94 Accord Shifter Locked and Brake Lights Out

Hello, my folks have a 94 Accord and the Shifter (Automatic) will not work
unless they use the Shift Lock key beside the shifter. At the same time,
the brake lights stopped working. I have heard a little bit about this, but
I have no idea what it is. Is there something a DIY person can do, or is
this serious? Thanks very much for any replies!

 

Are you missing anything else? On one of my cars a horn went bad, and
whenever I honked it, it would blow the fuse. That fuse was also for the
brake light switch power. If all of your fuses are good.... I should think
the brake light switch is bad. (or in the very least the little bumper that
pushes it is broken).

 

I bet you $0.25 that your brake light switch (the one at the brake
pedal) is broken. Not unusual at that age. With a broken brake light
switch, the shift interlock will not allow you to shift out of park
without using the key in that little slot.

Replacement is fairly easy.

 

Old Honda too. I occasionally have the shift lock problem. Seems to
go away after I take the car in for its annual maintenance so I assume
that something in the maintenance cycle 'cures' the problem. Never
related it to any brake lights or problems with the electrical system.

 

I don't think anything else electrical is having a problem, so I'll bet it's
that brake switch. That certainly sounds like it might take care of it. I
don't think they take it anywhere to have regular service done to it,
they're not nearly as anal about their cars as I am. Thanks everyone for
the input!

 

I found on a friends car that someone had nicked the wire near the switch,
by accident and he had the same problem, Check your brake lights.

Dan

 

had the same problem

solution sounds wacky but your horn probably short out. I think
everything is on the same circuit. on mine the horn, transmission lock
did not work when the horn short out