How do you adjust the brake light switch on a Vantage?
Discussion
I had my Vantage out today after the winter lay up for some fun and discovered that the cruise control would not work properly.
When I started to investigate the problem, I found that the brake lights were staying on intermitantly, this is what was tripping the cruise control as it thought the brakes were on.
I suspect it has always been like this as I havn't really used the cruise very much and it was playing up previously.
I can see no way of adjusting the switch and the actuating lever on the brake pedal is very robust and would not easily adjust. So to fix the problem temporarily I have put a bit of double sided tape on the brake pedal actuating lever. This has given enough reduction in the switch travel to completely fix the problem.
Anyone had this problem before and what is the correct fix? The switch is not faulty and I doubt another switch would make any difference.
When I started to investigate the problem, I found that the brake lights were staying on intermitantly, this is what was tripping the cruise control as it thought the brakes were on.
I suspect it has always been like this as I havn't really used the cruise very much and it was playing up previously.
I can see no way of adjusting the switch and the actuating lever on the brake pedal is very robust and would not easily adjust. So to fix the problem temporarily I have put a bit of double sided tape on the brake pedal actuating lever. This has given enough reduction in the switch travel to completely fix the problem.
Anyone had this problem before and what is the correct fix? The switch is not faulty and I doubt another switch would make any difference.
You twist the switch anticlockwise to remove it. It adjusts automatically when you twist it back as it's refitted. Sometimes there's not enough free travel in the switch so you need to place a feeler gauge between the tab on the pedal and the end of the switch as you refit it. It's such a common problem the dealers have an official factory tool for this - I'm not kidding.
I guess I have pretty much done similar.
I have removed the switch and put a bit of body tape (about 1mm thick) on the pedal before refitting the switch. It works perfectly now, but I left the tape on the pedal.
The brake lights now come on when you move the brake pedal a little, long before you would be applying the barkes and the lights go out every time the pedal is released.
Previously some times the lights did not go out, but they would if I put my toe under the brake pedal.
I have removed the switch and put a bit of body tape (about 1mm thick) on the pedal before refitting the switch. It works perfectly now, but I left the tape on the pedal.
The brake lights now come on when you move the brake pedal a little, long before you would be applying the barkes and the lights go out every time the pedal is released.
Previously some times the lights did not go out, but they would if I put my toe under the brake pedal.
I had problems with my brake lights being stuck on (really stuck on, even when the engine wasn't running) that were related to this switch.
Repeatedly pushing the brake pedal would eventually make the brake lights go out.
The dealer fixed it under warranty, and I'm not sure what they did.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=28&...
- Steve
Repeatedly pushing the brake pedal would eventually make the brake lights go out.
The dealer fixed it under warranty, and I'm not sure what they did.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=28&...
- Steve
Fitted a new stop lamp switch today using the distance piece tool etc, this has properly sorted the problem. It would seem that these switches are a one time use only item, once installed and locked down the first time, this seems to be where the switch will always turn off.
It does say in the DBS workshop manual to install a new brake light switch if the brake servo is changed.
It does say in the DBS workshop manual to install a new brake light switch if the brake servo is changed.
I ordered off of Aston Martin bits - was only a tenner.
https://astonmartinbits.com/models/5-V8-Vantage/pa...
https://astonmartinbits.com/models/5-V8-Vantage/pa...
I live in California so have a left hand drive 2009 Vantage V8 Roadster with Sportshift.
The brake switch comes out by turning clockwise. It is reusable because I took it out and put it in several times.
It is a simple mechanical switch so can not understand refrences to self adjusting and gap tools etc. etc. mentioned above.
In mine the brake light would come on pretty low in the pedal travel. With the crawl feature of Sportmatic at times that was an issue. Sometimes when coming to a stop you lift the brake pedal slightly so the car can move forward a little more or come to a gradual stop, you do not want the crawl feature to kick in and in mine it did.
Ended up shortening the shaft gradually until the light came on with little pedal travel.
The brake switch comes out by turning clockwise. It is reusable because I took it out and put it in several times.
It is a simple mechanical switch so can not understand refrences to self adjusting and gap tools etc. etc. mentioned above.
In mine the brake light would come on pretty low in the pedal travel. With the crawl feature of Sportmatic at times that was an issue. Sometimes when coming to a stop you lift the brake pedal slightly so the car can move forward a little more or come to a gradual stop, you do not want the crawl feature to kick in and in mine it did.
Ended up shortening the shaft gradually until the light came on with little pedal travel.
Very very easy to do although a little hazy now.
Hardest part is not putting your back out whilst your head is by the pedal box!
By the replacement switch, use your phone as a torch or another lamp (make sure you have a flat screw driver or 2 as well as the replacement switch to hand whilst you are down there. Take a picture if necessary.
Simply twist the switch out once you have pushed the 2 clips in and out the new one in.
Happy to help if you are anywhere near Dorset.
Hardest part is not putting your back out whilst your head is by the pedal box!
By the replacement switch, use your phone as a torch or another lamp (make sure you have a flat screw driver or 2 as well as the replacement switch to hand whilst you are down there. Take a picture if necessary.
Simply twist the switch out once you have pushed the 2 clips in and out the new one in.
Happy to help if you are anywhere near Dorset.
Great, thank you for your quick response and very kind offer to help. Sadly too far to meet up. I am in Essex my car is booked in for service but given I do very little mileage seems bonkers to allow AM to take the extra ££ from me. Between last and this service my car has only travelled 300 miles.
Mine has just just had this issue. To get the brake lights to go off meant pulling the pedal back with your foot. I didn't think it was the switch itself, more the metal plate attached to the pedal which pushes the switch to off when not depressed. So I went in head first with a suitable metal bar and gave it a very slight tweak. Voila, problem solved.
It may be that the switch plastic plunger wears ever so slightly on its tip and this means it isnt pushed back quite enough so the switch stays live, the bracket tweak removes this wear. It is only a very tiny tweak required, probably no more than 1mm.
You'll soon notice if you have this issue as the brake lights are permanent live, ie not through the ignition so if left you'll have a flat battery if parked overnight.
It may be that the switch plastic plunger wears ever so slightly on its tip and this means it isnt pushed back quite enough so the switch stays live, the bracket tweak removes this wear. It is only a very tiny tweak required, probably no more than 1mm.
You'll soon notice if you have this issue as the brake lights are permanent live, ie not through the ignition so if left you'll have a flat battery if parked overnight.
Sure, understood.... I had a motorcyclist pull up next to me at traffic lights today to tell me that my brake lights are flashing on and off whilst driving, then I checked and found every time I apply my brakes the brake lights come on and stay on for a short while after I release the pedal. My car is very low mileage and his kept in a garage so I am little surprised but not shocked as it is an AM after all!
Yep, mine would come on and stay on and the only way around it was to brake using one side of the pedal or after braking knock the pedal to the right with the outside of my foot.
It's so easy to do, I wish I'd done it sooner to be honest and definitely don't get the dealer to do it, you'd get more value setting fire to the £500 and enjoying the heat for 30 seconds.
It's so easy to do, I wish I'd done it sooner to be honest and definitely don't get the dealer to do it, you'd get more value setting fire to the £500 and enjoying the heat for 30 seconds.
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