Brake Lights Staying On

[Shyboy]

Brake Lights Staying On

Brake lights staying on !!

 

Hi all

Just noticed my brake lights and wing light are stying on . Took it for a short drive then put it on stands to see if it brakes ok .It does. Checked all the fuses all fine . Took the battery off.

 

Any suggestion / ideas would be much appreciated

Cheers

Bruce

[Duncan]

They are controlled by a small, adjustable switch at the brake pedal.

First unplug the switch at the pedal and make sure the light goes off.  Assuming it does, push the switch a few times and see if it frees up, and if not it can be adjusted a little.  Otherwise it may just have failed and need replacing.

 

[Shyboy]

Thanks mate I will give a go tomorrow when there is light .

[Shyboy]

Yes it was the switch thank you.

Also found rubber/plastic button like bits on carpet which, I assume hits the switch ???

Seen the whole brake switch on Super cheap Auto would they fit ? or just find the rubbery end bit?

Thanks

 

[Duncan]

I'm not near the car to check, but this is the service manual page for it

It looks like a similar setup to my navara where the rubber stopper disintegrated a few years back leaving nothing for the switch to turn off against. Pretty sure I picked up the part at nissan for a few bucks after my dodgy fix failed again.

[32_love]

This has happened to me in every import I've owned.

When that rubber piece brakes, I just super glue a five cent piece over the ensuing hole. Otherwise that switch doesn't get depressed when you let the brake off.

[Shyboy]

Glued the 5 cent and adjusted it all good for now thanks guys

[mikel]

gotta love SAU!

My brake lights were on when I came home yesterday - figured it was most likely the switch, but did a search on SAU and bingo!

Even found the bits on the carpet, but wow it's tight under there - a quick look last night and another this morning, I was able to push the button in to prove the fault, but didn't have time to try an maneuver a 5c piece or similar in to activate the switch, or disconnect the connector...so the brake lights stayed on - got home tonight and the bulbs are blown - I should have disconnected them at the tail lights in the boot!

Not surprising in hindsight - cautionary tale - of course brake lights won't cop being on for 24hrs - they burn bright when required but aren't designed to stay on. At the time I was more concerned with flattening the battery, so had the battery charger on.

No biggy, bulbs are cheap...

I'm more concerned with the contortionist activity required under the dash to fix the switch - likely I'll have to remove the driver's seat to give me more room...

The glued 5c piece option sounds dodgy, but actually looks the best solution compared to swapping the switch assembly including disconnecting/reconnecting the connector...getting to it is tricky - admittedly I was holding a torch in one hand, so a fixed light source and 2 hands would help.

Is the rubber grommet piece available as a spare part - preferably without buying the whole switch? Pushing a new grommet in looks even easier than the glued 5c piece (not that anything is easy under the dash  )

I'm wary of doing any mods to the braking system (or in this case the brake light system) - am I being too paranoid or appropriately cautious?

The car is not a daily and can stay off the road for a bit.

cheers

Mike

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Yeah taarks sell them, they come in 2x favours. Clear or solid black rubber 

[duffmansbrew]

EFI Solutions also has the rubber stopper bit. I did this on my R34 and had to take apart the lower section of the steering column for better access of squeezing the bloody thing in there.

[mikel]

Thanks guys
Ordered the bit today
Cheers
Mike

[mikel]

thanks goes to @Duncan for the diagram so I could get the clearance right when re-installing the switch, and @Dose Pipe Sutututu and @duffmansbrew for where to get the replacement bit ?

Biatch of a job under there - removing the switch makes it "easier".

I used a smidge of silicon grease on the hole to help the rubber bit slip in, and a flat blade screwdriver for a bit of leverage - it doesn't need force, it's just in an awkward spot.

Thanks again SAU!

 

cheers

Mike

 

[DJSmile33]

I removed the brake pedal and welded a steel ball bearing in so it will never break. Bastard of a job getting the brake pedal out but worth it.