[ChuckE]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GasGuzzler:
...
Adding the 6 ohm load resistors will create another 2mA path for the current to flow.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

NOT a 2mA load! For your information a 6 ohm load, on a 12v circuit is a 2 amp load.
A 2 Amp load with a 12v supply equals a 24 watt consumption.

Wow, that is why someone later mentioned that the resistor heats up!

While I do not know how much of a load is really required for the proper detection of the brake lights, for the cruise control circuits, I would hazard a guess that a 1 amp, or even just a 0.5 amp load, would suffice.

To acquire a 1 amp load you need a 12 ohm resistor, on the 12v circuit (power draw would then be 12 watts, still fairly warm).
or
To acquire a 0.5 amp load you would need a 24 ohm resistor. That results in a 6 watt draw (warm, but not toasty).

So, whatever resistor you try out, make sure that the resistor can handle the power. By the way, a 5 watt resistor, depending upon composition, is typically about 1 inch long and about a quarter inch thick. So don't think just any resistor will work. Use a resistor that is AT LEAST the power range you need. It is better to have a larger resistor, more power capability, to keep the "to the touch" heat of the resistor down.