Rear Lights Won't Turn Off

[Devante]

My car is a Honda Civic DX - 1992.

So yesterday I get home and luckily notice my rear brake lights won't turn off, even if the car is off.

All the other lights are fine. Backup, rear headlights, front headlights.

I have to disconnect the battery when I'm not driving now!
This also means my alarm isn't protecting my car.

Does anyone have any idea why this happened or how to fix it?
Or even what to check for?

Thanks for any advice!

[estricklin]

The most likely culprit is the brake pedal switch. Sometimes they stick or brake apart inside.

Remove the switch and give it a visual inspection or check its continuity with a DVOM.

The other possibility is the turn signal switch or a short.

[Devante]

Thanks!

It is indeed the brake switch.
I didn't know there was such thing.

I mean I assumed there was a way for the car to know when the brake was depressed and such of course. ;>
But didn't realize it was right there in the open.

So as of now I have to put a bottle cap between the brake and the switch if I want the lights to go off.

So it must not be broken apart inside, but for some reason isn't getting pressed in all the way anymore.

[golden chicken]

it might have some adjustment if you were to loosen the bolts that attach it to the car and take up the slack that the bottle cap is taking up now, then retighten the bolts, it might be good as new.