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Brake light failure


7_Malc

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Brake lights not working this morning. Rear lights are fine, indicators fine. Both rear light bulbs appear to have unbroken filaments (x2) but there is not even a flicker of light when the pedal is pushed. Brakes themselves work fine. It might be a fuse? Looking the 7s fuse box / array. None say brakes? This is the end of my electrical knowledge, so advice needed please. Car is a 1999 K-series Roadsport 140. Many thanks, Malc.

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Sudden failure of both brake lights with no other lights affected? How about the reversing light?

If the fuse isn't blown I'd start with checking the switch: is it being pushed when the pedal is pressed, and is it making the electrical circuit?

...

Do you have a multimeter and would you like the wiring diagram and fuse layout for your Seven? For a 1999 K the layout is probably:

1998 Fusebox layout.pdf

Jonathan

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Is the switch getting a good push? And do the lights work when you push the switch closed by hand?

Failure inside the switch is a common problem. And the switch isn't specific to Caterham. You might find a replacement locally. If not I recommend Redline or any of the online specialists.

But there's also a common internal failure that is DIY fixable. It involves taking the switch apart when the spring notoriously makes a bid for freedom... instructions.

Jonathan

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Cheers Jonathan, at first the idea of removing the pedal box cover seems rather daunting, but once underway it wasn't so bad. The switch disassembly was fiddly - and I nearly lost the spring despite the warning - but it all works again now.   

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Just to add to my comment back then:

"The problem used to be, and was with mine, the switch was trying to act as a pedal stop when the pedal came back up, bashing the plunger further through the contacts.

Mine failed within months of ownership, so dismantled, cleaned, reassembled and re-attached it to the car, paying attention to the operating bar and the switch, adjusting it so the switch wasn't being forced beyond it's movement.

That was 2001 - still working fine in 2017"

Now 2019 . . . still working . . . like the original clutch cable and the original accelerator cable . . .  Careful set up pays dividends - once you know there's a problem to be avoided anyway.

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The helpfulness and knowledge base here on BC is superb. Thanks again guys. I'm going to order a spare switch (Mazda style) and swap it out in 12 years / months / weeks / miles time when my cleaned-up one fails… maybe get clutch and throttle cable to add to the bundle in the boot.

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