Brake light Issues...
 

Cheers Folks,

I having some frustrations with my brake lights on my 1999 996 C2. Someone following me noticed I did not have working brake lights one afternoon. Checked fuses – all ok. Suspected the brake pedal switch – I could see the lights briefly light when pressing the pedal. I removed the old switch and tested the new switch prior to installing it in the pedal – YES – the lights went off and on when testing the switch.

Here is where things go bad. When inserting the new switch into the pedal area, one of the wire leads pulled from the switch holder. I carefully soldered the wire back to the clip and re-inserted the clip into the holder. Now when the ignition is on the lights are lit. I tested the new switch (which I know is good) does nothing. Touching the wires together does nothing. It is beautiful in Michigan and I can’t drive my baby……

Any advice, please?

Thad Shegos

So this question is... Should the brake lights be constant on with the brake pedal switch removed? If they are (as in my case), does this identify root cause?

Just plug the new switch in and see what happens. If the taillights stay on, I think your repair is not working properly. I would remove the solder and try again.

Mine had failed also awhile back.

I installed the new switch and the lights still stay on. Double checked the solder repair - every thing is good and tight. What is really odd - when I bypass the switch & connector and touch the 2 bare wires together, the lights still stay lit.....?

i dont have any schems.

but i would think when you touch the bare wires the lights should come on, and when you separate the wires the lights should turn off.

if the lights stay on even after you separate the two wires, i would guess a fuse is blown and the system defaults to lights on.

another possibility would be a short which grounds your brake lights.

its really hard to tell w/o the schematics for the system.

when the wire pulled out of the switch, did it touch any metal part? you might have shorted something upstream.

check your fuses.

did yo uchnage the right switch?
what color was it
the lights are on with the siwtch out of the car
poressing the tab should turn them off
there is no default to on its a sipmle brake circut on that car

I just removed and reseated every last fuse - no improvement. The new (correct) switch is installed and the break light are lit with the ignition on.....drats.

So to clarify - and for my own curious nature..

Is the brake pedal switch push to break, or push to make?

is the switch installed in the correct location as well as wired up?

Is this one of the situations where the brake pedal assembly at rest actually has the switch 'activated' (on an adjustable pin), and that switch is a push to break switch, so breaking the circuit and keeping the brake lights off at rest?

Then you press the brake pedal - which disengages from the switch, allowing the circuit to close/make and light the lamps.

Bet that's it

That's it!!!! I didn't realize the switch could be adjusted. I pulled the pin out and let the pedal adjust the distance. Thanks to everyone for your help. The sun is out and my cabby is back on the road.....life is good!

No probs - had a memory at the back of my head that this was the way it worked.

It makes sense, as it's a sort of 'dead man's handle' for the brake light system.

Good solid German engineering :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: