My brake and tail light indicators are lit on the dash, but the actual tail and brake lights are working fine. The tail light indicator has been lit up for a year, the break light indicator has been lit up for 6 months or so.

Does anyone know what i need to do to fix these false detections? How does the car determine that the lights are malfunctioning to light up the dash light? Is there some sort of sensor that needs replaced?

Any help would be appreciated. The car is a 1996 Bonneville SSEI.

Thanks,
Jeff Hockema

Take a look at your license plate lights. There should be two shining bright. If not, that'* the tail light issue. Brake.. could be a poor connection etc. does it seem to come and go?

The brake light indicator used to come and go, now it is always on.

I will check the license plate lights tonight and get back with you in the morning.

Thanks for your help.

I'm having the same problem with my '97 SSE.

I had the same issue twice with my 95. The indicator was on but all the lights were burning.
Then after staring at the light on the dash for about a month, I actually noticed a tail bulb out.
I KNOW I had checked them all before. Changed the bulb and all was well. This happen
twice in the last five years or so. Maybe old or weak bulbs trip the indicator????

I don't know how the indicator detects bad lamps, but maybe you can change a bunch of them
with new ones and see. They're cheap anyway.