JDM taillights always on.
 

I know I've been posting a lot of threads lately... I'm sorry, I just want to repair all my electrical issues.

I own a RHD JDM FD3S.

Key on, taillights comes on too. I can't disable them. It's ugly to let them open during daytime.

Anyone fixed the problem? I know I need to do a custom fix but I want to know YOUR solutions.

Thanks!

It's not a malfunction, they are supposed to do that.

Yes I know, but I don't want them to be ON, USDMs aren't ON when key ON.

check the brake pedal, there is a rubber grommet that could have popped out.
It engages the brake switch when the pedal comes up and shuts the lights off...
this happened to me.

I understand what you're saying, but my brake lights are working fine! Thanks anyway!

I have a FD and my taillights only come one if you turn lights on or step on the brakes. I have had 3 FD's and no taillight on when key is on. Many of friends have FD's and none of their taillights are on when the key is on. So I would not say it is a JDM issue. It sounds like a local issue with your car.

Some countries have headlights and rear lights on by default, according to the countrys laws.
Norway is such a country, daytime headlights and rear lights have to be used, no matter what, and there is a possibillity for a fine if you get caught. Parking lights is not daytime driving lights, so you cant use just parking lights.

So, to easily adapt to this law, cars that are build to be shipped to Norway, has driving/rear lights on by default from step 2 on the ignition. Cars that are buildt for ex. for germany, but imported to Norway by a big dealership, normally has this difference rebuildt to norwegian law standards, but private imports rarely fix this, so you have to turn on headlights/rear lights yourself each time you start the car, to prevent getting a ticket.
This could be the case on your JDM.

The fine for being stopped without proper daytime driving lights in norway is...
and hang on to your seats....

2000 Norwegian Kroners, wich translates to about 380-390 US dollars...:blush:

JDM FD's never had running lights.

The issue with this car is a wiring one.

Do your headlights turn on also?

No, only my taillights. My headlights are working fine (I need to turn the switch to activate them). So, if it is a local issue... hmmm, where should I start to find the problem? I think it'll be easier to go custom...

Start with the combination switch.

I'll see with a test light if I can find a wire from the switch that is off when I put the key on and on when I turn on the headlights...

But if my logic is OK, if it was the combination switch, headlights would be always on too...

It might be the switch I think the headlights are on a different circuit. I once had a problem where my tail wouldn't work but headlights did, I had a bad TNS relay.

I run my front running lights/rear lamps on all the time. I think it looks good.

It's not a wiring issue, the car would have been modified to have DRL when it was imported into canada as it is the law here, my JDM FD is the same....

^^^then the tech who installed it messed up bad.... DRL are designed for only the front lights, not the rears, that's why you will see people driving around at night with 60% of their 'lights on' (highbeams) thinking they are proper lights... Tail lights of any kind were never written I to the law regarding DRL's....


J.

I don't think so.

Happy I'm not the only one. I'll find a way to disable them, I knew it wasn't a wiring issue...

Exactly, we don't need the taillights for DRLs.

I bought it from a JDM shop in Montreal in August 2007, I don't think they modified it...

Tonight I tried to find a wire that is ON when I turn the headlights on but OFF when I turn the key ON... Without success...

you should try to find a wiring diagram for the lights circuit. I have michelle at my work ill see if i can pull up a cnd model diagram... i wouldnt think there would be a difference from the jdm model.

My rear lights up as well, not a mistake

Still searching... especially for a wire that turns ON when lights are ON but stays OFF when key is ON...

And I can't understand half of the Mazda electrical diagrams...

?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????

if theres been any re-wiring in the car, they hooked up the tail lights to the ignition.

cluster illumination and rear tail lights share the same fuse (drivers feet area) Did you notice if the cluster illuminates too in daytime?

Yes it illuminates too, and no I don't think there's been any re-wiring with the tails!

seems that theres been some re-wiring done to the car. i would start with a test lamp to figure out which wire is hooked to the switch and rewire your tail lights properly

well before you burn your car down to ashes. i would suggest to leave this work for someone a little more familiar with wiring etc. No offense

Bump.

This is inaccurate.

Vehicles over 15 years of age which are imported into Canada are not required to meet federal safety requirements. Thus things like DRL's are not requried.

Vehicles that are less than 15 years of age that are imported into Canada are required to meet all federal safety standards and must be cleared through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles Registrar of Imported Vehicles

-Geoff

Another bump.

Not required for federal, but in Alberta, you cannot legally pass an 'out of province' inspection without DRL's, they might give grace to cars older then 1990 (as was the case with a 1978 mustang a friend imported) but the 1991 camaro he imported NEEDED DRL'S installed to pass OPI...

Either that, or know a tech capable of passing it without DRL and slip him a case or two...


To OP...

I would have to agree your wiring has been messed with... Some line is triggering the lights.... Sorry but I'm not much help in that subject...


J.

I assume you've pulled the rear plastics out and had a look to see if anything is non-standard?

Rear DRL aren't required anywhere. Front DRL are required in Canada (not in USA). But no rear DRL.


Yes, I already did that.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...rearlights.png

Here is how it should be wired up. You're going to have to trace cables & see what they've changed. I imagine it will be obvious when you find where they've tapped in.

Sadly, I see everyone thinks this is a local issue, which is NOT.

I would check what post #4 said. Mine had the same problem you are describing when the plastic grommet broke. Brake lights still worked fine

Hmmm ok thanks I'll check this out, maybe it's a local issue finally... :)

Most of my experiences are with JDM FDs (and otherwise Australian market FDs) and I can tell you that of all the JDM cars I've bought back to Australia, none illuminated the rear lights with just the key on. Its not a JDM thing.

Either Canadians wired it this way when it arrived in Canada to meet some sort of DRL regulations (and they went overboard- Canada doesnt need rear DRLs from what I'm reading?) or there's some wiring problem with the car.

Being a JDM, you have to be a bit careful because the USDM wiring diagrams do not match JDM wire colors and wiring can be different JDM vs USDM. A lot of people on these forums in the USA have wiring diagrams for their USDM cars, but they arent correct for JDM.
So far, I dont think anyone has managed to find a genuine JDM wiring book, even though a lot of people have asked, me included..

Anyone have a picture of that brake pedal grommet?

if you look at the brake pedal theres a switch that gets pushed in by the top of the pedal. If its just a hole with the switch poking through its missing.

Dont know if thats the issue though since I'm pretty sure that when the plastic piece broke on mine the lights would stay on even with the ignition off.

Indeed. My JDM RS does not turn on the rear lights with the ignition key.

Mine broke recently. Found the grommet in the floor board and battery was dead from brake lights being on.

I just found something to plug the hole in the brake pedal so the stopper would get pushed back in when the pedal was at rest.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...98e4b9f05c.jpg


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c76dbbac49.jpg