1999 Volvo S40 Brake Lights Broken!

superjosh9

Hi all,

I have a 1999 S40 2.0 Auto. About two weeks ago, and for no particular reason, the brake lights on the car stopped working. This includes the higher central brake light btw.

I have checked all bulbs and they appear to be fine. I have also checked the fuses and again they are fine too.

During my testing, the lights did come on - but then - just when I thought they were fixed - they would go off and remain off once more.

The car is due to be left in at a main Volvo dealer on Tuesday, but I would rather solve the problem without the huge money I suspect they will ask for!

Could the problem be with a Brake Light Switch? Is there such a thing on this car, and if so, where is it located? Is it possible to be fixed without a computer being attached? Anyone come by loose connections on their S40s before?

Any comments would be great, thanks in advance!

Seth Brundle

The brake light switch is usually under the pedal!
It is more than likely a common element such as a fuse (double check again!) or the switch.

superjosh9

kbannon wrote: »

The brake light switch is usually under the pedal!
It is more than likely a common element such as a fuse (double check again!) or the switch.

re the pedal, I was thinking that - meant to look again today, but well, the weather arrived here... Will try again.

It's definitely not the fuse. I spent a long time checking them. I'm just hoping that there isn't a loose connection *somewhere* in the car - because what hope would I have of findin it?!

Thanks for the quick reply!

unkel

Might just be a bad contact between bulb and socket (corrosion)

Did you take the offending bulb out and clean the contact points on bulb + socket?

superjosh9

unkel wrote: »

Might just be a bad contact between bulb and socket (corrosion)

Did you take the offending bulb out and clean the contact points on bulb + socket?

I did aye. Was hoping it would be something like - but also, the fact that all three sets of brake lights, left - centre - right, are all not working suggests that it is a fuse/wiring prob?

unkel

superjosh9 wrote: »

the fact that all three sets of brake lights, left - centre - right, are all not working suggests that it is a fuse/wiring prob?

Ah, missed that they all stopped working together! If you're sure it's not a fuse, it might be a relay? I had a similar intermittent electrical problem recently and it turned out to be a bad contact from a relay

It could of course be a wiring prob, but that's less likely and it might be harder to find and fix...

Anan1

I'd stay away from main dealers for a problem like that. Are you in Dublin? If so, bring it to Hamiltons (I seem to say that twice a week!).

eringobragh

Try swapping a relay and see if its that failing that its probably the switch

Also fair play to the OP for checking your bulbs i got stuck behind a 05 transit las week and not a brake light working. Not the only one on the Road!!!