Brake light weirdness

[haarvik]

I was driving with my son today and my obc was saying to check brake light circuit. Brake lights worked intermitently. I checked the lights when I got home and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I went out about two hours later and brake lights were working. Took my son to work, and on the way back home, intermitent again. Any clue what causes this?

[cdrvoltaire]

This happened to me, e36 tend to have these issues just due to bad electrical wiring i believe... could be wrong. But I never have any problems with brake lights despite getting this warning, you can check your brake light wiring and see if it is touching the cover and moving it out of place.

[JDStrickland]

If the message was BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT ERROR, you need a new switch on the brake pedal.

[RobertFontaine]

3 likely culprits.... The beginning, the end, or the middle. The sockets and tail light plastic tend to get brittle and crumble over 15 years. Check you sockets/tail lights.
The brake light switch at the pedal tends to die as well. Tapping on the the brake light a few times till you set off the obc error at a stop is a pretty good clue. If neither of these (which it usually is, then trace the wiring for the short).

[FLYINV]

I had similar issues which I traced back to the metal electrical contacts on one of the bulb sockets. Just had to grab the pliars and bend them back into shape.

[Islandman242]

Bulb sockets with non-OEM tails used to do this to me all the time. The sockets were not staing tight on the non-OEM tails.

Went back to OEM tails and the problem went away.

[haarvik]

Yep it says Brake Light Circuit Error. I got to thinking that maybe it was the switch since it only does it after the car warms up, usually about 5 minutes or so. I have spare tail light assemblies, so I can switch those out if the switch doesn't work, but I suspect that is the issue. Will find out Saturday!

[Nic1971]

I get the same on my M3 here and there, thought it was faulty bulbs, since all the brake lights ALWAYS work.

Error message is intermittent, sometimes when after pushing pedal 2 or 3 times, other days straight away, then i can have no warning for several days.:confused

[haarvik]

Mine ended up being a loose bulb. I went through and cleaned all lights/sockets and put them back in. No problem since then.

[Bianca98]

In my experience, Brake Light Circut Failures are solved by a new brake pedal switch. However, the trunk lid wiring is also known to cause many problems as well. Be sure to check and make sure that the wiring on the left side of your trunk lid isnt frayed.

A thread here for reference. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1848732

[haarvik]

In my experience, Brake Light Circut Failures are solved by a new brake pedal switch. However, the trunk lid wiring is also known to cause many problems as well. Be sure to check and make sure that the wiring on the left side of your trunk lid isnt frayed.

That was the case in my son's car. The brake switch was bad. $25 and ten minutes later no issues.

[tronax]

That was the case in my son's car. The brake switch was bad. $25 and ten minutes later no issues.


Ten minutes.... record time for fighting with that switch!

[haarvik]

That's because I used vice grips and tore it out! Wasn't about to do it nicely!

[tronax]

That's because I used vice grips and tore it out! Wasn't about to do it nicely!

Yeah - I spent about 6 minutes wrestling with the collar upside-down in my driveway (neighbors must think I'm nuts) before I finally went crazy with the pliers.... had to bend the bracket back a bit to make the switch properly engage with my foot off the brake.

[haarvik]

I know what you mean. I spent a few minutes upside down trying to see how I was going to get it out and finally deciding #^$*% it! I'm breaking this bitch outta here!

[e38bris]

I had this issue for a couple of months when I had the E38 - drove me nuts... I ended up replacing every light bulb in the rear cluster/middle light.. so either I had a bad bulb somewhere that was providing too much resistance during the check, or the simple act of removing and replacing the bulb holders fixed whatever had gone wrong...

have had it once in the E36, but it hasn't come back (touch wood) - I just get the check coolant issue instead

[tronax]

I just get the check coolant issue instead

Haha, that's my project for tonight.

[RNeil]

Ten minutes.... record time for fighting with that switch!
I also had trouble. I could not depress the pedal enough with my hand. Then I started the engine. It was easier with the power assist.

[RobertFontaine]

I also had trouble. I could not depress the pedal enough with my hand. Then I started the engine. It was easier with the power assist.

... sweet.. I'm just waiting for the temperature to warm up 10 degrees to do this. POWER ON! :redspot