Noob with question that is driving me crazy

[[email protected]]

Hi everyone! This looks like a great place and is my first Z forum I've ever registered at.

Just purchased my 2nd Z, a 94 2+2 and the first day I had it out I got a "replace brake light bulb" indicator on the dash. All the bulbs looked fine, but I replaced them anyway. No help. All fuses are fine. I have turn signals and the center brake light on the hatch works. Took it to the place I usually go, a nice independent shop specializing in Nissans, etc. By process of elimination, they came up with the only possibility: the Stop and Tail Lamp Sensor must be out of whack. Can't seem to find one by online, and don't even know where they are on the car (although I'm suspecting near the brake pedal). Anybody out there ever experience this? Is it possible for me to bypass the sensor? As you can imagine, I am anxious to drive this baby (will post some nice pics...it is NICE and tricked out), but don't relish the thought of getting back-ended for lack of brake lights! Thanks in advance for any help!


Modified by [email protected] at 4:47 AM 8/18/2006

[nsrZ32]

Welcome to NICO!

Just out of curiousity....does your car have the Japanese tail lights on it? or the US spec ones?

[[email protected]]

I'm not sure, how do I tell? I'm assuming Japanese...can you tell from this pic?

[nsrZ32]

Yes you do, and that's why your bulb light is on Tonight I'll see if I can dig up the wiring fix for you.

[Rex]

If this system works similarly to the Q45, it "knows" a bulb is out by the total resistance of the bulbs, and using non-OEM bulbs (or replacing only 1) can have the total resistance to not be in spec. Try all new OEM bulbs and see if that resolves it. Probably cheaper than replacing the sensor.

[[email protected]]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies. The bulbs ARE non-OEM. I would still appreciate seeing that wiring diagram as this was the fix I was planning on, but I will post whether the bulb switch is successful, for the benefit of anyone else who might have this problem. Thanks again! (Also, here's another pic) Looks stock, but has Nismo clutch, Greddy exhaust, Koni shocks, etc. Runs and handles like a dream.

[carcrazyguy]

Just as was mentioned, even the slightest change in a bulb will trip the sensor. For example, I had an NA where I put a TT spoiler on it. The third brake light was different, as were the # of bulbs. This set off my indicator too. So apparently the TT and NA even have a different sensor.

[[email protected]]

That's what it looks like......although I haven't received the bulbs yet to make sure, I did get a Nissan dealer to swap out his (non-OEMs) for the ones I had in there, and there was a slight change on the dash: The "bulb-out" light came on immediately, whereas before it would only come on when I touched the brake......swapped them back out and the dash light disappeared except when I hit the brake. I'm expecting the problem to be fixed when I get the original bulbs, but will bypass the sensor if I have to. Is that wiring fix diagram offer still out there? Thanks for all the input, guys.

[NSR240sxe]

Welcome to NICO!! Nice, clean looking Z