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Tail light coming on when car has been off

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shasti212 View Drop Down
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    Posted: November/21/11 at 6:09pm
Ok, this is a weird one. After my first 6 hrs at work, the store next door said my back lights were on, just the tail lights. I went out and saw the right light was on, and when I unlocked the car and went to the other side to get inside, the lights were off. My normal light switch was off, and I still don't know if both lights were lit up.

Any ideas? I am thinking a fuse, but will have someone stand behind me to check my brake lights to see if a bulb maybe going out.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob N Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:21pm
Was your turn signal turned to the right when you shut Zippy off?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CORNERS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:22pm
You might have activated the "Euro parking light" feature. 
If the car is parked with key removed from ignition, and the turn signal stalk is pushed down or up (left or right), the lights only on that side of the car will illuminate. 

I believe it is related to an after-dark parking regulation in some parts of Europe that require running lights on the street-side of a parked car. Someone who knows more about Europe can probably confirm. (I can tell you almost anything about Asia, but I don't know hardly anything about Europe - sorry.) 

Update: Found this on Wikipedia: 

"In Germany, the StVZO (Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) calls for a different function also known as parking lamps: With the vehicle's ignition switched off, the operator may activate a low-intensity light at the front (white or amber) and rear (red) on either the left or the right side of the car. This function is used when parking in narrow unlit streets to provide parked-vehicle conspicuity to approaching drivers.[23] This function, which is optional under ECE and US regulations, is served passively and without power consumption in North America by the mandatory sidemarker retroreflectors."


Edited by CORNERS - November/21/11 at 6:24pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shasti212 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:25pm
I don't think I remember having a signal when I was parked...I never use it in this parking lot., but I could be wrong!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CORNERS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:26pm
Happened to me once only. I bumped the signal getting out of the car. Go ahead and try it, to see if you can replicate the symptom. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shasti212 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:28pm
I will give that a try when I get off work
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CINIMIN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:30pm
All it takes is a slight bump of the turn signal levet to activate the single side marker light.  I thought though that this was on a timer and would go out eventually.  I'll go so a tes on CINIMIN...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shasti212 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 6:32pm
It's just weird because it was only the tail light. The side marker and front lights were fine.

What makes it even more odd is that all day my right eye has been very red and bloodshot. Anyone that doesn't agree these cars have a personality is lying!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 8:16pm
I have done the same thing that Kurt describes and then stood there dumb founded till I realized what I did. Does your car have the light your way function ?
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CINIMIN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 8:49pm
Zippy is obviously displaying empathetic concern for your condition and wants you to know you are not suffering alone...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shasti212 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 9:53pm
Haha exactly Jack!
 
Well when dropping off the deposit at the bank, I put on my turn signal while turning the car off....no lights stayed on. I guess it's just a mystery!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CINIMIN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/21/11 at 10:26pm
Um, you do the turn signal switch after you turn the engine off...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/11 at 12:03am
I can do it with out the key in, just buy turning to right or left, also try clicking your high beams with out the key in.

If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/11 at 12:34am
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wildfamily Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/11 at 9:00am
Sure it's the Euro parking light function. Comes in very handy on those narrow european streets so you don't bang into a car in the middle of the night on your way home from the WeinStube.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JoeW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/24/11 at 10:39pm
there is a diode in the passanger side footwell panel that likes to deteriorate and corrode, that has been known to cause this issue,  also SI63 04 06 (brake lights on with ignition off)



or it could be the car coding itself for european specs without anyone doing so. re: maximum overdrive
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shasti212 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/27/11 at 1:16am
You all were right...it was the Euro Parking function.
 
I finally got a chance to test it out with the engine off and THERE IT WAS, the red light. VERY cool little feature!
 
Thanks for helping me solve the mystery!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CINIMIN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/27/11 at 7:24am
Only one question now - are you getting both the front and rear parking lights on the side you switch on?
Jack -

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tyintegra Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/27/11 at 9:01pm
I tried this yesterday and I get front, rear and side parking lights on.
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