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sopru
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2025
Posts: 5
Location: Scotland
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 Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 12:22 pm Post subject: Brake lights faulty |
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| My Brake lights are not working when driving, if i press brakes when van is stationary they will come on but only after really pressing hard on the brake pedal, any help would be appreciated |
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KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 36033
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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Do the brakes work fine despite the lamp behavior?
If so, it's likely failed pressure switch on the master cylinder. Even new ones are of suspect quality. Some have worked up a mechanical switch on the pedal assembly.
_________________
Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback |
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 26118
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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Sounds like you need a quality made brake sender to replace you old one. There are lots of cheap junky ones being sold out there.
Also good to install ground wires from each of the taillights to the body point the battery ground cable attaches to. VW finally installed ground wires there in 1971 at the factory to fix all the faulty ground problems that had plagued all the previous buses.
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In Stereo, Where Available! |
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sopru
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2025
Posts: 5
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 2:04 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
Do the brakes work fine despite the lamp behavior?
If so, it's likely failed pressure switch on the master cylinder. Even new ones are of suspect quality. Some have worked up a mechanical switch on the pedal assembly. |
I will order a new switch and see if it solves the problem first, hopefully get a german quality instead of chinese one |
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 26118
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| sopru wrote: |
| if this dosent work ill try earthing the lights as you suggested |
If it does work with the new switch or not, do install the grounding wires.
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sopru
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2025
Posts: 5
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
Do the brakes work fine despite the lamp behavior?
If so, it's likely failed pressure switch on the master cylinder. Even new ones are of suspect quality. Some have worked up a mechanical switch on the pedal assembly. |
yes brakes work fine |
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BarryL
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2004
Posts: 15304
Location: Casa de Oro, California
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| When you do get under there with the new switch, make the exchange as fast as you can so no fluid leaks out. |
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sopru
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2025
Posts: 5
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| BarryL wrote: |
| When you do get under there with the new switch, make the exchange as fast as you can so no fluid leaks out. |
just a thought iv had does it matter what wire goes on what terminal of the switch as there are no markings ? |
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 26118
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 2:26 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| sopru wrote: |
| BarryL wrote: |
| When you do get under there with the new switch, make the exchange as fast as you can so no fluid leaks out. |
just a thought iv had does it matter what wire goes on what terminal of the switch as there are no markings ? |
No.
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sopru
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2025
Posts: 5
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: Brake lights faulty |
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| Eric&Barb wrote: |
| sopru wrote: |
| BarryL wrote: |
| When you do get under there with the new switch, make the exchange as fast as you can so no fluid leaks out. |
just a thought iv had does it matter what wire goes on what terminal of the switch as there are no markings ? |
No. |
thanks |
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