Help Brake Lights not Working!!!!

[Gouki]

E30 1989 325i Cab, basically having a problem with the brake lights, there not coming on!!! The fuse I had melted away so I changed it to a new one and it still doesn't work, have checked the bulbs, their fine, check the rear lights seems ok what else can it be!?! Done all checks I can think of, can anyone help cos its fustrating!!!

Thanx!

[Andy335Touring]

Is the fuse still popping ?

[Brianmoooore]

Is the fuse still popping ?

If it's not, pull the connector off the brake light swich (top of brake pedal) and short the two wires together with a short piece of wire.

[TOURINGDADDY]

have u checked the plugs on the rear lights?

[Sanchez]

Have you checked the conection on the brake pedal that makes the circuit for the lights to come on. Make sure the two connections are correctly postioned, they are adjustable.

[elliot]

:yeahthat: ive had to change the foot pedal switch before, only a few quid and dead easy to do.

elliot

[Sooty]

Tng21
Have you checked that the common earth is OK?
Not sure of it's exact location.
Have you carried out a check to see if you've got 12v to the lights?

[Sooty]

Have you got, or can you get hold of, a multimeter?
Whereabouts are you?

[Sooty]

Don't know of any places near to you (I'm over at Peterborough) & you're a bit too far away for me to come over & help out now.
I'm afraid you're only options are to either get hold of a mate who has some idea about cars & has a few tools himself or take it to your local garage.
Sorry I can't be more help for now.

[Brianmoooore]

Tng21
Have you checked that the common earth is OK?
Not sure of it's exact location.
Have you carried out a check to see if you've got 12v to the lights?

Bad common earth wouldn't stop the rear lights from working. You'd get the effect you often see on Ford's and other such rubbish with the sidelights flashing with the indicators etc.
Can't really think what could a total failure of all the rear lights except a problem with the plug and socket where the rear loom connects.
All rear lights except the fogs and reverse would be affected if the connector on the bulb failure module were loose.

[Sooty]

The master is on the case

[Guest]

i had a problem with wiring that was related to the joints in the loom on the passenger side sill, just near the seat, all my joints had corroded, leaving a big green mess, caused issues with all kinds of stuff - maybe worth a check...

[Brianmoooore]

That's the joint I mean. Unfotunately if this joint is corroded, it probably means that your bulkhead has rusted out under the fusebox.

[Guest]

heres some (bad) pics i took when i fixed mine (mine was related to rev counter / radio and clock plsu others)

http://www.fcukcnut.co.uk/wiring/wiring/

[Brianmoooore]

Thinking about it further I dont think even this connector would put all the lights out. It just connects one of the two looms across the dash, and doesn't disconnect the fronts from the rears.
You sure that all the front lights work, and no rear lights - left tail, right tail, number plate, fogs, brakes, reverse and both indicators don't work?

[Gouki]

ok, checked the plug where the brake pedal is, fiddled with that and nothing at first, tried my fuses, messed with the rear plugs for the rear lights and nothing. Now guess what guys now one brake light works and thats on the right cluster, left one doesn't work! Bulb is still fine, tried shorting the wires at the brake pedal but that just turns the brake lights to permanent on! So what do you guys reckon I should do???

[Brianmoooore]

This is weird. There's nothing common between them!
You didn't mention number plate lamps.
Do you have the bulb failure "check" system on your car?
Lift up the gear lever gaiter, and find a 2 pin plug and socket by the right hand side.
Pull it up and unplug it, and find the half that doesn't dissapear down through the gearlever grommet.
Take a wire from the battery +, through a 15 or 20A fuse, and apply it to the blue/white wire in the plug. This should light the reverse lights.
If it doesn't, then something very nasty has happened to the rear wiring loom in your car, both reverse light bulbs are blown, or both connectors to the rear lights aren't fitted properly.

[Brianmoooore]

Just noticed I'm trying to sort out to problems at once here.
My brain's been losing brain cells at the rate of several million a day for a few decades now, and there's not enough left to keep scrolling back to see who's symptoms are what, who's reformed what tests, and what the results were.
One problem per thread please.
If you think you have a similar electrical problem, then please start another thread. Post a reference to it in the existing thread if you want, but two lots of syptoms in one thread overloads my brain.

[Cotty]

ive had to change the foot pedal switch before, only a few quid and dead easy to do.

elliot

I had to do this when my lights would not go out when you took your foot off the brake.

Bit fiddly but quite straight forward