Technical Discussion Thread: Brake Light Switch Replacement

[Deckchair5]

Yes that'll be your brake light switch need replacing. The hi level brake light is on a slightly different circuit. It won't work regardless of a bad switch but it may work when the low level ones aren't working.
Just need a new switch. Look in the Stilo Guides for some helpful tips
Pick a cool place and a cool time to do it

 

[minimad99]

You're right it doesn't want to fit, bloody thing!!

 

[Deckchair5]

Have you had a look at my post on Page 1 of this thread?
Try the old one back in there again just to make sure you're not losing your marbles. Fits easy?
Sounds like you have the same problem as I had where the new switch locating lugs are too big and need to be filed down. It won't go in otherwise. Once filed down - tidying up the poor manufacture of the switch-it should go in easy.

 

[minimad99]

That's exactly what the problem was, i had filed them down before i started but not enough. Also because of the angle you're looking from it took a while to line up the lugs.
Such a simple procedure made difficult due to lack of space.

The new part had a white plunger that was longer than the old black one, nearly twice the length. Do you know if that is what they changed? Part cost £9 something from dealer.

The only thing i struggled with was adjusting..... couldn't get pliers up in there, and didn't get any ratchet noise. it all seems to work fine, used a broom to press the brake while stretched to see lights. 30 presses and worked on every one, fingers crossed all stays fixed!!

 

[Deckchair5]

Glad it worked. You'll probably find the old switch plunger had just ratcheted up making it look shorter
Should be easy to adjust, just push the footbrake down firmly, pull down/out the switch plunger with long nosed pliers, let go the plunger then carefully release the footbrake without pulling up

You may have already done that without realising it if the plunger was fully extended already when you fitted it. As long as the lights operate as soon as you push on the brake and are not chattering on when you drive along then that'll do nicely

 

[$driver$]

Deckchair5 can your instructions (changing Brake Light Switch) be used for the Fiat Punto 55?

Where can i get this from for my car?

Thanks

 

[Deckchair5]

Haven't seen one but it'll be very similar. To adjust it'll either be move the whole switch or adjust the plunger. Why not ask in the Punto forum?

 

[j0nny]

rite ive had a wee bit of trouble with this switch but i cant figure this out, it used to be the left light that i kept getting warnings for but when i checked it the light was working grand, so i reset the switch to fix that properly and hoped that would cure the problem, aparently not so i decided to test it using the method decks suggested. tested the lights by flashing them repeatedly reli fast and then the right one went out, it stayed out for a while. then about an hour later when i went to drive the car again it was on but the weird thing is, always two of the three work, at the minute it always seems to be the right bulb that would sometimes go off, doesnt seem to be a reason for this, hapens with engine on or off, driving round corners straight line. just always after the brake hasbeen applied, any ideas?

 

[Deckchair5]

It won't be the switch, the switch affects both sides

A bad contact of the connector on the rear light circuit board is common. Take the rear light cluster out, disconnect the connector and clean up the contacts there. Rub the contacts on the board carefully with a pencil eraser and then use contact cleaner

You could take the bulbs out too whlst you're there and clean where the bulb contacts the connectors in the bulb sockets

 

[j0nny]

cheers decks, both them are just after failing there it usually one or the other, now for the first time its both. wheres the circut board, behind the cluster? il give it a go as soon as i get home, dont wana anyone in the back of me

 

[walty666]

i'm having asr/esp/abs failure warnings, the high level brake light has stopped working and now my cruise control has stopped working. could this all be due to the brake pedal switch? fiat have diagnosed the asr/esp/abs failure warnings as being due to the switch but what about the cruise control?

 

[Greggers]

i'm having asr/esp/abs failure warnings, the high level brake light has stopped working and now my cruise control has stopped working. could this all be due to the brake pedal switch? fiat have diagnosed the asr/esp/abs failure warnings as being due to the switch but what about the cruise control?

Cruise control won't work as the car thinks that your braking, essentially disengaging the cruise control... sounds like you're definitely in need of a new brake switch

 

[dave_5150]

I've just reset mine after the same issues, lights permanently on, random ASR & ESP faults & no cruise.

Just thought I'd add as I've not seen it mentioned that it is a lot easier to move the brake pedal far enough to get at the switch with the pliers with the engine running.

Otherwise your just pumping up the brake pedal and making it stiffer.

Obvious really but it didn't occur to me and might help someone

 

[Ralph2]

I can't understand what you mean when you say "Use a 1mm (increase to 2mm if required) feeler guage between pedal stop & switch plunger when settiing up,this prevents having to reset under hard braking"
Can you explain what you mean and why hard braking would make any difference as I can't understand the logic here?

Yeah i thought the same thing Decks....are we missing something T1...

 

[d34noj]

I've recently had to change mine, & the problems seem intermittent... I fixed it last night (had auto-gearbox fail etc.) went to Asda to get some pressure in the tyres, then went to get some petrol - even put super in to give her a treat for being fixed!, then when I woke up in the morning to go to work it gave me the gearbox fail again AND asr fail!...

So, after all of this I put the switch back in after pulling the ratchet bit out a bit and pressing the pedal 20 times - it worked until I got half way up the road and it slipped into neutral again (which is what it was doing before)...

SO! the moral of the story is, is it a duff switch or am I fitting it wrong?!

Bloody hell this is a long post for me!:slayer:

 

[T14086]

no offence but are you fitting/adjusting it correctly?

 

[d34noj]

Probably not mate... How do I go about adjusting it correctly?

 

[arseofbox]

Dim question I know, but is it heard of for the opposite winding (H/L brake light) to fail? Our high level light has gone, but the lower level body computer confirmed ones are OK.

 

[simmyoto]

I have just noticed this morning that my brake lights are intermittent- ie not working 95% of the time, i was backed against the house this morning and realised that when i pressed the pedal 18 out of 20 times the lights failed to illuminate,

Do you think that the likely cause is the break switch?

 

[Deckchair5]

Yes