Brake lights stuck on?

[topi]

Hey guys, quick question...

My brake lights are constantly on, which is obviously annoying and quite dangerous. What could cause this? Maybe a duff switch - if so where is it located? Sorry - new to E30s

[hazd31]

its located by the pedal, like a stop, this happend to me and i glued in a small spacer!

[dapperdan8001]

They are a fiver to replace mate from gsf.

[Brianmoooore]

Unless this has been left so long that the switch has become damaged, it's very likely that the problem is just the brake linkage in need of adjustment, resulting in the pedal not coming up far enough to turn the switch off.
Can you lift the pedal more than a few mm, when in its rest position?

[Brianmoooore]

and i glued in a small spacer!

???!!!

[psychochild187]

same happened to me
i removed the rubber end cap and it was just right to not do it anymore

[topi]

Aaah I see, thanks guys - I'll have a look at the pedal slack and see if theres any adjustment in there etc before I replace the switch.

[sarkie83]

i'm getting the same problem. if you push the pedal a bit further up by hand the brakes go off, so it seems that the switch is ok.

i've read the haynes manual, searched/read the explanations on here, but i am stil confused how you adjust the stupid brake pedal! I can see the rod that dissapears behind the heater:



..but I can't see where it comes out. does it actually come out on the passenger side past the heater/center console?

[daimlerman]

Yes,it's attached to that springy thingy!
Slack off the lock nut at both ends and rotate the rod until the brakelights go out.

[sarkie83]

ok, so the other end of the rod is just out of shot to the right of that spring?

[daimlerman]

ok, so the other end of the rod is just out of shot to the right of that spring?

Yes,it's level with the bracket to the left of the spring,which connects to the brake servo.

[sarkie83]

i've just been out and compared the pictures above (318is) to my other one (318i).

On the 318i - it does not have that spring in the 2nd pic, and I can see the end of the rod/locknut ok.

on the 318is (which i'm having the problem with) - I can feel the end of the rod which seems to go behind that spring, but there is no locknut on it. is there supposed to be, or is it different on the is?

[daimlerman]

so is it the nuts at the top/bottom of that spring that need to be slackened off?

No!
The footbrake was designed around a LHD car,so the servo and brake master cylinder are mounted on the l/h side of the engine bay.A LHD car's brake pedal connects direct.
With RHD,a link rod is used,this connects to the brake pedal and passes behind the heater to the bell crank where that spring is,the spring helps to lift the pedal back to the rest postion.
Link rod has L/H thread on one end and a R/H thread on the other,so by slacking off the lock nuts at each end it is possible to lengthen or shorten the rod just by turning it.
What you need to do is locate the two lock nuts and slacken them first,remembering that one of them(I think the one at the servo end)is a L/H thread,then turn the rod until the brakelights go out,then re-tighten the lock-nuts.
You should be able to get to the one at the passenger footwell(brake servo end)with the centre console in place.

[sarkie83]

cheers for all your help - it is much appreciated!
i got it sorted in the end. that rod on mine does not have a lock nut on the passender side - only on the drivers side. I slacked that off, and I could then turn the rod/adjust the pedal.

what i am wonder though is why there is not a locknut on the passenger side...

[daimlerman]

what i am wonder though is why there is not a locknut on the passenger side...

There should be a locknut on the pax side,I think that's the l/h thread so it will be a BMW only bit!
But as the rod is locked at the other end it should not be able to move,and the end without the lock nut on cannot move as there is a clevis pin into the bell crank.
Pleased you are sorted out,makes it all worthwhile!