Intermittent brake lights...

Brabazon

Brabazon

Member
I put my A2 through the MOT yesterday, and it was failed due to the brake lights only coming on intermittently when the pedal was depressed. As far as I know this hadn't happened before, any time I checked the brake lights before they were fine, and bizarrely enough, they seem to be fine now again and are working perfectly today.

I washed the car with a hose just before taking it to the test centre and I'm wondering if it's possible that water got in somewhere around the connections and caused this intermittent problem. Has anyone had a similar problem and know what the cause might be?

Cheers,

Jon
 
It's probably the brake switch on the way out. Its a minor job, cost me £40 in the local garage. Mine went like this and the light worked intermittantly before it finally failed. Apparently it's a common problem..:(
 
Brabazon said:
Thanks, that'll probably be it then! I'll scour the forum for a 'how-to'...

Cheers,

Jon
Click to expand...

It's pretty straight-forward: remove the trim that runs along the sill an up the bottom of the A pillar, then remove the light switch and undo the 2 torx screws under the drivers knee trim. Then pull this trim out from the 3 clips securing it to the dash and you can then access the switch.

Remove the 4-pin connector and then remove the switch by turning it 90 degrees to the left.

Installation is the reverse of removal

Cheers,

Mike
 
Thanks Mike. I've just emailed VAGparts about getting a replacement, and I'll have a go at fitting it myself. Hopefully this will cure the problem.

Cheers,

Jon
 
Just as a matter of interest, would anyone with access to a parts diagram be able to tell me the part number for a brake light switch...?

Cheers,

Jon
 
Many thanks, I've ordered that now. Although I checked my brake lights again this morning and they still seem to be fine...

My old Rover Mini Cooper used to do unexplicable things like this as well. I remember once flicking on my indicator and it flashed on and off at about twice the normal speed. It was fine after that and never did it again. I swear that car was alive... :)
 
Sorry to bump this thread again, but can anyone explain to me how my brake lights work fine when the engine is running, and only work intermittently when the engine is off and it's just on the ignition? I got a replacement brake light switch and am going to fit it tomorrow as I've got my re-test tomorrow evening, but I'm beginning to wonder if it might actually be something else that's at fault...!

Thanks
 
Sorry to keep bumping this post, but I just wanted to say that I changed my brake light switch today and it seemed to satisfy the mOT guys. Cheers to Mike and this t'riffic forum for giving me instructions how to do this procedure. I had to take off an extra bit of air vent to get at the brake switch but it was all fairly straightforward and seems to have cured the problem. That sill trim was a bitch to get back on though...:)

Cheers,

Jon
 
Brabazon said:
Sorry to keep bumping this post, but I just wanted to say that I changed my brake light switch today and it seemed to satisfy the mOT guys. Cheers to Mike and this t'riffic forum for giving me instructions how to do this procedure. I had to take off an extra bit of air vent to get at the brake switch but it was all fairly straightforward and seems to have cured the problem. That sill trim was a bitch to get back on though...:)

Cheers,

Jon
Click to expand...

You're welcome Jon - it gets easier with practise!

The extra bit of ducting you removed is not strictly speaking necessary, but it does make life easier for the sake of 1 screw I suppose.

Glad all is working ok now.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Skipton01 said:
The extra bit of ducting you removed is not strictly speaking necessary, but it does make life easier for the sake of 1 screw I suppose.
Click to expand...

You must have nimble hands Mike. I could hardly get my paws in behind that duct at all. I've got the scratches to prove it...:D I'm just glad it wasn't hard to remove/replace...!

Cheers,

Jon
 
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