A kid from my class just told me my lights were on in my 96 OBS and I didnt belive her b/c most if not all subies lights dont work w/.o the key in the ignition and on. I went out just to check and I found my brake lights on, as if the pedal was depressed, but it wasnt. It was raining and really windy out so I didnt check anything, just disconnected the batt for now. What should I check out besides the fuses and the switch thing by the pedal that turns the light on?

Sometimes they are defective or the mount bends enough that they no longer make contact.

I played with it last night and I think its the switch. I got pissed and slamed the door shut and they turned off and then when I went to close the hood they came back on. When I played with the pedal they went on and off. Its just this morning tthey wont turn off again no matter what I do with the pedal. I hope I can find a cheap quick replacement.

I had an '84 'vette (che-, not cor-) some years ago that had the same problem. The switch that works the brakes was faulty. Should be a easy-to-find switch and a cinch to fix. The switch that nearly every automaker uses is one that's kind of backwards -- when the little button is depressed it's off, otherwise it's on.

 

Try Advance auto, and ask for a GP Sorensen 375039. (That's the stoplight switch for a '96 Legacy. It's about six bucks.)

Not sure on subies, but some brake light switches are adjustable. If not, sounds like the shaft nut came loose on the switch.

 

Poke you head under there and take a look. Someone else may know it there are two switches, one for brake lights and one for cruise control, I certainly don't.

I changed the switch and its working now. I guess the previous switch just went bad. And I didnt have to worrry about the cruise control b/c I dont have it, I wish I did for my 7 hr. drives out to school, but I dont:(

Well Ijust dug up this thread to see why my stop lights are staying on.

1988 DL wagon, 4WD, no cruise control to worry about

The funny thing is, when I pull the "room/stop" fuse, the stop lights still stay on--unless that's the wrong fuse.

After taking a close look, I see the button that moves out of the switch is broken off, so that the switch is on all the time. My Haynes manual says the switch is adjusted or removed by loosening the adjustment nut on the switch, but I can't find any way to get a wrench on the nut.

Any suggestions?

Ray Mac

That seems odd. Will a socket fit on it?

No room to get a socket wrench on there. If there was such a thing as a box wrench with a 90 degree bend in the handle, I might have a chance, and maybe I'll have to make one.

 

Ray Mac

I finally got the switch out with an open end wrench. After disconnecting the plug for the switch there should now be now be an open circuit but the brake lights still stay on.

 

I must have a short somewhere, and don't know how to find it.

Ray Mac

You might try pulling out the flasher unit to see if that helps. The unit may have a problem.