The brake lights work when I step on the brake even though the car is off and the key is removed. Is this normal or do I have a bad brake light switch?
I've noticed that on all cars I've had here (USA). I lived in the UK until 1983, and on every vehicle I drove on that side of The Pond, the brake lights would only operate when the ignition was "ON". I guess it must be a safety thing? (in USA, anyway)
Many years ago, I watched someone run from a cop, up a side mountain road, in the dead of night. Turned off his lights, went up the hill, turned off the car, and had his foot on the brake pedal... Stuck out like a sore thumb!
I would be interested to know if they could be disabled via a relay when the car is off, without setting a code.
How do they provide extra safety if the car is off and not moving? If any lights should work when the car is off, it should be the hazard lights only. Unless I'm missing something. I can't think of a situation where the electrical system would be compromised and the brake lights would be better than hazard lights. Any thoughts?
I'm think more of traditional non-hybrids that are turned off, but moving anyway. E.g. a car shut off to get control of a runaway engine, or being moved or rolled after engine or other system failure, or even the extreme (and illegal) hypermiling method of engine-off coasting. FWIW, the Prius can be put into the first situation. Remember the recovery methods discussed during the Toyota Sudden Unintended Acceleration fiasco a half decade ago.
Well that's a pretty good point! I didn't think the unintended acceleration issue affected the Classic 01-03 Prius. Does it?
At some level, it affects all cars. The great majority of SUAs are pilot induced, and make it very difficult to rule out the possibility of machine induced events hiding in the mix.
