Handbrake light on all the time

Post Sat Apr 30, 2016 1:57 pm

Hi my car just does not want to be finished! !! Whilst fitting a replacement stereo today I noticed that the handbrake light is permanently on?
I checked the switch on the handbrake and it seems to work fine, but when I apply the handbrake the light just gets brighter. ...and when the handbrake is off the light is still on?
I disconnected the wire to the switch but the light stays on. ....I presumed there was an earth issue so I traced this wire (blue/grey stripe ) back through the loom to check it wasn't earthing on the body ....no damage apparent all the way to the plug on the back of the cluster.
I'm now not sure what to do? ?
Any help would be great cheers

Post Sat Apr 30, 2016 6:51 pm

Please ignore problem sorted. .....

Post Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:49 pm

Fill us in, then. I'm intrigued by this one.

Post Sun May 01, 2016 8:18 pm

I think I may have been a fuckwit! !! Battery was low and car not running, key in position 2....charged the battery and started the car and the light works correctly! !!
Gutted spent about 4hrs ripping the loom apart and removing the cluster etc looking for a fault that I don't think was there to begin with. ....

Post Sun May 01, 2016 8:48 pm

Can't see what could have happened. Handbrake warning light circuit is about as simple as it can get - just a bulb with one side connected to ignition switched 12 volts from fuse 10, and the other side connected to a single wire which is earthed (or not) by the crude switch attached to the handbrake lever.

Post Sun May 01, 2016 8:56 pm

I've had the handbrake light stay on and get brighter as the OP said after I'd had the centre and rear console out. Tbh, I don't remember what caused it, I just put it back together properly and it worked as normal.

Post Mon May 02, 2016 9:35 am

I did spray the loom plug and cluster with contact cleaner so maybe that fixed it?or maybe the plug wasn't correctly fitted everything has been out of the car whilst I've been welding etc.....was only concerned that it was an MOT failure? And I'm trying to get the car finished for the summer. .....
I appreciate that it is a very basic circuit but wasn't sure if I had an issue with the cluster. ..