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 Post subject: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 11:02 am 
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848cc
848cc

Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 5:23 pm
Posts: 130
Location: Austinmer NSW
Hi All,

A guy pulled up next to me the other day saying (firstly what a great little car!) but that my brake lights were behaving erratically.
He said that after a corner they'd stay on for 50-100 meters and also were flickering randomly.

Any ideas what to check?

My first though for the flickering was the pressure switch so will test that.

Also note - my brakes require a pump before I get any real stopping effect, E.g. pump then press to slow down.

I have a 73 clubman, so no booster.

Thanks in advanced.


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 11:13 am 
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848cc
848cc

Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 10:29 pm
Posts: 161
Sounds like a loose wire somewhere - check all connections


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 3:29 pm 
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998cc
998cc

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:59 pm
Posts: 963
Location: Holt ACT
diecast wrote:
Sounds like a loose wire somewhere - check all connections


Install temporary earths to the lamp assemblies and see what that does for you.


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 10:58 pm 
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848cc
848cc

Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 7:06 pm
Posts: 112
Ben23f
Your first most important problem is the brakes. If you have to pump the brakes then it should not be on the road till they are fixed. If you are lucky then working brakes and correct brake line pressure might solve the brake light problem.
I have had to replace the brake line pressure switch and even then it needed a solid push on the brakes to turn on the lights. Put a (normally on) momentary switch above the brake pedal and wire it in parallel with the brake line pressure switch; your brakes come on as you begin to push down on the pedal. Dave D


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 8:31 am 
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1275cc
1275cc
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Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:19 pm
Posts: 4336
Location: Wollongong, NSW
I agree with Dave, pumping the brakes to stop isn't good at all. Fix that first then worry about the lights

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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 2:39 pm 
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848cc
848cc

Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 7:06 pm
Posts: 112
Sorry; 10.58 pm is past my bed time.
Should have read, "................................; your BRAKE LIGHTS come on as you begin to push down on the pedal." Dave D


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 3:32 pm 
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848cc
848cc

Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 5:23 pm
Posts: 130
Location: Austinmer NSW
Thanks All,

Yep bleeding the brakes is priority on my todo list.
I was also thinking of checking the earthing.

I might change to the switch on the pedal, I also find I have to press hard to get the lights to come on, I'd rather they came on as soon as I start braking.

Thanks.


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 6:13 pm 
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1360cc
1360cc
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:04 pm
Posts: 6648
Location: Melbourne, VIC
ben23f wrote:
I also find I have to press hard to get the lights to come on, I'd rather they came on as soon as I start braking.

You probably know that the brake light switching is part of the brake hydraulics. Check exactly when the lights come on (when parked at night is easiest). If you need to pump or get to the bottom of the stroke to activate the lights you have an issue with the brake hydraulics which obviously needs to be looked at.

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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 10:23 am 
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religious status
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Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:19 pm
Posts: 39621
Location: near Baulkham Hills, NSW
Old hydraulic brake light switch diaphragms get hard with age. So they need heaps of pressure to work. Might stay on too, maybe...
New replacement ones go bad quickly, I got 3 months from one and 3 weeks from another.
So I bolted a bracket to the pedal box and used a late clubby mechanical switch.

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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 11:16 am 
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1360cc
1360cc
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Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:32 am
Posts: 12390
Location: Sthrn HiLoLands, NSW, Australia
drmini in aust wrote:
Old hydraulic brake light switch diaphragms get hard with age. So they need heaps of pressure to work. Might stay on too, maybe...
New replacement ones go bad quickly, I got 3 months from one and 3 weeks from another.
So I bolted a bracket to the pedal box and used a late clubby mechanical switch.


I found a Harley Davidson switch that fits...might be more rugged then most?

Docs switch mod?


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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 4:46 pm 
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998cc
998cc
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Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:48 pm
Posts: 1186
Location: Bundanoon nsw
Bracket you may have to make switch from super cheap

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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2019 9:56 pm 
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1098cc
1098cc
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Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:13 am
Posts: 1362
I replaced my crappy hydraulic brake light switch with the crappy white plastic pedal switch. I thought I'd post up the info incase others find this post in a search in the future.

White switch below... the stamped metal tabs inside flex and stop making the connection.

Image

And because it's so crap I have now bought these replacement ones, I'll use one of them. Heaps better quality

Image

Here's the details of the ones I bought to try, but search eBay, plenty variations to choose from:

Image

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 Post subject: Re: Brake Lights Issues
PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:31 pm 
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848cc
848cc
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:48 pm
Posts: 177
Location: Adelaide
Tridon part number TBS009 is another good one - used by about a million different Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Ford models - I think it was about $10-12 from Supercheap.

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