The other week I noticed my brake lights weren't working. So I took the switch off, tested with multimeter, back in, all seems to be working again after some upside down yoga in the o/s footwell.

Brake lights have been intermittent at best for the last few days. I've had the switch back out, THOROUGHLY tested it put it back in and sure enough, after about 50 presses it's largely died again.

Simple replace switch job, right? Or are there likely to be any other obscure FIAT gremlins at work here?

check the earth to the rear light under the rear bumper as it is open to the elements and make sure the block connectors on the back of the light units are free from corrosion

Ash

whitz said:

check the earth to the rear light under the rear bumper as it is open to the elements and make sure the block connectors on the back of the light units are free from corrosion

Ash

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Good call on the earths. I haven't checked the individual lights yet as they all either or work or don't leading me to believe it's s problem nearer the front end. Will check the earth tomorrow.

If someone crashes into the back me without brake lights, am I liable?

Yes you are liable its up to you to have a properly maintained and working car - it shouldnt be on the road if none of lights arent working especially as you acknowledge they arent working also

However if someone goes into back of you they will probably smash the rear lights so cant see how they could prove it

does your 3rd brake light come on? it doesnt use the rear earth so can rule that out. get another micro switch and untill then atleast use ur sidelights when ur braking in the day so red lights come on at the rear.

I've got the same problem! Is it a part you can only buy from fiat?

AppleSei said:

However if someone goes into back of you they will probably smash the rear lights so cant see how they could prove it

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They check if tiny fragments of bulb glass are stuck to the filaments, this would only happen if they are hot. They'd probably only to go this kind of trouble to secure a conviction where someone died, however.

BlueDan said:

They check if tiny fragments of bulb glass are stuck to the filaments, this would only happen if they are hot. They'd probably only to go this kind of trouble to secure a conviction where someone died, however.

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i can tell you from working in the police this is most definatly a csi myth.

Jef said:

I've got the same problem! Is it a part you can only buy from fiat?

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Probably the easiest source.

Cheers

D

clock34 said:

i can tell you from working in the police this is most definatly a csi myth.

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Saw a documentary into this crash on TV a while back where they spoke to the forensics people involved and they said they used this method to show (in court) that the lorry driver was paying more attention to his phone than the car in front with its brake lights on.

ok ill rephrase that then lol. they dont do anything like that in cumbria lol

clock34 said:

ok ill rephrase that then lol. they dont do anything like that in cumbria lol

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AppleSei said:

Yes you are liable its up to you to have a properly maintained and working car - it shouldnt be on the road if none of lights arent working especially as you acknowledge they arent working also

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You're right, it's not really on.

Like the sidelights idea!
Ordered a replacement from Fluffy for the tidy sum of £4 plus VAT/delivery.

I probably should be more careful. I was ANPRed twice last year for no good reason because my monthly eCar policy wasn't showing up on the DVLA DB. Both times I was followed for a while before being pulled on grounds of seeming 'distracted' or 'anxious'. I can imagine they'd have jumped on a dodgy brake light at that point. At least they were polite.

You stand to have your car seized if your brake lights aren't working, and a FPN or court appearance

Fingers crossed the switch sorts it all out

Changed the switch during the searing sun of lunchbreak.

So far so good on the brake light front, but the adjustment thread on the switch wouldn't budge and so the end is a bit too long (ooerrr) and doesn't quite let the pedal fully retract. Is it supposed to be adjusted in situ? None of the spanners I own will reach such a tight spot. No noticeable dragging though.

are you sure its clipped in correctly?

didnt know they could be adjusted tbh, why would they need to be? they come on when you push the pedal so max in and out is always going to be the same.....

mine was too far down once and left the brake lights always on. mabee yours is also too far down.

Too far up will leave the lights on, not too far down.

They are stepped so you can twist it to release it and move it in or out one slot at a time.

Cheers

D

Yes I've clipped it in correctly and lights still seem fine

But getting the bracket to turn on the thread is pretty tricky. I could just about get the old one to turn but the new one won't budge and the flimsy nylon makes it difficult to get any torque on it.

i could be wrong but i still dont think its supposed to turn....... as i said i could be wrong though