brake light problems

[garylau]

My brake lights recently decided to stay on all the time, even with the car off and the key out. Could someone tell me what might cause this and how I can fix it?

[MONSOON]

Brake light switch has possibly gone bad. Should be able to get it at any auto parts store.

[garylau]

Okay. I thought about that, but didn't think it would make it stay on like that. Thanks.

[hawkdoc60]

There isn't much to the switch. All it takes is a terminal to come loose so it makes contact, then it will stay on.

[MONSOON]

No problem Gary. Thats what we're here for to help one another when we can.

[1990new]

I'm replying to this old thread instead of starting a new one about the same problem.

Rosie's brake light stays on all the time unless I remove the stop fuse.

With the fuse in the brake light will go off when I press the brake in but the come on again when I release the brake.
Backwards from how it is supposed to work.

So I guess my switch must be bad but it seem strange that it works backwards.
Anyone else had this same problem and did replacing the switch fix it?

[1990new]

Not bad switch

I'm replying to this old thread instead of starting a new one about the same problem.

Rosie's brake light stays on all the time unless I remove the stop fuse.

With the fuse in the brake light will go off when I press the brake in but the come on again when I release the brake.
Backwards from how it is supposed to work.

So I guess my switch must be bad but it seem strange that it works backwards.
Anyone else had this same problem and did replacing the switch fix it?

Too late to edit so I'm posting again.
I just replaced the switch with another one I had and it still did the same (on while brake is up off when I press the brake in the lights go off)... so it is not the switch.

[Studebaker]

When you took the BL switch out did the Brake lights come on?

[1990new]

When you took the BL switch out did the Brake lights come on?

No they did not...

Problem solved though...
The original switch that was in Rosie was rusty and didn't look to good so I used another one I had...
but it operates as closed while depressed instead of closed when not depressed. I had two like this
and the one I switched out to test with operated the same way.
I just found another one that closes the circuit when the switch is not depressed and opens the circuit when the button is depressed.

So the switch wasn't bad but I had been using two switches of the wrong type.

In this case two wrongs made a wrong.

[FestYboy]

Sounds like a clutch switch was being used...

[1990new]

The one on the left is the brake switch and the one on the right is apparently the clutch switch (which I had two of).


Dont try to loosen the bottom bolt. It is tack welded to the clutch/brake lever assembly.
See how I deformed the metal when I tried at first.

[hot4dl8ly]

I am replying to this OLD thread - As this happened to our Sunryz - cam home and the brake lights were on one night, rocked the car and they go on/off. Found the little rubber bumper that depresses the switch pin had a hole worn in it. This is back a number of years when some parts were still available through Ford - had to buy a bag of - I think 6, but it cured the problem.