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everything works but the brake lights. turn signals and everything are good, just no brake lights. help

I always start with checking the bulbs Since we do not know your light set up it could be seperate bulbs.... or same bulb?

Assuming you have the same light bulb for both turn signals and Brake lights.... Check the sensor the pedal activates, loose wire or bad sensor? and if memory is correct.. ......check the famous circuit breakers, those can be the easy fix. ..just push the button

Good luck and let us know what ends up fixing it.

The brake switch is on the master cylinder, with the key on, jumper the two wires from the switch together, if the lights work you have a bad brake switch.

the wire for the brake light bulbs has no power going to it, noticed that when i put the turn signal on the one side works great and the other side doesn't, when i put the left side on the small middle bulb on the right side blinks too.

brake light switch was bad, ground was bad. everything is fixed but one thing. when i have the head lights on only the passenger tail light comes on, but i have both brake lights and turn signals.

where can i see your purple pinz?

the pinz i just got has one of its brake switch wires disconnected (at the switch). i discovered this will trying to understand why and no brake lights will come on. connecting the disconnected wire makes the brake lights (amber) stay on with no brake peddle pushed.

how do you unscrew that switch and keep the brake fluid from pouring out? i'm thinking the switch is shorted.

another question is - is there a common part i can replace it with?

i was hoping to get it registered tomorrow but... maybe i'll have to wait for a part to arrive next week.

Hi Purple Pinzer,

Is this Barney, the purple pinz from Phil K. in Michigan?

Paul

ka,

I expect the brake fluid will leak out when the switch is removed. I've heard that the system needs bleeding after the switch is replaced. I was told is was a unique switch, but I've never actually bought one.

My switch is probably going bad, as the brake lights only activate when the pedal is down quite a ways.

Somebody is sure to chime in here who has done one already.....

Paul

the pressure brake light switch is just a standard VW part. There are a couple similar one so just take the switch to a local VW shop and they will match it. The switch cost around $5. Yes you will loose brake fluid, but if the caps are tight it will be minimal and the system should be bleed to remove any air that gets in. Could be easier if the switch were on the other side of the master but then it would probably get hit when getting in and out of the truck.

nice! std vw part!

uh oh. i don't know how to bleed the brakes. well 1st i'll go get a switch.

It is not that difficult, although, I would highly recommend the brake bleeder that EI sells.
The job can be done by one person and once you have done it, you will be amazed that you ever worried about it.
I think the SDP site may have the step by step. Check the archives here.

Morris

thx! will do...

but now i can't even figure out how to get a wrench up in there to get that switch out!

It has been a while since I had this problem. Two things:

1) Discussions on this board and yahoo groups led me to believe that there were two VW parts for the brake switch, one was tapered, one was not. I don't know which was correct or the part number. Just a note of caution as one did not work and leaked!

2) Since I couldn't get the part quickly enough for a trip I put in a pedal activated switch of my own (SPST NC switch) mounted in a piece of PVC strapped to the steering column to operate the brake lights. To this day I have kept it and it has been a the focus of discussion when some have taken a closer look inside. I may one day replace this brake switch with the correct pressure switch but why fix what ain't broke. Been on for around 6 years now.

Happy Fourth of July!!! Celebrate US independence and thank the men and women who keep us free. Remember the fact that we are such close friends with Great Britain. Also, remember France helped us gain this independence.

aaHHAAhahaha... that's exactly what i was thinking to do! if you have pix of that stuff could i get you to send'm my way? man, that would solve my problem right now.

Brake light switch number is: ATE / 24.3526.0810.3
Mercedes has the same part number.

Regards,

Jacques