Brake Lights Failure

[E36_325i]

Hi All

I need some help, When I bought my car I had to replace the 'Brake light switch' as I had the 'Brake light Circuit failure' error. All was fine for about a month then all of a sudden I was getting '1 brake light failure' then it advanced to 'brake lights failure' This is intermittant but there is always atleast one brake light out.

I have removed both lights, cleaned the contact board & soldered new contact points but nothing has worked.

Does anyone know how I could fix this? or perhaps a good auto electrician in the cape town area?

Thanks in advance

 

[Sankekur]

I am assuming all the bulbs are working. Something similiar happend to me, in my cluster I would get a rear light out error, but nothing was out, then it would go away and come back a few days later. Then on friday 2 weeks ago the error kept on coming back, but all the lights were working, so I cleaned the bulbs and all the contacts, still gave an error. So I started replacing the bulbs one by until the error went away, and up till now no more error. It seems that older bulbs might also cause errors even though they are still working.

 

[E36_325i]

I am assuming all the bulbs are working. Something similiar happend to me, in my cluster I would get a rear light out error, but nothing was out, then it would go away and come back a few days later. Then on friday 2 weeks ago the error kept on coming back, but all the lights were working, so I cleaned the bulbs and all the contacts, still gave an error. So I started replacing the bulbs one by until the error went away, and up till now no more error. It seems that older bulbs might also cause errors even though they are still working.

Thanks for the info, but in my case when it gives me the error the light/lights are actually not working (Bulbs are good) The only brake light that never gives trouble is the one in the rear window :thinking:

 

[ZlinG]

this is a common problem on the e36. This has happened to me as well. what I did was at the back where the board is, I would have turned the globe holder about 90 degrees to lock it tight... just turn it like 65 to 75 degrees. This worked and I never got the "Brake Light failure" problem. If this still doesn't work then I think you replace a faulty switch

 

[E36_325i]

this is a common problem on the e36. This has happened to me as well. what I did was at the back where the board is, I would have turned the globe holder about 90 degrees to lock it tight... just turn it like 65 to 75 degrees. This worked and I never got the "Brake Light failure" problem. If this still doesn't work then I think you replace a faulty switch

Il try that thanks. Do you think its the switch? When my switch was replaced it gave me a 'Brake light circuit failure' as apposed to 'Brake lights failure' or '1 brake light fail' that i am experiencing now?

 

[328ii]

Il try that thanks. Do you think its the switch? When my switch was replaced it gave me a 'Brake light circuit failure' as apposed to 'Brake lights failure' or '1 brake light fail' that i am experiencing now?

This is a fairly common issue on the E36 rear brake lights.
If your car has a plug & screw-in type bulb holder then the two metal contacts needs to be bent outward (toward the chassis) a bit. Even better to replace with a brand new one. U can also try 'fill' it with some solder.

8?>

 

[Technician]

i had the same problem- cleaned all the contact and bent them in such a way that they will always have contact.
made sure they were turned in tight and i havent had any problems since.

 

[E36_325i]

Hi Guys thanks for all the advice, however I have already taken the lights out & cleaned / bent the contact points on the bulb holders aswell as clean & solder new contact points on the contact board. The problem did seem to get worse after I did this :cursin: Could it be my holders that are faulty.

Dont suppose there is anyone in the Durbanville / Bellville area that would let me try there bulb holders to see if that is the fault?

 

[Threetwoeight]

Brake light circuit failure = 3rd brake light in the window and Brake light switch at the pedal
Brake light failure = brake lights in cluster.
I also noticed the brake light failure is sensitive. The lights work but I get the error. Once it was caused by an arc that formed between the globe and holder. It does sound like your soldering fix made the problem worse.
I also have to turn my globes to full lock and then back a little for best results.

Good luck hope someone can lend you there light clusters for an hour or two.


P.S. Note different light cluster pin outs from car to car. I changed from amber to clear and had to modify the cluster and wiring of the tail light cluster.

 

[E36_325i]

Brake light circuit failure = 3rd brake light in the window and Brake light switch at the pedal
Brake light failure = brake lights in cluster.
I also noticed the brake light failure is sensitive. The lights work but I get the error. Once it was caused by an arc that formed between the globe and holder. It does sound like your soldering fix made the problem worse.
I also have to turn my globes to full lock and then back a little for best results.

Good luck hope someone can lend you there light clusters for an hour or two.


P.S. Note different light cluster pin outs from car to car. I changed from amber to clear and had to modify the cluster and wiring of the tail light cluster.

Thanks for the info :thumbsup: