I've done the searching and reading but nothing really compares to what I have going on.

Like stated above all my lights are on but they only come on after I press on the brakes. I could be driving around forever with on lights coming on but as soon as I press the brakes BAM all the lights turn on.

1. I've checked all brake pads (plenty of pad like left)
2. Got an alignment TWICE (same place) and still the problem persists.
3. Have disconnected the battery for a few days and nothing.
4. Read the codes and its telling me that its my "Brake Switch"
5. I checked both brake switches with a multimeter and they seem to be operational. I checked them unplugged with brake pedal pressed and depressed (on/off)(open/closed)

This all began:

I installed camber arms and toe bolt. Car drove and functioned fine with none of the lights on. Took it to get aligned and it was working fine. I then hit a construction bump while pressing on the brakes and BAM all my lights turned on. Took it to get aligned again thinking my alignment got out of whack with the bump. Alignment was off so they fixed it again. Drove the car and after I pressed the brakes a few times, the lights came on again.

I have the same symptoms to when you disconnect the brake switch to do standing burnouts or brake boosting.

What do you guys think??????????? I don't want to take it to the Stealership.

Thanks,

 

I think that is an ABS malfunction. Maybe one of your ABS wheel speed sensors got knocked out of position or the cable is lose, disconnected, torn/ripped, or something pulled on the sensor and damaged it.

These are tricky little bastards and have to be just the right distance from the magnetic strip in the bearing, if the sensor is too close or too far away by even a millimeter it will trigger those 3 lights and ABS wont work.

I'm assuming you installed these parts? If so no one has liability except yourself, so you'll have to track it down and fix it. If you can't find it you can take it to a dealer and have them plug their Consult-II into it and they can find the specific ABS sensor(s) that is/are malfunctioning.

 

Does the lights go off after you let off the brakes? If yes, check your brake fluid. If no, then you have a ABS module problem.

 

I was thinking it could be a sensor as well so I had check the ones on the rear but nothing looked loose or out of place in any way. I had even gone as far as pricing them used just in case. I haven't had a chance to check if or where the front ones are located.

Yes the brake lights do not work.

All fuses look good but does anyone know if there are relays for this that can be checked in the fuse box.

I might try an alignment one more time and if that don't work then il have no choice but to take it to that place many dread (dealership).

If anyone has any other suggestions, let me know il try anything to get this problem solved. Thanks for the helpfully replies guys

 

i'd look at your brake fluid level for sure. thats been like that for me

 

I could swear I've checked the brake fluid before bit il check it again tonight.

Thanks

 

Brake fluid is fine.

Ok, so I was under the car again looking at front sensors hoping I may find one of them out of place or something. No luck in that department. Both front sensors look in place with no signs telling me otherwise. I continued inspecting the rest of the front suspension pieces in hopes that something might tell me here look here!!!!!! I found something that needs replacing. Not sure if this may be causing the lights or not but i'm going to replace it anyways cause it needs to be replaced and if it fixes the problem great. I remember reading that after installing camber arms and toe bolts it can sometimes throw off the alignment so out of whack that those lights turn on but go away after an alignment is performed.

Anyways, here are the pics. Let me know what you guys think. Is it wishfull thinking in my part? Just trying to trouble shoot the problem. If all else fails then I'll take it in. Good thing this isn't my daily driver.

Here's how its suppose to look (Passenger):



Here's how one side looks (Driver):



Thanks for the responses

 

Wow... yeah your lower control arm slipped off the bushing. The stock bushings are pretty weak in this spot. I'm not sure if its causing your ABS issue, but it is definitely something you should replace as it will really screw up your handling. You can get some new ones from a lot of online retailers... here's a set: http://www.z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?m...ng&prodid=3783

You only need the ones on the top of their list I think... but you might wanna check first. You can probably have the new bushing pressed in at a Napa autoparts store, I think a few of them have a press to do this type of stuff.

 

Thanks,

Will place the order for the bushing set tonight. I was wondering where I could take it to get the bushings pressed. I'll check with NAPA and others

 

GL, I hope that is the cause of your problem. Let us know how it works out...

 

The brake light switch is $35 from the dealer. It was the issue that caused mine to throw all those lights up on my dash when pressing the brake pedal.

I didn't think it was the issue since the brake lights were fully operational, but after a month or so went by, my brake lights quit working.

I replaced the switch located behind the brake pedal, and all my lights stay off.

Also, I've had the same issue with a bad bushing on a lower control arm, but it never caused any issues with the lights on my dash.

 

do you remember which of the two switches you replaced? black or brown

 

well, one switch disables the cruise control i believe, the other is the brake light switch

Since it was a few months ago, I don't recall the color. I know that it was the actual brake light switch and only ran around 35 dollars from the dealer parts dept.

 

This is really interesting because I did check both my switches and both seemed operational but you do bring up a good fact because at first my cruise control was working even though all the lights were on and now my cruise control does not work (sorry forgot to mention that) it just blinks intermittently.


I'm going to take it into the dealership and have them diagnose the problem with the consult II or whatever they use.

That is going to cost me 90 bucks. I could spend the 35 bucks for the switch but if its not the problem then I'm out 35 bucks and still have to spend the 90 bucks later. I just hope it isn't anything major having to do with my ABS...... control module needing replacing.

I really appreciate you guys sharing your experiences and input with this and I will definitely keep you guys up to date.

I do have several friends with 350Zs and could easily swap brake switches, sensors, ect... but am afraid of ruining any of their components in the case I may have some kind of short circuit of something. What do you guys think?

I was trying to remove my brake switch but does anyone know how to? Can't seem to figure it out. It looks like it should be easy.

 

If it helps... my stop lamp switch was having problems, sometimes when I put my foot on the brake the brake lights would not come on. I found this out when there were times I could not put my convertible top up/down, which requires the brakes to be applied. The cars computer didn't know the brakes were applied because the switch wasn't working. However, none of this caused any lights to come on the dash and my cruise worked fine.

 

The switch just rotates and you pull it out of the slot.

I wasted a diagnostic fee well before I knew what the real problem was

When i went to the dealership, i told them what code I pulled from the abs system (the pressure switch) and all they told me afterwards was to replace the abs control unit for $1200 plus labor since they don't sell the abs pressure switch separately. Needless to say, I didn't do that and located a pressure switch from a used abs unit which I swapped out myself. Of course, it didn't solve the problem since my original was fine.

I found out the root cause when my tail lights finally stopped working. I even disassembled my brake light switch, cleaned it, and put it back in to see that it still didn't work. So after purchasing a new one, my brake lights were fixed and my dash lights vanished completely.

 

Ok, I'm sold on this. I'm going over to a buddy's house right now and pull his brake switch off (if he lets me). I hope this works.

Stay tuned.................................................

 

Ok, so I tried removing my Brake Switch by unscrewing it but it won't budge. Is there some kind of locking mechanism on the base the may keep it from turning or is it just hard to turn? If anyone knows, please point it out. I'd hate to break the base or something.

 

Press the brake pedal down a little with one hand, with your other hand, rotate the switch 1/4 counterclockwise, pull it out of it's slot, unplug it from the wire harness and voila, it's out of the car.

 

Ok its done! Thanks.


Tomorrow I'll plug them into my buddy's car and see if they work or not. I tested them again with a multimeter and both of them seem operational. Lets see what happens tomorrow.