Date: Sat, 11 Sep 2010 12:45:14 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: brake lights not working
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re
Is there a fuse that protects the brake light circuit?
one very low tech option is to just check ALL the fuses .
On that ceramic type fuse ..
just looking at them visually is not enough to tell they are working.
here's how to really test those fuses ..
energize the circuit you are interested in . ( just turning on the key will
get most of them energized except head lights and perhaps other things ) .
with power on the fused circuit your testing, check for voltage with a test
light on the metal tabs the fuse sticks into.
If there is power on both tabs, the fuse is making contact and isn't blown.
if there is power on only one side, and the metal strip isn't blown out
..wiggle/twist the fuse.
they are notorious for not making contact on the ends.
other tips ..if you are keeping the plastic cover on ..that's all right,
but make super sure no moisture ever gets in there, like from a leaking
windshield seal.
if you see any green corrosion ....treat that with WD-40.
there shouldn't be any green corrosion anywhere in there.
It is a regular service item to inspect the fuses for corrosion, and spray
them with a light spray of wd-40.
some people make think that's weird or not right. I have been doing it on
german cars with this type of fuse for about 30 years, never a problem.
and ....you could look in the owner's manual for what fuse is for what .
you could look in your Bentley manual at the brake light circuit and follow
those wires to see what fuse is involved.
if you are working on your own vanagon.....you just about must have a
Bentley manual.
you're making progress ! ..keep going. lol.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Woody Halsey" <WHalsey@SYA.ORG>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 11:50 AM
Subject: brake lights not working
Dear Friends,
I am not currently subscribed to The List, so hope you will be willing
to offer your advice directly.
The issue: Brake lights do not work at all.
The background: Most of the tail lights of the Vanagon had been working
erratically for some time. The left running light didn't go on with the
head lights; the emergency flasher did not work on the right side; and
the brake light did not work on the left side. A local mechanic
suggested that the brake light switches were shot, so I ordered new ones
from Ken Wilford. Ken advised me to disconnect an old trailer light
harness and to clean up the ground connections underneath the spark
coil.
What I've done so far: Replaced both brake light switches on the master
cylinder with new ones; polished all terminals on both ends of the
ground wires that go from engine block to the body under the coil (also
removed paint from the body metal); removed the trailer wiring
completely and taped bare spots on original wires.
Observations: One of the old brake light switches was burned out and
missing its third prong. The trailer harness wire was fried. One of the
ground wires had lost a terminal so was not connected to the block. All
the terminals were pretty tarnished. The terminals on the main ground
strap were badly rusted. The brake fluid reservoir is still at "Max."
After replacing the switches, but before removing the bad trailer
harness and polishing the grounds, the right brake light did go on once
or twice... and at one point stayed on even though the brake pedal was
not depressed.
Results: The flashers, turn signals and running lights all now work
normally on both sides, front and back ... but the brake lights still do
not go on when I hit the brake pedal.
Is there a fuse that protects the brake light circuit? If so, can
someone tell me where it is? I am thinking that perhaps the shorted
trailer wiring blew it out.
I hope someone has solved this problem in the past and will be able to
offer a solution.
Many thanks in advance,
Woody
83.5 V'gon
Haverhill, MA
W. W. HALSEY II
President
T 978.725.6828 ext.115 M 978.204.5795 www.sya.org
<http://www.sya.org/>
439 South Union Street, Lawrence, MA 01843
SCHOOL YEAR ABROAD
