HELP - Brake lights are on all the time!

[IM]

...at least I think its the brake lights. If you are looking at the car from the rear its the top light on each side which is staying on....would anybody have any idea why?

Even when I just switch the ignition on without turning over the engine they come on.

The only fuse I've checked is the one for the 'Wiper Park/Brakes'(No 18) and it seems OK. Thats No 18 if your reading the fuse numbers with No.1 on the far left.

Sorry to seem so 'pathetic' but I've only had the car 6 weeks and it passed an MOT 5 weeks ago.

Also, my rear night lights don't come on at all but the front lights do (both dipped and main beam). I guess this could be related.

I'm

UPDATE: I've searched the forums on PH and one thread suggests the brake light switch may have been knocked. It's on a 'bendy' bracket and MIGHT only need re-positioning - but where is the brake switch situated - any ideas please?

>> Edited by IM on Saturday 27th May 10:49

[llanelli-rob]

Look at the brake pedal and follow it up under and below the dash,switch is located there

[IM]

llanelli-rob said:

Look at the brake pedal and follow it up under and below the dash,switch is located there

Thanks very much Rob.

[Cider Andy]

From memory the stop and tail lights share the same lamp (I'm assuming your car has the Ford Fiesta rear lamps). As the brake lights are clearly working, the earth connection to the rear lamp units is working. And as each tail lamp is on a separate circuit to the other, the most likely reason they don't light is that each lamp has failed.

Do the front sidelights work? If they don't work either I'd suspect the switch.

The brake light switch is mounted where Rob indicated, on a fairly flexible mounting in front of the brake pedal, so it could have 'moved'.

[UpTheIron]

On facelifted cars with the new tail lights, a broken switch (and hence brake lamps permanently on) is sufficient to cause the lens cap to get hot enough to warp and fall off, requiring the removal of the perspex cover.

[tvrbob]

Mine did this and it was the brake light switch bracket. Just needed to bend it back a bit and all was well.

[V8 Archie]

Mine just broke. I've still got the old one waiting for some Araldite somewhere.

[IM]

Yahoo..Fixed it!

Thanks for all the advice guys I nipped it round to Austec Racing and they said the switch bracket had moved and the pedal now wasn't in contact with it at all. Paul quickly re-aligned the bracket and all is well with the world - well my little world anyway.

Again - many ta's chaps for the heads-up on what was the problem - at least I went to Austec and knew what they were talking about when they explained what was wrong. I suppose I should have attempted to fix it myself but i just KNEW I'd fix that problem but create another - I always do.

BTW no charge from Paul which I thought was

[tvrbob]

Why pay to have someone bend a metal bracket? As posted above, this happened to me, just bend the flimsy bracket back where it belongs.

[V8 Archie]

IM said:

I nipped it round to Austec Racing...

Any sign of mine about?

[IM]

V8 Archie said:

IM said: I nipped it round to Austec Racing... Any sign of mine about?

Hmmm ...er...No...sorry...I was too busy watching the mechanics demonstrating handbrake-turns in a bluey/purple 4.5 litre Chim to notice any other cars.



But seriously...No...didn't see yours and I had a look at the cars up on the ramps...perhaps yours was parked outside.

What's it in for?

>> Edited by IM on Monday 29th May 01:56