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Brake peddle/turn signal short?

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:00 am
by oatbean
Hi everyone,
I own a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder.

I feel I have some sort of electrical short with regards to my signal lights and brake peddle. (Please Note: the problem only exists with regards to the left turn signal light 'both front and rear'). I'd really like to try to fix this myself as I am on a very tight budget. I was hoping maybe some kind person here might be willing to offer me some advice, based on the symptoms, of where I should begin looking.

Symptoms:

(1)
My left turn signal lights both front and rear (i.e. driver's side) light up when I press the break peddle.

(2)
If my left turn signal is active, every time I press my brake peddle my left turn signal stays lit but stops flashing until I release the brake (things act normal with regards to activating the right turn signal).

also...

(3)
If my car is in "P"ark and I have my left turn signal engaged (or my hazards flashing). My shifter console makes a loud clicking sound with every blink of the flasher lights (I assume this sound is the brake peddle controlled "safety" relay inside the shifting console that unlocks the gearshift from the "P"ark position snapping in and out of position)


Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Any advice is most certainly and thankfully appreciated.

Sincerely,
Rob

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:05 pm
by pandarturo88
If you can read a schematic and ahve a multimeeter it shoul dbe fairly simple. I have never had a problem like this but I am and electrician so if you can get a schematic of the wiring diagrams i'd be more than happy to help you althought it would be hard over the internet.

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:00 pm
by volvite
I had a similar issue in my 93 altima. It was a bad ground in the rear tail light. You might look at your connections on the tail light. Mine had a loose wire. I tightend it up and it worked great until I sold it.

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:17 pm
by pandarturo88
I second the ordnance guy above me

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 9:58 am
by oatbean
Thank you all so much for the offers and advice!
It turns out that the problem was related to an after market trailer hitch wiring harness that was connected to my driver's side tail light.

I snipped off the trailer hitch wires that were tapped into my tail lights wires and the problem went away (and well, so did the ability to control a trailer's lights. But that's ok, I only use the hitch for a bike rack anyway).

Thanks again!
-Rob

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:53 pm
by volvite
Glad you found the problem. I bet the aftermarket hitch wire was not grounded properly and that's why it was giving you a problem.