rear brake lights

[tonyandhelen]

hi all, just wondering if anyone has had the same problem i m experiencing. my rear brake lights seem to stay on even when the ignition is off, however this doesn't always happen, some days they work as normal. any help on solving this problem would be much appreciated. thanks

[marlinowner]

The brake lights aren't wired through the ignition, they should come on when the pedal is depressed whether the ignition is on or off. (I've just confirmed this on my van and checked in the Haynes manual.)
If, after switching ignition off, your lights are either staying on without the pedal depressed, or sometimes not coming on when it's depressed, they will be doing it when you are driving as well...

[tonyandhelen]

thanks for the reply, yes when they get stuck on, its when im driving as well as when ive parked up, ignition on or off. im sure it must be a wiring issue but havent found the problem as of yet!!

[tonytech]

More than likely the switch is failing OR your master brake cylinder isnt returning to its rest position.
When the lights stick on, can you lift the brake pedal?

T

[tonyandhelen]

thanks for your reply, its a real pain to try and sort this problem out as its an intermittent problem. the lights where on at all times when i last used the van so i had to take out the fuse. so today i thought id check to see if the brake pedal goes up, however after putting the fuse back in the lights are now off and working fine!!

[California Dreamin]

Nearly certain to be a faulty brake light switch....cheap and fairly easy to replace (don't over tighten the taper thread into the master cylinder) 10 minute job.

Martin

[randiandipandi]

It isn't the parking light? (If you turn off with indicator on, then the rear lights stay on - I think!)

[ghost123uk]

It isn't the parking light? (If you turn off with indicator on, then the rear lights stay on - I think!)

Only one (the appropriate one for where the indicator stalk is set) stays on (as does the same side front side light).

My money is on the brake light switch. I seem to recall reading on here that some vans have a separate mechanical switch on the top of the brake peddle (though I might have just dreamt that )

[tonytech]

I dont know about a brake light switch on the foot brake pedal, but my factory fitted cruise control has a "off" switch mounted on the foot brake pedal.
T

[hughzt]

The brake lights aren't wired through the ignition, they should come on when the pedal is depressed whether the ignition is on or off. (I've just confirmed this on my van and checked in the Haynes manual.)
If, after switching ignition off, your lights are either staying on without the pedal depressed, or sometimes not coming on when it's depressed, they will be doing it when you are driving as well...

Yes I noticed this when playing around with the rear lights on my van - why would you want the brake lights to function without the ignition being on? I've never seen this on any other vehicle

[kevtherev]

The brake lights aren't wired through the ignition, they should come on when the pedal is depressed whether the ignition is on or off. (I've just confirmed this on my van and checked in the Haynes manual.)
If, after switching ignition off, your lights are either staying on without the pedal depressed, or sometimes not coming on when it's depressed, they will be doing it when you are driving as well...

Yes I noticed this when playing around with the rear lights on my van - why would you want the brake lights to function without the ignition being on? I've never seen this on any other vehicle

That's perfectly normal for all cars, imagine you were being towed and nobody could tell when you were slowing down?
or ignition failure on the motor way
It's a safety thing

[hughzt]

That's perfectly normal for all cars,

Except for....
1970 Bedford HA van, 1975 Viva............. plus 13 other cars of various makes that I've ever owned including my current Audi A3.
If you breakdown you use your hazard lights, if you're on tow you need your key in the ignition to release the steering lock anyway. I'm just not sure it's such a good idea to leave a circuit live all the time?