OT: Brake Lights

[Endulini]

Hi,

Slightly off-topic but both my brake lights have stopped working. Have checked the bulbs and the fuse, anything else obvious to look at before phoning the garage.....

Thanks

[georgetaylor]

The switch on the brake pedal.

[Derek Geldard]

Car ?

Fault occured as described on my wife's C orsa.

Turned out all connections underneath the fuse box were dipping down into a plastic dish which filled with water. ( Doh ! )

Many dissimilar metals caused corrosion in presence of 12v and water..

Derek

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Endulini" saying something like:

The switch at the pedal.

[Andrew Mawson]

Common earth, or fuse, or broken wire or the pressure switch on the brake hydraulic circuit

AWEM

[Chris Bartram]

Especially if it's a VAG car. Brake pedal switches very common failure.

[Graham.]

or the pressure switch on the brake hydraulic circuit

Isn't that for the dashboard warning light?

[Chris J Dixon]

Depends on the car. My old Beetle was like that, but having the switch operate as soon as the pedal leaves its rest brings the light on significantly earlier.

Chris

[Andrew Mawson]

Every vehicle I've ever owned uses the pressure switch for the brake lights. That's:

Moggy Minor Frog Eyed Sprite Landrover Series 2a Landrover Series 3 Landrover Defender 110 Discovery 2 300 TDI Discovery 3 TD5 Austin Healey 3000 JCB 3CX

I'm not saying some don't, just I've never come across it

AWEM

[John]

I think that with ABS and split circuit braking systems a pedal operated switch is a simpler option.

[Andy Dingley]

I've seen them

About 20-30 years ago.

(Some Moggy Minors too. AFAIR)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Those are all BMC.. I've seen switches on some vehicles I've had but cant remember which.

[Adrian]

The Natural Philosopher gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Apart from the JCB...

Only one I've ever come across a hydraulic-pressure operated switch on was by brother's ADO16.

Everything else (across a few manufacturers) has been a pedal-movement operated switch, either in the pedal itself or by the pedal pivot.

The big problem with a pressure-operated switch is that you need to bleed the brakes after changing it - and you've got a very good chance of spilling paint stripper everywhere as you do it.

[dennis]

I've never had a car with a hydraulic switch and I don't want one either. With a cheap, simple and more reliable pedal switch you can put the lights on without braking at all.

There was a time when you had to adjust the switch to work correctly (my Herald was like that IIRC) but these days they adjust themselves when you fit one (the stem collapses telescopically until its the correct length on Vauxhalls).

There is the question about which hydraulic circuit(s) you fit them to on modern cars (less than about 40 years old).

[Dave Liquorice]

The cars I've had have had a pedal switch for the brake lights but also a hydraulic switche dual circuit failure indication only and some brake fluid level indication.

[Onetap]

Yes, mine went, switchy-type thing on the pedal. It was turning on the brake lights overnight and draining the battery. It could just be two bulbs, though.

[Endulini]

Thanks all,

Sorry I rushed this out half-asleep so some of the relevant info was missing. Yes, it's my wife's Peugeot 406 however whilst both side lights don't work the third light on the top of the rear windscreen lights up ok so to my mind that would discount the pedal switch (but what do I know:)). I checked the fuse which seemed ok and there wasn't any water in the box, I changed one of the bulbs and it still didn't work moreover the bulb I removed looked ok.

Any more thoughts?

Thanks

[dennis]

Cable faulty (between the centre light and the others) or two earth faults.