Brake Light Wiring issues at Master Cylinder

[RemainsHuman]

Hey Guys. This is my first post here on The Samba and Also my First VW project. Im having an issue getting my Brake Lights to work. I bought the car with out them working. (The Lights themselves work) i have checked. I have 3 wires running to the master cylinder 1 Red(going to the fuse box-Hot when ign is on) and 2 White(going to the taillights). One sending unit is a 3 prong and one is a 2 prong. Can someone help me out? Thanks Guys. Also any PALMDALE CA people on here??

[Cusser]

On the 3-prong switch, the terminals at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock are for the brake lights in the rear, the switch makes continuity there when the pedal is depressed. One of the wires to there should be hot (12 volt positive) when the ignition is on. The terminal at 6 o'clock is for the dash brake warning light.

The 2-prong switch is from an older year, again continuity there between the two terminals when the pedal is depressed.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[RemainsHuman]

So where would the red(hot wire) go?

[pafree]

this is no way original but you can make it work. if the two prong switch is working then you can put the hot (red) wire on one side and splice the two (white) wires together if indeed they are going to the brake lights.

if you want to do it back to original then here is a borrow wiring diagram.

[ashman40]

I would add that without TWO working 3-prong brake switches the brake warning circuit will not work properly. In the case of your setup... if the front brake circuit failed, the warning light would work, but if the rear failed... no light.

I'd pick up a new 3-prong switch, install it and wire the system according to the diagram (ignoring the wire colors indicated in the diagram).
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[heimlich]

This worked well for me. I have a 71 with the two prong switch. I hooked up the one closest to the front of the car only. Just take a volt meter to the wires and you can figure out which is the power.

[huthuthut]

I'm having brake light issues as well.

I'm restoring my 71 super and the brake lights weren't working at all. Had a two prong switch on the rear part of the master cylinder. Replaced with a three prong switch. Now the lights are on when the car is on but go out when I press the brake pedal.

I'm very much a newbie mechanic and this restoration is driving me nuts

Also, when I connect the wires to my horn it sounds when I hit the bright/dim lever. No sound from the steering wheel.

[ashman40]