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Komissar
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2008
Posts: 894
Location: Bucharest, Romania
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 Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:10 am Post subject: Red taillight stays on with the ignition off |
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Hello,
1987 Vanagon 1.6 Diesel ( JX engine code ) owner. Recently i have noticed that when parking the vanagon, one of the red tail lights stays on (only one) - nothing is on in front. The lights switch is OFF all the way , of course.
If I put the key into the ignition (withot starting the engine) said light turns off. Only thing i could do is to remove the ( - ) cable at the battery.
Can someone explain or suggest a solution to this annoying problem ?
Thanks.
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1965 Sunroof Beetle
1972 Type 3 Squareback
1978 Skoda 105S |
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Home Team Van
Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2008
Posts: 465
Location: wilmington, nc
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| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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I had a similar situation and it ended up being the brake switches on the master cylinder. Mine too only lit up on one side because the constant power burned the bulb up on the other side. If you hit the brake pedal does the bulb turn off?
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82 Diesel Westy |
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boof1306
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2010
Posts: 304
Location: MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
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| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Is your turn indicator turned off? |
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Komissar
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2008
Posts: 894
Location: Bucharest, Romania
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| Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:39 am Post subject: |
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| boof1306 wrote: |
| Is your turn indicator turned off? |
Yep that was the culprit. If i leave my turn indicator in either left or right positions and turn off the engine (and remove the key), the corresponding rear red taillight (i think is the brake light) will stay on. Strange ! 
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1965 Sunroof Beetle
1972 Type 3 Squareback
1978 Skoda 105S |
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turbotransporter
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2006
Posts: 459
Location: Bainbridge Island WA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:01 am Post subject: |
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| Komissar wrote: |
| boof1306 wrote: |
| Is your turn indicator turned off? |
Yep that was the culprit. If i leave my turn indicator in either left or right positions and turn off the engine (and remove the key), the corresponding rear red taillight (i think is the brake light) will stay on. Strange ! |
NOT strange... as designed!  My German market Transporter SC also has this feature. |
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jacklndn
Samba Member
Joined: June 23, 2011
Posts: 121
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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This feature is common in European cars to act as a visibility marker when you park the car on a rural or unlit road.
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1986 Westy GL 4 spd |
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NorthOf50
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2020
Posts: 102
Location: Campbell River, BC
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| Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: Red taillight stays on with the ignition off. |
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bump.
I have a similar problem with my newly acquired van ('84). The brake lights remain illuminated regardless of key position or if they are even in the ign. I discovered this as I was troubleshooting why the interior lights did not work and discovered fuse 8 was pulled from the panel. after installing a new fuse the lights work, hurray, however my brake lights will not go out unless I remove the fuse (which I have). I have started to trace out the wiring diagram on the assumption that they may (but both are on) be shorted somewhere...? Ihad hoped it might have been that turn signal "feature" mentioned previously but sadly this is not so simple...
anyone else run into this and can provide guidance while I fumble my way through it?
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'84 1.9WBX Camper (Penny)
'88 2.1WBX Camper (Martin) |
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fxr
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2325
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Red taillight stays on with the ignition off |
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At least one of your brake light switches is faulty, and is stuck on. If your brake light warning light on the dash is on, then just one switch is faulty. If that is off, then both are.
You need the three-pin version of the brake light switches, not the later two-pin. Buy two, replace both, and if only one was faulty use the other good one as a spare. 
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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