intermittent brake lights fixed

[Livolsi, Stephane]

Well the Revenue Collecting Mounted Police won't be nicking me for a "no
brake lights ticket", thank you very much.  Thanks to all who responded
with ideas.  This was a royal PITA to track down and the solution was so
simple.

Started by checking the switch on the pedal.  Took it out, opened it up
and figured there is no way this thing can go wrong, it is so simple.
checked the plunger motion and all was fine, and ran a VOM across the
terminals both open and closed.  I got the expected results.  Checked
voltage at the wires and yes, I had 12v on one wire but curiously I had
2.5 or something close on the other.  I thought that was a prob but
noooooo......

By this time I already have the underdash panel off, as well as the duct
for the driver side floor heat.  Next I unscrewed the auxiliary relay
panel under the driver side air vents so I could check the wiring to the
fuse block.  All was OK there (lots of unplugged wires though, but it
looks like they have been that way forever and there is nothing to plug
them into so I am not concerned)  Frustration factor reaching critical
mass. Wiring diagrams show a rear lamp control unit, but I can't find
it's location.  However I do find a bulb monitor unit on the inside
driver side of the trunk.  I reach in there and grab it and wiggle some
wires a bit.  "Wait a minute, what did you do. The brake lights came on
and went off again" exclaims my helper.  Reach in and wiggle again and
shazam - brake lights flicker on and off.

Can you believe it?!? there is a wiring harness that plugs into the bulb
monitor unit and it has female spade connectors.  The connector for the
brake lights had worked itself off of the male terminal and was only
making contact sometimes.  I'm glad this nightmare is over.... but no,
wait, tomorrow is another day and there are so many other bulbs, and
relays, and the wires .....yes the wires, they're all over....I'm
getting tangled and they're strangling..me ....aghhhhhhh..........

Seriously though, I feel pretty good at having fixed it.  Nice sense of
accomplishment.

Thanks again to all who emailed with suggestions.

Stephane Livolsi
Williams Lake, BC, Canada
86 5KTQ (If you don't know what it means, you aren't in the club)