civic DX. The brake lights work fine if the headlights are off, but when i turn on the headlights, the brake lights also turn on. We replaced the brake switch (it didn't look broken) and that didn't help. The blue plastic piece that the brake switch pushes against is completely intact. The middle light has a single filament bulb, the side lights have 2 bulbs each: the turning signal bulb is a single filament and the brake light bulb is a dual filament. We replaced all the bulbs and the problem has persisted. Why do the brake lights turn on when the headlights are turned on.

On a side note, and less urgent, is the fact that when I push on my brakes, whether or not the headlights are on, my front blinker lights turn on. While I guess this isn't supposed to happen, it is not draining my battery, nor is it interfering with my car's ability to pass state inspection, so I'm not too concerned with it.

Any ideas/help? This has been going on for about 4years (started when 2 of the brake bulbs burned out and we replaced them) and only this year has the state inspection place decided that it's an issue.