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Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 200

posted by  BrickDad on  Fri Dec 21 11:31 CST 2018
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last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
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I'm diagnosing a no brake light situation on the 1991 240.

Background. Several years ago I installed on of Art Benstein's fine circuit board things to bypass the standard printed circuit for the taillights and have had several years of taillight bliss.

Recently my son reported that he had no brake lights. Confirmed.

Diagnosis: Today I carefully checked the light bulbs and connections and found a loose solder connection on the circuit board and resoldered-result no change, no brake lights.

I just removed the brake light switch (this switch was accessible after removing the driver's bolster and bracket. After removing one vacuum connection and on electrical connector I could unscrew the switch body from its bracket. No need to move any other equipment on this model.

The brake switch shows the following. compressed = continuity, extended = no continuity. Is this correct? It seems that the switch is designed to break contact on brake application.......

I will be checking the wiring diagram next but this doesn't seem right to Mee.


Any advice appreciated.








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    Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 200

    posted by  james_a_sousa on  Thu Dec 27 18:47 CST 2018
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    last visit: Thu Oct 23 18:51 CST 2014
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    If you do pull the brake switch, put a jumper across the plug - this will eliminate the switch, or the rest of the circuit.








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      Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 200 1989

      posted by  popdaddy on  Fri Dec 28 22:12 CST 2018
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      last visit: Fri Sep 26 19:26 CST 2014
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      as before thanks for the help.. update here is where I'm at removed all bulbs and socket, disconnected circuit boards. replaced red can with used one when dash diving trying to follow green/red and blue/red wires. did notices something strange when brakes applied fuse blow. suspect short somewhere. thinking brake switch fine and would easier to run new wires to rear but need to know more. from reading ART's post green/red come from fuse panel checked 12v blue/red to light. but what wires needs to disconnected to run my own wiring???








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    Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 200 1991

    uid 27's pic
    posted by  Art Benstein on  Fri Dec 21 12:16 CST 2018
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    last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014
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    You're right. That seems backward to me as well.

    Here's what I think. I think you got the cruise switch. Take a look at this pictorial to see the brake light switch.

    http://cleanflametrap.com/brakelights.htm

    But, before you go to the trouble looking into the switch, be absolutely certain your brake light fuse is passing current. I don't mean, does it look good, I mean you've metered or tested the voltage at the right hand clip with the pedal depressed. Brake light switch failures are not as common as some think, and certainly not fun if you replace one needlessly.

    About that circuit board. I think Tony Hoffman gets the credit for that, not me, although I think the world of them for eliminating the problems making the connection between the harness and tail light's flex circuit board.

    --
    Art Benstein near Baltimore

    "The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"








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      Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 200 1991

      posted by  BrickDad on  Fri Dec 21 12:45 CST 2018
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      last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
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      OK that makes more sense especially with the vacuum connection. I removed the same switch from the parts 1990 240 and it shows the same behavior. I will probe further for the correct switch which must be on the back side of the pedal somewhere.

      I was about to suspect the bulb failure relay but will search for the correct brake light switch and check the fuse first.



      Brian Mee

      91 240
      92 945T








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        Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 200 1991

        uid 27's pic
        posted by  Art Benstein on  Fri Dec 21 14:35 CST 2018
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        last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014
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        If you're going by fault probability, I'd say the fuse is by far the most likely culprit. The brake lamps being used intermittently and their drain being an appreciable part of the fuse rating causes that particular fuse to work harden and crack in the middle. Even if it hasn't worn out that way, the water from the smallest windshield leak follows the wiring harness to the fuse panel, giving rise to corrosion on the fuse ends.

        Second in likelihood is the bulb failure relay, due to cracks in soldering internally.

        I think the brake light switch is a distant third.

        A test light is your friend. Use it to probe the wiring to see where the power does not arrive.
        --
        Art Benstein near Baltimore

        If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.








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          Brake Light Switch Questions 1991 240 solved 200 1991

          posted by  BrickDad on  Mon Jan 7 17:15 CST 2019
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          last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:17 CST 2014
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          Art called it again. It was the bulb failure relay. It had a mysterious crack on one side. Replacing it with one from the parts 1990 240 DL restored proper brake light operation.

          Full disclosure--this was after I spent many hours removing and testing the original brake light switch from its diabolical location only to find it worked fine!

          Installed new LED lamps in the instrument cluster and now buttoning up all removed dash parts.

          Brian Mee

          1992 945T
          1991 240






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