Stelios Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Driving down the A217 today I was shouted at by a guy driving a Jensen Healey behind me that I had no brake lights. Pulled into a pub car park on the A25 and looked at the reflection of the back of my Seven in another car's bodywork and the brake lights were working. Checked again when I got home and the lights were, again, working. Have just been out to put the dustcover on the car and the brake lights aren't working. The reverse light is working (as are all other lights in the rear light clusters) so it's not the fuse. The brakes work and the brake fluid is fine. The wiring going into the loom seems secure. Anyone got any ideas as to where the dodgy contact might be? Thanks in advance. Stelios the Bubble Click here for my Caterham 7 page or here for some photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Stelios, Whip the pedal box cover off and take a look at the brake light switch. Sounds like it may have come loose/need adjusting. 10 minute job requiring one x head screwdriver and a spanner if I've guessed the caused correctly. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stelios Posted January 16, 2005 Author Share Posted January 16, 2005 Thought that it might have something to do with the pedal box - the previous owner, however, has glued the cover on so it's not just a question of "whipping it off". Ho hum. Stelios the Bubble Click here for my Caterham 7 page or here for some photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 OMG what a strange thing to have done Still I would work on getting it off as it will be nigh on impossible and most uncomfortable to try and get to it from the footwell. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade_runner Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Another common problem with the brake light switch is they get dirt inside, remove the switch, carefully prise the tab on the bottom of the switch out to open it up,... you will end up with a spring loaded plunger and some copper contacts, simply clean the contacts on the plunger and also the fixed contacts in the switch housing ( they attach to the terminals) with some electircal contact cleaner... or WD40 works ok as well... reassemble.. and Bobs uncle... 15 min job.. 'Pinky Pics' here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 You don't say what year your car is. Pre 93 Caterham used to use a hydraulic switch inserted into a tee piece in the rear brake circuit. These are notorious for going stiff so that with normal braking the lights are not triggered. You have to really stand on the pedal to get them on. Not ideal when even light braking can cause such a light car to slow dramatically. Usual solution is to swop to the later mechanical switch, see below. Post 93 they switched to a mechanical switch on the pedal, much less prone to problems. But looking at your pictures it appears to be newer than 93 so likely to be a mechanical switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I concur with blade_runner - mine had exactly the same symptoms. Opened the switch unit, cleaned it up and hey presto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slarty Blat Fast Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Agree with Blade-Runner, but new ones fail too under warranty. Should be cheap enough to replace either way. I've had drivers yell at me that my brake lights aren't working, but that's because I don't brake for corners. Absolutely no hitchhikers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild bill Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Had same problem turned out that there were no drain holes in the light box so they filled with water this caused an intermittent prob Now have 2 holes drilled in bottom of light cluster and problem cured it may be this simple on the other hand it may not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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