Brake Light Switch

[londondan86]

Evening Chaps!

Just a quick one, I replaced a blown brake light bulb today and needed to test it so I wedged a hammer on the brake pedal, walked round the car to find it all working nicely. But as I took the hammer off the pedal shot up and jammed the brake lights on (dislodging the switch).

So.... I took the swith out which was a right pita and and reinserted it so that it now works but it just doesnt seem very secure. Is there supposed to be a lock nut on it to hold it or does it just sit in there as is??

This is the switch

[cwspellowe]

Is it not an open circuit switch though? So if it was dislodged it wouldn't be contacting anything, much as it would be normally, and the lights would be off?

The brake lights only come on if the switch is depressed...

But no, no lock ring, it just winds into place. When I had to adjust mine I literally wound it a couple of turns and left it. Been fine ever since.

[londondan86]

Hmmm, I think the electrical diagram above may be incorrect then as I thought it was a NO (normally open) switch that closed as soon as the pedal is moved away but could be wrong. Either way it just seems like the hole it is in is too big for the switch and just feels loose.

[cwspellowe]

Wait you're right, I couldn't picture the pivot in my head.

So yeah, lights are off when switch depressed, lights on when switch not contacted. So the pedal pinging it would have knocked it out of place. The hole should be a tight enough fit though, shouldn't be any play in it. You sure it's in the right hole on the steering column?

[Matt]

Yeah nothing, keeps it in. Just pokes in. As the scot said, on the right hole?

[londondan86]

Well it's gone back in the same hole but it just feels loose (giggedy)

If it pops out again I might try a small bead of silicone to hold it

Cheers