GRRR... brake light melted again!

[nsparey]

Had to have one of my brake light lenses replaced by my dealer a few months back because the brake light switch stuck on and melted it. At the time, i did not understand why only one of them melted, the other being completely unscathed. Not a cheap job as the light comes as a unit and has to have a new clear cover (pod type lights)because it has to be cut off, about £140 and that was with 50% off the labour because the warranty company wouldn’t cover it.

Well its happened again same light too! I had some issues with the brake lights not working at all a few weeks back due to corrosion in brake light switch on the contacts, once cleaned up they worked fine. Getting a bit fed up now though, I’ve ordered a the parts plus a new brake switch but how do I know its not going to happen again? Has this happen to anyone else? why only one side both times? This time it has melted to such a degree that the lenses has fallen out and dropped to the bottom of the light cover.

[nsparey]

As a solution, has anyone tried LED bulbs as stop/tail lights? I found these on Fleabay,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/24-LED-Stop-Tai

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/30-LED-Stop-Tai

I would imagine they are considerable cooler than standard bulbs so if it happens again its just a bit of adjustment rather than £140.
For now I found some red bulb paint in Halfords for the princely sum of a tenner! but at least I can drive the car till the parts turn up.

[neejah]

It's a good way to go, we had the same problem with vehicles at work (excavators) and have gone down the LED route.......after a bit of time with proxy sensors on the brake pedal and timers etc.

[nsparey]

Am I really the only one this has happened too? getting a bit paranoid as this is the second time, ordered led bulbs as a just in case measure, still dontunderstand why it would be only one side and the same side twice?

Edited by nsparey on Sunday 18th June 10:35

[headcase]

It is quit hard to understand why it happened on one side only, could only be two things though, the temp of the bulb and the proximity to the bulb. Could this lense be closer to the bulb than on the other side? have you got the exact same bulbs on both side? Ive not checked the wiring diagrams but its not possible that the bulbs are wired in series? (that would give one bulb a bit more umph that the oter one) but also after saying that a bulb at full umph shouldnt really melt the lense!
There's not a blocked vent on the offending lense is there?

[whitey]

surely your dealer will fix it again properly for free as they obviously did not fix the fault the first time?

[nsparey]

whitey said:

surely your dealer will fix it again properly for free as they obviously did not fix the fault the first time?

Hmmm, I guess they probably should, didn't offer when I ordered the parts, had really big issues last time they did it as the unit opperated back to front and the car had to be trailored back to the dealership, fair play at their cost as I live 220 miles away. I will ask the question though and see how I get on.