Rear brake lights won't work on my car – any ideas!?…

1999 Skoda Octavia – I’ve…

• Checked all bulbs and switched with ones I know are working and with new ones.
• Swapped and check fuses with ones that I know work.
• Wiggled all visible connections and all seem fine.

The high level brake light works fine.

…so what now!

Any ideas appreciated.

Ta!

Have a look at the brake pedal light switch, maybe it was two connectors and one has failed.

a bad earth – check from the +ve of the bulb holder to some bare metal on the body of the car.

There could be a switch attached to the back of the gearbox as there is on my Rover 75 , on the Rover they are known to play up after 5+ years due to dirt ingress.

Have you been to a place where the local law enforcement people run the place like their own country, like Wales?
I’m just wondering if a policeman has walked round your car recently smashing lights with his truncheon while handing out spot fines.

As Skoda is part of the VAG family, I’d be swapping out the micro switch behind the brake pedal, think I paid about £12 when mine went (same symptoms as you got b ut on a GOLF) its quite easy to do, should take about 15 mins.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/ For more info

HTH

Had a similar thing with my old Merc A-class which also put it into ‘limp mode’.
Took the switch off from the brake pedal ,dismantled it,cleaned all the contacts with a bit of wet and dry paper(the contacts did have black deposits)
Put it all back together ,hey presto all working again/
Cost £0 + 20mins labour.

A neighbour had this on an Audi. He tried all the switches, bulbs etc. It turned out to be the ABS unit. £1200. Plus fitting.

Bargin

Don’t use the brake…… FTFY

Was going to say the Brake Pedal Switch too. That’s what went on mine (Seat Leon), and cost 10-15 or so. But mine had no working brake lights at all. Interesting that the high level light still works.

How long does it take you from pressing the pedal to getting out and round the back to check the lights does it take??

😀

/ igmc

I’d be surprised if the high level lamp was driven by a different switch or relay than the main lamps tbh. It suggests a wiring fault at the point where the main and rear lamp loom splits off. If all the other lamp functions are working (indicators, fogs etc) then it suggests the lamp unit earths are ok too. You should be able to turn up a wiring diagram for this car online without too much issue, which will also show the location of the wiring connectors/joins etc. Pin through with a multimeter to find the point at which it goes wrong!

Thanks all!

I couldn’t fix it last night and it’s gone in for its MOT and service today – so I’ll be picking up a bill for this!

I was just giving all the lights a quick check as I hate picking up charges for bulbs when I have spares in the boot. Really surprised no-one has been flashing me to let me know they were broken.

Someone also clobbered by drivers wing mirror last night and cracked it – still intact so hopefully they’ll be lenient with that.

A neighbour had this on an Audi. He tried all the switches, bulbs etc. It turned out to be the ABS unit. £1200. Plus fitting.

Lucky if the cars worth £500 – so if it’s that it’ll be scrapped!

Really surprised no-one has been flashing me to let me know they were broken

reckon mine had been like it for months, and nobody flashed. Not even the cop car on the autobahn behind me when I had to do an emergency braking. Cop didn’t pull me over, nor did he pull the pillock 3 cars ahead who did a lane swerve.

Broken mirror glass = fail?

Well, did it pass?

Yep, it passed – after the brake lights were fixed (loose connection somewhere).

Everything else fine and no advisories, cracked wing mirror wasn’t an issue so not too shabby for a 14yr old car – it has only done 96k though!