N2ROW

I need help. As soon as I start my 71 Cutlass convertable the parking lights goes on. All the lights work, new flasher for signal and hazzard relays installed. Any recommendations?

jaunty75

Did this problem just start, or has it been going on since you've owned the car. What we're looking for here is something you might have done recently and then this problem started.

I had the exact same problem with my '67 Delta 88, and I couldn't track it down for the longest time. It turned out that the wire for the underhood light was connected to the wrong connector, and the park light circuit was getting power through it or something. I really never did understand how the crossed wires made the parking lights go on. All I know is that as soon as I pulled the underhood light connector apart, which I had done only because I wanted to remove that light and clean it up, the taillights suddenly started working correctly. I then used the service manual to figure out which wire the underhood light should be connected to.

N2ROW

My wife purchased the car without me knowing as a surprise. The engine was locked up so I replaced the bulbs that were out and the relays since they were not working. The car was all original unmolested. From the original owner. As soon as the engine was first started I noticed the problem.

jaunty75

The lesson from my experience is that the problem could be anywhere and is probably where you least expect it. I don't think there is any single thing you can do to pinpoint the problem. Somehow the lights are getting power from a source that is activated whenever the ignition is in the ON position, so you'd want to be checking for correct wiring of anything, such as the radio, etc., that gets power when the ignition is on.

N2ROW

My wife purchased the car without me knowing as a surprise. The engine was locked up so I replaced the bulbs that were out and the relays since they were not working. The car was all original unmolested. From the original owner. As soon as the engine was first started I noticed the problem.

oldcutlass

No other lights on except parking lights? There are 2 filaments on the parking lamps, we need to know which one is providing the power to the lamp.

N2ROW

Im not sure. Front bumper lights are on as well

oldcutlass

So the side markers and the front bumper lights are on? Any lights in the back? Instrument lights?

Octania

faults within the lamp sockets may do this?

Also, if the bulbs are forced in "backwards" - contrary to their pins' proper orientation- I think that the electricity can go thru the wrong way about and do strange things.

You did say you just replaced some bulbs, right?

I'd start by removing ALL the offending bulbs, and verifying correct operation at the sockets' wires. If that is not correct, then proceed up the harness according to your CSM wiring diagram until you find the issue. CSM may well have a nice troubleshooting diagram also.

wires worn thru within the fusebox block, making contact where it should not be, might do this. In resurrecting a '66 442, I inspected closely all the wires in the block and found some almost worn thru to each other.

don71

I can only offer one suggestion.

I came home one day to find my parking lights were on in my olds. I don't what the heck I had done because the headlight switch was off.

Turns out I had done something to the hazard light switch. It wasn't quite off or quite on-somewhere in between. I pushed it in and out a couple of times and the lights went off.

Its worth a try. Good luck.

N2ROW

The lights were on before I changed the brake light, bumper light and both turning and and hazard light relays. Ill check the fuse box. I did notice no power in one fuse. The fuse powers the dash lights. Perhaps that wire is floating.

MDchanic

Wait a minute, are you saying that you got a car with a seized engine and somehow started it?

As for the rest of it, follow the advice of the others here.
Additionally, I would suggest that if moving the headlight switch and the 4-way flasher switch and checking the hood light connection don't help, I'd pull the fuses from the fuse box and see which circuit is supplying the current that's keeping the lights on, and then following that circuit in the wiring diagram.
If it's not a fused circuit, that will narrow it down, too.

- Eric

Seff

You sure the previous owner didn't alter the wiring to make the lights come on when the key is in 'run'?

N2ROW

Ok on the pulling if the fuses. The 79 year old lady stated it never had that issue when she stored it away in 2008. The last time she drove it.thanks I will check this weekend I will advise my findings.