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Brakes lights staying on!

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 7:27 pm
by superstarG
HI, I have a 56 reg VW polo 9N3. My brake lights (second down on the rear light bulb holder) on both sides appears to be staying on.
When i press the brake with the ignition engaged, the third brake light above the rear window works perfectly but the two side bulbs stay on.
I have checked the fuses and they all are fine.

I had recently installed a dash cam where i had cut the red/black wire (brake light wire by mistake) but i have reconnected it since. The connection is good but the lights are staying on still. I even connected the wire and disconnected them and saw no difference!

Am I meant to have 2 lights on at all times when stationary? I am very confused and could really do with some help.

Thanks,

G

Re: Brakes lights staying on!

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:19 pm
by RUM4MO
Have you tried unplugging the brake light switch connector?
This might damage the switch if it is the original type, but it might help you solve this issue, also are you sure that both these bulbs are the correct type for this car?

Re: Brakes lights staying on!

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:12 am
by superstarG
Hi , thank you for your help.

I have not tried that. i will give it a go tonight.

I haven't changed the bulbs since owning the car so I assume the light bulbs are the correct ones. Do you think it might be worth changing them anyway?:)

Re: Brakes lights staying on!

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:26 am
by RUM4MO
It depends, if you have never changed these bulbs and the lights including brake lights worked okay until you started wiring in that camera, then I would not think that the bulbs are the problem.

Plus, I'm not sure what the brake light bulbs set up is in the 9N3 I've only worked on a 9N and 6J Ibiza.

Edit:- in answer to your question about which lights if any should be on when the car is stationary:- if the side lights are off, and the brake pedal not pressed, with the engine running or just ignition on or even ignition off, there should be no rear lights on at all. When the brake pedal is pressed the brake light(s) in each side cluster and the high level brake light should be on.