rabjohns

I just got back from a great day out at BlackHawk Farms, racing around the newly surfaced track in torrential rain. The most exciting experience since pre marital sex!.

On problem though. On the last laps I had a guy who looked like he was going to go through me at the bends. Afterwards he explained that my brake lights had stopped working - all of them (I have a 1997 C4 Cab with the extra brake at the top). I checked the fuse, no problem. Has any body got any ideas?

Two additional things that may or may not be related:
- My cruise control wasn't going off when I tapped the breaks on the way home, I notice they are on the same circuit. Could this be related?
- My windscreen was leaking in the bottom, left drivers side corner. I had it replaced recently and it looks like they didn't seal it very well.

It's never easy is it?

Cheers

TIA

David.

Anir

I had a track hangover once. I think it was Eric's fault, or maybe Jeff's. I recommend that you avoid both of those guys, and you should be fine.

On a more serious note, could water have found its way into some electrical components? Have you allowed it to thoroughly dry and tried the functions again?

Mike in Chi

David

I have a difficult time remembering pre-marital sex. It's been a long time.

Glad you had a good day. I was there for last week's session. Rained then too. I had planned on heat-cycling two sets of tires. They did a nice job resurfacing the place.

Who was your instructor?

rabjohns

Instructor was Jeff. Nice guy. I don't know how they sit there in the hot seat without flinching. A true labor of love.

Regarding my track hangover I discovered that the leaking windshield has soaked the drivers footwell. I notice a big electical cable going through there and suspect this is my problem. I'll see what happens when I have it dried out. Bloody mechanics.

David in Chicago

For the benefit of your fellow Illinoisians(?), who did the windshield install?

Regards to all,

Todd B

David,
You might want to pull the board covering the pedal mechanicals. This would allow you to check to see how much water made it into this area. The brake light switch may be sitting in water, or the connector to the switch is wet. If things are wet, let it dry out, I would put some dielectric onto the connector for the switch. You don't want anything getting corroded.

Todd

rabjohns

Good idea, i'll pull the board.

The install was done by O'hare auto body.

Cheers

DR

rabjohns

Well I pulled the board, dried everything out and still no brake lights.

Is there another fuse in the back?

rabjohns

hurrah for Rennlist.

So I keep searching on the board adn turn up an oscure post where the guy says he sanded his fuse to get his brake lights to work. i sand my fuse and voila, working lights.

What a great site. Now I just have to get my windshield sealed.

Eric in Chicago

David,
Are you comming to Road America next week?? If so look up the HWFM team, Red Cab # 400, should be paddocked near the north end of the lot.

JPhillips-998

All of your electronics are under your seats. If you got water under either seat look out! It won't be pretty. The water could have come from the window or from driving through standing water on the track. It will be tough to tell. I would probably get it in for a good check up.

JPhillips-998

Anir, yes that was my fault, but I was just doing my job as purveyor of supplies and umbrella girls!

Ray Calvo

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> Well I pulled the board, dried everything out and still no brake lights.

Is there another fuse in the back?
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">So you dried everything out; you're barely half done. Did you try a continuity check on the switch contacts? Put an ohmmeter across the contacts. Believe the way they work is that contacts are open with no force on the brake pedal. As you push down on the pedal, the contacts close and complete the circuit. If there is no difference in ohmmeter reading between pedal forced down and pedal resting position, the switch is bad.

If you are getting the different readings with pedal pressed and resting, THEN go on to finding another circuit board or a problem with the wiring. Personally, I'll bet the switch is bad or else there's a problem with the pedal forcing the switch operating lever far enough to operate the switch.

Temple

I had this problem in the past -- no brake lights and the cruise control would not disengage by tapping the brakes. Took it into a dealership and they diagnosed a connection problem in the rear window. I think they replaced the rear window entirely and it was fixed.