Hmmm ..... drivers brake light suddenly permanently on?

[Macbags]

Hi

New Chimaera ( to me ) this summer, 2000 450. Rear drivers side brake light is now permanently on once the ignition turned on......any thoughts.

Car did go in for a partial respray of the rear quarter last week ( cosmetic reasons only) but looking at the photos sent by the shop it doesn't look like they removed the rear cluster so no reason to suspect they played around with the wiring.

All other lights working fine......Any thoughts before I randomly start unplugging stuff?

[sunbeam alpine]

Has the passenger side bulb blown? Could be the switch on the pedal.

[Macbags]

Hi ......No passenger side is perfectly fine.

[Granturadriver]

Check your brake pedal. On the T-models you press a button with the brake pedal. If it doesn't work properly, the brake lights light up permanently. The button has a small rocker which can come loose. See here:



This might be the same with a Chimaera.

[Penelope Stopit]

Hmmm ..... drivers brake light is connected to the same cable as passengers brake light

Green/Purple

Don't know

Is the drivers brake light on at full brightness/

[Penelope Stopit]

Macbags said:

Hi ......No passenger side is perfectly fine.

Do you mean it's working On/Off with the pedal?

[Macbags]

Just been out to the garage, while I thought the passenger side worked fine it now doesn't. The drivers side is on permanently and when I press the brake pedal nothing changes i.e. Passenger light doesn't come on and the drivers side is still continually on.

[Macbags]

Drivers side brake light is on full brightness

[Penelope Stopit]

sunbeam alpine said:

Has the passenger side bulb blown? Could be the switch on the pedal.

This

[Penelope Stopit]

Passenger side bulb may have blown due to being on permanently over a longish period

Overheated

[phillpot]

Penelope Stopit said:

Passenger side bulb may have blown due to being on permanently over a longish period

Overheated

Brake light, 21w yeah? same as rear fog light, yeah? If the fog doesn't clear after an hour or two do you have to switch them off?


New bulb passenger side and adjust switch, sorted.

Edited by phillpot on Thursday 26th September 23:41

[Macbags]

Thanks all. I'll investigate today and let you know

[Penelope Stopit]

Good luck in sorting it

21 Watt / 5 Watt Stop/Tail Light bulbs often play up if both filaments are on at the same time for more than a few seconds

[Macbags]

You guys know your stuff.....thank you. Thread on brake light switch snapped ( probably over tighten end in the past) and passenger side brake light filament blown. Off to see if euro car parts can match the switch.

Thanks again

[TwinKam]

Penelope Stopit said:

21 Watt / 5 Watt Stop/Tail Light bulbs often play up if both filaments are on at the same time for more than a few seconds

...oh how I wish that fantasy were true for all the selfish fers in front who keep their foot on the brake whilst paused at traffic lights etc....

[phillpot]

Macbags said:

Off to see if euro car parts can match the switch.

Here's what you want, got a Mini or Land Rover specialist local? ....... Brake Light Switch

TwinKam said:

...oh how I wish that fantasy were true ....

[RayTVR]

TwinKam said:

...oh how I wish that fantasy were true for all the selfish fers in front who keep their foot on the brake whilst paused at traffic lights etc....

I think you might find find that's called an automatic gearbox......

[TwinKam]

RayTVR said:

TwinKam said:

...oh how I wish that fantasy were true for all the selfish fers in front who keep their foot on the brake whilst paused at traffic lights etc....

I think you might find find that's called an automatic gearbox......

I think you might find that's an automatic... driven by a lazy, inconsiderate, selfish fer.

[sunbeam alpine]

TwinKam said:

RayTVR said:

TwinKam said:

...oh how I wish that fantasy were true for all the selfish fers in front who keep their foot on the brake whilst paused at traffic lights etc....

I think you might find find that's called an automatic gearbox......

I think you might find that's an automatic... driven by a lazy, inconsiderate, selfish fer.

We're heading off-topic here, but the auto-hold on my Arteon also lights up the brake lights, even if the stop-start shuts down the engine.

[Penelope Stopit]

Thank you for all the information posted here

Learnt today that operating temperature has nothing to do with the lifespan of an Incandescent light bulb