Author Topic: Tail lights always on, brake lights not working!  (Read 2941 times)

September 23, 2022, 04:09:51 am

oblique

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Tail lights always on, brake lights not working!
« on: September 23, 2022, 04:09:51 am »
Anyone experienced this before? With the ignition in any position, the tail lights and 2 front amber lights act like the first 'on' position of the headlight switch...regardless of switch position. The second 'on' position turns the headlights on, everything else stays on.
Brake lights do not work in any position.

Any reason there the car would come with 2 switches? Obviously 1 was never wired up, can i try hooking up the unused one?
« Last Edit: September 23, 2022, 04:13:10 am by oblique »



Reply #1September 24, 2022, 11:53:48 am

fatmobile

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Re: Tail lights always on, brake lights not working!
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2022, 11:53:48 am »
Might be a bad headlight switch or connection.

 I think one of the brake switches might be for the cruise control.
Vacuum line hooked to it?
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door,
with a re-ringed, '84 quantum, turbo diesel, MD block

Reply #2September 24, 2022, 07:38:12 pm

ORCoaster

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Re: Tail lights always on, brake lights not working!
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2022, 07:38:12 pm »
You could move the brake connection I think.  Looks to be the same sort of plug.  Test it with a meter and see if either of them even works.  Sometimes it is the position of the switch that needs to be adjusted with that nut on it.  No reason other than the fuse that I can think of if the switch is good, why the brakes refuse to light.

Reply #3October 09, 2022, 03:27:41 pm

oblique

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Re: Tail lights always on, brake lights not working!
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2022, 03:27:41 pm »
Ok so what happened was I simply forgot to plug in the switch after I changed my dashboard...The extra switches there with the vacuum hoses these are for the cruise control.

That fixed the brake light issue but my tail lights are still always on even with a junkyard headlight switch, unless that one is bad also. Will have to diagnose further.

Reply #4October 10, 2022, 12:51:43 am

fatmobile

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Re: Tail lights always on, brake lights not working!
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2022, 12:51:43 am »
Thanks for the update.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door,
with a re-ringed, '84 quantum, turbo diesel, MD block