superprohero

2008 Equinox Sport 3.6. Bought nonrunning (two spun rod bearings). Just rebuilt the engine and got it back in and there's a weird issue with the brake lights. Besides the AWD traction control lights being on there is this issue where when you start the vehicle the brake lights are on(including 3rd brake light) with foot off of the brake. When you push on the brake pedal the brake lights go out but come back on immediately as if you just pressed the pedal. They stay on as long as the brake is depressed as they should. When you let off the brake the brake lights go out, as they should, but after 5 seconds they come right back on. It is almost exactly 5 seconds every single time no intermittent behavior. The odd thing is when you let off the pedal and the 5 seconds pass, there is an audible click in the shifter area as soon as the lights come back on. I took the console apart and it's coming from the shifter interlock solenoid that blocks the shifter from being put into gear. I took the solenoid out and tested it with 12 volts and it actuates just fine. When you pull up on the brake pedal with your foot there is no change so it seems it's not the brake light switch because it activates the shift interlock solenoid and brake lights every time. Also if anyone happens to know, Does this have to have the steering angle calibrated even though it's a total hydraulic system on the 3.6?
Thanks in advance.

ruley73

Check the tail light bulbs and make sure they are the correct type and installed correctly. You said you bought it non-running, so chances are it's been this way the whole time since you bought it and you're just now noticing it. Unless someone brought this to the attention of the previous owner, they're probably unaware of the problem. All four tail light bulbs should be 1157 bulbs. I'm guessing one bulb is either incorrect (1156/single filament instead of 1157/dual filament) or installed backwards which may be back feeding the brake lamp circuit whenever the tail lights are on. You're probably seeing the weird behavior because all of the lighting circuits go through the BCM. If the circuit is being back fed like I suspect, the BCM is receiving incoming power on the same circuit it normally uses to send power out to the stop lamps.

As long as the steering angle sensor wasn't touched and the steering column or rack wasn't replaced, I can't think of a reason why you would need to recalibrate the steering angle sensor.