bought '97 'kota from tow yard. with the headlights off, the check engine, airbag, and brake light stays on. When you hit the brakes, the check engine light goes out. The brakes have been inspected and repaired. the air bags have never been deployed.


When the headlights are on, the check engine light goes out. The turn signal indicators(both) stays lit. the brake light and air bag light stays on. Any ideas?

 

Welcome to the forum.

More than likely it's a bad ground. There are several grounds on the LH side of the dash, check them. There should also be a jumper between the dash and the body of the truck - near where the dash will "pivot".

 

are we talking about the instrument cluster? is this something an intelligent motived mom with a test light can do? or should I bring it to the "boys" at the mechanic shop?
Ok, I remove the cluster bezel, left out the cluster, leaving the pigtail attached, and check the ground wires. Are they green in pigtail or screwed to frame?

 

sounds to me like it was boobytrapped before being repo'd....

 

LOL magnethead, I think if that was the case, the finance company would have PAID the last person that owned it to KEEP IT!!! Its all good!! I bought it and brought to my mechanics for them to check it out. I ask the guys, Why is there a DOLLAR GENERAL extension chord hanging out of the radio port in the dash? We followed it to the door speakers!! The factory speakers are going out. I guess I am going to have to hook the extension chord to the radio!! it was a NO INSURANCE seizure.

 

Like i said, somebody knew they were up for repo, so they mangled the electrical. Seen it too many times. Have a friend that is a truck op, and he's had some scary stuff happen on a repo. What you see on TV may be dramaticized, but it does happen.

 

There are "other" grounds. Where they connect to the body, that's what I mean. If you look up above the kick panel on the drivers side you should see some bolts going into the body, with wires connected to the them. Make sure they're all clean and tight.

There should also be a "jumper wire" between the body and the dash, not the cluster but the dashboard itself. It can come out of the truck to replace the heater core.