The car is a MK4 xr3i. Suddenlly noticed this morning that if I have the head lights switched off and press the brakes. My side lights on the front come on.... doesn't matter if the engine is running or not. Have made no changes to any of the electricals recently. No idea how long it has been doing it.
ideas?
I do have a multi metre.

 

Bad earth on the rear lights by the sounds of it

 

u changed the bulb recently??

 

not swapped the buld, but there is a dodgey connection, where the loom plugs into the drivers side rear light. I have cleaned the connectors, which was over 2 months ago and if did fix the faulty drivers side brake light which some times works and other times did not.

Surely this cannot affect the front side lights??? Will check everything tomorrow when I will have a friend to press the brake pedal when I need it.

 

100 percent rear light earths feeding back through the sidelight circuit from the brake light circuit