Brake Lights Staying on

[Danny_75]

Hi All,
I have just joined, so treat me gently !! Lol

Recently bought my Daughter a Seat Ibiza EcoMotive 1.4 Diesel. A couple of days ago the brake lights decided to stay on , all the time as son as you turn the ignition on, and driving along. I have had a good look online, and everything point to a Brake switch at the top of the pedal. But when I look, it is not there.? Please could someone help point me in the right direction ? I have attached some photos of the top of the pedal

 

[vtxracer]

Check the brake switch located near the brake fluid reservoir. It works by detecting the increase in fluid pressure and activates brake lights. It looks like this
https://alvadi.ee/en/kataloog/varuosa/21827893/26840

Instructions on a mk5 golf

 

[Danny_75]

Check the brake switch located near the brake fluid reservoir. It works by detecting the increase in fluid pressure and activates brake lights. It looks like this
https://alvadi.ee/en/kataloog/varuosa/21827893/26840

Instructions on a mk5 golf

Thank you , that looks a bit out of my league !!

 

[Danny_75]

Thank you , that looks a bit out of my league !!

Someone did say there is a switch up the back of the dashboard ? Is that possible ?

 

[RUM4MO]

Someone did say there is a switch up the back of the dashboard ? Is that possible ?

No, there was one on the pedal bracket and it failed frequently even when it was redesigned a few times, now I think that your car will have a completely different switch, which is a Hall effect device, which senses a metallic collar moving as/when the brake pedal is pressed.

So, it seems that your plan needs to be to unplug the switch that is bolted to the brake master cylinder and see what happens, then unscrew the screw that holds the black plastic device to the brake master cylinder and plug the connector back in and see if placing a screwdriver blade placed near the face of that device switches the brake lights off - that bit is just me guessing.

If this device is not faulty - and it seems that earlier cars ended up needing a full repair kit, ie not just the black plastic device but also maybe what is placed above it in the master cylinder - that again is not from experience but from reading other's experiences - then it could just be wiring faults on the wiring to/from this device, and the normal location of any wiring issues is on the LHS chassis stiffening where there is a bolt screwed up from the underside of this part - and it can puncture/earth/short wires.

Edit:- the location of that switch on a RHD ie UK Ibiza is a lot easier to get assess to than on that Golf, so a pity that that Golf video did not mention if removing the plugged in switch allowed the brake lights to go off, or if unplugging it made any change. It would be helpful for others, and there will be others, who have this problem.

 

[vtxracer]

Someone did say there is a switch up the back of the dashboard ? Is that possible ?

On older cars it used to be a switch above the pedal. On the 6j platform its on the brake master cylinder.
Here are some instructions from the polo 6r, its the same car as the ibiza
https://workshop-manuals.com/volksw...talling_brake_light_switchf_right-hand_drive/

Usually a fault from this switch throws a fault code. Did you scan the ecu ?

 

[Danny_75]

No, there was one on the pedal bracket and it failed frequently even when it was redesigned a few times, now I think that your car will have a completely different switch, which is a Hall effect device, which senses a metallic collar moving as/when the brake pedal is pressed.

So, it seems that your plan needs to be to unplug the switch that is bolted to the brake master cylinder and see what happens, then unscrew the screw that holds the black plastic device to the brake master cylinder and plug the connector back in and see if placing a screwdriver blade placed near the face of that device switches the brake lights off - that bit is just me guessing.

If this device is not faulty - and it seems that earlier cars ended up needing a full repair kit, ie not just the black plastic device but also maybe what is placed above it in the master cylinder - that again is not from experience but from reading other's experiences - then it could just be wiring faults on the wiring to/from this device, and the normal location of any wiring issues is on the LHS chassis stiffening where there is a bolt screwed up from the underside of this part - and it can puncture/earth/short wires.

Edit:- the location of that switch on a RHD ie UK Ibiza is a lot easier to get assess to than on that Golf, so a pity that that Golf video did not mention if removing the plugged in switch allowed the brake lights to go off, or if unplugging it made any change. It would be helpful for others, and there will be others, who have this problem.

Any idea where I should be looking please?

 

[RUM4MO]

That engine bay looks a bit busy!

I you look down below the big pipe, round about the point where it has a ring on it to mount the small cable form the turbo pressure sensor, you will see part of the brake fluid reservoir, it is below that area, so it looks like quite difficult to reach even after removing that turbo pipe.