dodgy lights!

[mymorrisminor]

Hi could some one tell me why my brake lights are staying on even when the pedal is released?

[newagetraveller]

I think that the most likely cause is that the stop lamp switch is sticking.
It is situated in the engine compartment and is at the front, below and just to your left of the radiator. There are two wires attached to the top of it and the whole thing screws into a T-piece with three brake pipes going into it.
To remove the switch undo the two screws and remove the wires. Then use a spanner to unscrew the switch while holding the T-piece with a mole wrench or similar.
NB If the light goes out when either of these wires is removed then I would expect the switch to be at fault. If the light stays on with a wire removed then the cause is something else.
Make sure that you don't press the brake pedal while the switch is out.[ This Message was edited by: newagetraveller on 16-05-2002 13:36 ]

[Chris Morley]

Spot-on advice from newagetraveller. Same thing happened to mine last year, all it needed was a new switch.
Later Minors have slide-on connectors otherwise do as he says. Don't twist the 3-way union when undoing the switch as this may bend or fracture the brake pipes. My low tech solution was to jam a bit of wood between the union and the front panel. It worked fine.

[mymorrisminor]

Thanks i will add that to my to-do list the housing that holds the switch was replaced recently by a dodgy garage i suspect they are to blame i will get round to doing it soon i hope!