Handbrake light stuck on!

Post Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:25 pm

have ya tried checking the handbrake switch under the gaiter??
it happened to me few months back!!
played about with it!
and wa la!! it went out when the handbrake was released!

hope that helps!!

Post Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:28 pm

This is a very simple circuit - just a wire shorted to earth on the handbrake to illuminate them lamp.
Pull up the back of the handbrake gaitor, unclip the front, and pull it off.
You will now be able to see the wire and the crude switch above the handbrake ratchet. Work the handbrake a few times and you should be able to work out what's gone wrong.

Post Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:27 pm

i have a similar problem to this............ when handbrake is on light on dash illuminates as it should at full brightness. however when i put the handbrake off the light on the dash is still lit but slightly dimmer. ive lifted the gaiter and held the switch clear and the warning light still illuminates all be it not at full brigtness.

any ideas? short to earth somewhere along the length between the switch and dash was my immediate thought

Post Sat Feb 25, 2006 5:05 pm

pauldeacs wrote:i have a similar problem to this............ when handbrake is on light on dash illuminates as it should at full brightness. however when i put the handbrake off the light on the dash is still lit but slightly dimmer. ive lifted the gaiter and held the switch clear and the warning light still illuminates all be it not at full brigtness.

any ideas? short to earth somewhere along the length between the switch and dash was my immediate thought

Handbrake light is simply a lamp with 12V+ at one end and a wire that runs from the other end to the simple switch at the handbrake which earths it.
If the light stays on with the switch disconnected, then, as you say, there must be a resistive short to earth somewhere. Not something I've seen before.