Brake lights staying on? EL Fairmont.

[Scaf]

On my way home from work just then and some woman started yelling and tooting at me, i put down my window and she told me my brake lights were constantly on.

I got home and sussed it out, and my brake lights are constantly on when i turn my headlights on, and when the lights are off and i brake the park lights go on??

Any ideas? its a EL Fairmont, ive checked all the fuses and relays?

[SLE 355]

Had something like this happen on my VS Berlina
Turned out to be wire earthing out in the engine bay!

[Joe]

Weird!

First place to check is your brake light switch.. its on your brake pedal.

I replaced this twice in my NF Fairlane, but in my situation, the brake lights wouldn't work at all.

[Volatile Rob]

Most likely a dodgey earth in the tail lights (very common on E Series Falcons).

To fix, remove carpet trims and located the black wires coming from the tail lights going to a bolt on the body near the tail lights.

Undo bolt, scratch up the surface around the bolt to make it nice and shiny.

Clean bolt with CRC or WD40. Clean the terminal on the end of the earth wires with CRC or WD40 and scratch it up too.

Bolt it all back together, spray a coat of black spray paint over the bolt to seal and protect it from rust.

If this is the problem, then it should be fixed.

I used to have to do this all the time with my old falcons.

Rob

[DISTRBD]

Check switch out first

[Scaf]

Thanks guys, I had a fiddle around with the brake light switch, looked around the bay for any earthing wires or any thing but couldn't see much, plus I'm tired and can't be stuffed.

Ill get up super early tomorrow and give what Rob said a go, thanks mate.

[Scaf]

I only recently changed the brake light switch so I doubt it's that.
Plus the switch has no connection to the lights, so wouldn't explain why the lights come on with brakes and visa virsa.

[SLE 355]

I shouldve mentioned it was my headlights thats stayed on, Even after id turned the car off, locked it and walked away ... You might wanna check in your BOOT!

Good luck with it anyways!

[dattoman]

I vote switch
I've seen them break the spring in 1 day and need replacing again

[blaize]

the same thing happened on my old car. turns out it was the switch on the brake pedal too. a large cable tie and bulk ta[e solved the problem :)

[Scaf]

Blaize, the exact same issue on the same car? I'm having a hard time working out how it could be the switch, but I'll grab a new one and give it a go.

I had a look at the earth, took it off, scratched it up abit and it wasn't that. It has a sick wing so I'm thinking it might be the brake light in that earthing out, I'll also try that.

[Joe]

I vote switch
I've seen them break the spring in 1 day and need replacing again

My replacement switch went in 6 months and I thought that was shit, let alone 1 day!

You can buy two types of Ford brake light switches.. the stock one, or the heavy duty "taxi" type one, which costs twice as much and is supposed to last a helluva lot longer than the stock one.

They're not expensive either way (about 12-15 bucks if I recall for the standard type, if you ask nicely at Coventrys).

[hako]

Like others have mentioned, common for brake light switches but normally they will fail rather then hold on the brake lights, plus you said it was recently replaced. Joe, motorcraft (genuine) brake lights switches are surprisingly expensive, even trade price, no chance on $15.
As you mentioned they are on whenever your headlights are on, more then likely a problem in one of the stop/tail (twin filament) globes. Happens all the time, 1 filament will break and contact the other, causing this problem (and vice versa where applying the brake brings on park, tail and dash lights). Check the globes.

[s1mon]

Aftermarket switches are around 12-15 dollars (Tridon brand). Genuine one is about 45ish, and there is a genuine heavy duty one which is about 60.

If you find an old timer parts guy at a ford department, they will know the genuine fix for the brake light switch issue. Its a little washer kit which is meant to fix the switch breaking all the time.

Either way, sell the car and get something quality, like a Jap car :)

[Tard Of War]

Check globes falcons do all sorts of fucked up things when one globe pops (as said above the twin filliment globes)

[Scaf]

That globe thing sounds like it could be the problem, would make sense aswell.
I'm sure its something stupid that can easily be fixed. I'll sort it and let you guys know.

And yes i want to sell, worst car I've ever owned.

[ovaxitd]

just beat me haha.... check globes.. def sounds like the brake /park double filament globe...

[Scaf]

Well turns out it was a globe. Thanks heaps guys, I would have never thought of that.