The other day i noticed that when i hit the brakes my dash lights would come on. Its kinda wierd because it doesnt always happen. Just it seems like it will happen randomly for 15 mins at a time. Where should I start checking for shorts at?

Thanks

 

Could it be the dimmer switch? I'm not sure. I was never great at tracking down shorts. I'm trying to think of what else is down there..

 

When i fiddle with the dimmer switch and the brakes are on(and dash lights) it seems to work ok....

I might just have to live with this one

 

do you have a trailer light hookup? if water gets inside of the isolator box, it can cause all kinds of problems. on my '84, my dash lights would come on when i hit the brakes, and my turn signals would turn on when i turned on the headlights.

 

Are you saying all the dash lights come on? Or just the brake light? If it is all the dash lights, check for a loose or corroded ground wire. If it is just the brake light, check for low fluid in the master cylinder. Good luck, let us know what happens with it.

 

Not sure if it's the same for your '92, but here's a factoid in the hope it helps... On the later Tacomas the gauge cluster / dash illumination and the (rear / tail) brake lights were on the same major circuit. I'm not sure where they 'split', but it might be as far upstream as the fuse or relay box...

 

I HAD a trailer brake setup, but i just ripped the whole thing out and the lights still come on. To Clarify all my dash lights come on, just like it would be if you were to turn the headlights on. What grounds should I check? What fusebox are the dash lights on?

Thanks

 

I had a similar problem occur on my 91 sonoma. Whenever I used the turn signal my instrument and parking lights would all flash. it took a while to find the short, and it turned out to be one of the brake/tail light bulbs. Replaced it and everything was good.

 

I have a similar situation on my 85 toyota pickup with the headlight switch on if I step on the brakes my dash and running lights come on and the rear tail lights look like the brakes lights are on with the headlight switch off they brake lights when normally, any help is appreciated thanks.