Couple of lighting gremlins

[pd_55]

I've got a 74' 2002 and there are a couple dash light issues that I'm not able to get figured out. At idle, the brake light works as it should; comes on when the parking brake is up and off when down. But when driving, the brake lights switches between staying on solid to flickering. But almost never stays off like it's supposed to. I've checked the parking brake to make sure the connection isn't loose or making contact when down and the brake fluid is topped off. Any ideas?

 

And the second issue is with the green turn signal/flasher dash light. The light stays on constantly, BUT does blink when the turn signals or hazards are on and then stays on after. I checked the relay and it looks ok. I opened it up and the connections look good, to me. The replacement relay is wildly expensive, so didn't want to buy one on a guess. Anyone know what I could look for? Also, I did change the dash lights to LED's when I rehabbed the gauge cluster, so not sure if that had anything to do with it. And unfortunately, I had just purchased the car and don't remember the previous state of the gauges as some bulbs were out. Thanks for any help.

 

Paul

[Mike Self]

Brake fluid/parking brake warning light flicker:  pop the boot off the handbrake lever and with the ignition on, wiggle the warning light switch--see if that causes the warning light to flicker.  The switch's mounting bracket is flimsy and easily bent, and it doesn't take much for it to get out of adjustment.  If that checks out OK, then take a close look at the brake fluid reservoir cap--and especially the float.  Mine went down with all hands last year, causing the light to illuminate even with a full reservoir.  And also check the contacts to make sure they're not sticking.

 

Turn signal repeater lamp in the instrument cluster:  that's almost surely a sticking set of points inside the turn signal flasher relay. PM me and I'll send you a column I did on troubleshooting those relays--a little too long to re-type here.

 

cheers

mike

[Vicleonardo1]

Aside from your brake fluid being low, my brake float did its version of the Titanic as well. There are cheap ($20)  replacement E21-30 caps with floats that do the job just fine. 

[pd_55]

I’ll check into the float. Thanks.

[PaulTWinterton]

16 hours ago, pd_55 said:

did change the dash lights to LED's

 

Did you retro fit an LED for the green turn signal indicator?  That might require an adjustment to the OEM flasher or replacement with a NAPA el13a1 electronic flasher or competitive product from another manufacturer. 

 

Note: I run LED arrays on the rear and Sirius LEDs in the front corners for max illumination. That requires the change in/to flashers.  I haven't yet tested the addition of the dash light SO at the moment I only added the 4 LEDs to increase the brightness of the cluster.  All other indicator bulbs may be bright enough.   I'm not sure.   I hope to test that soon.

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by PaulTWinterton

[pd_55]

I went with the EL13 relay conversion and looks to be all good now. There’s a bonus blink after the signal shuts off, but I can live with that over the light staying on the whole time. Thanks all.

[AustrianVespaGuy]

On 1/29/2021 at 11:04 AM, Mike Self said:

take a close look at the brake fluid reservoir cap--and especially the float.

This is where my money is.  Both the hand brake switch AND the brake fluid level float ground out that circuit an trigger the light.

 

On 1/29/2021 at 10:09 AM, pd_55 said:

Also, I did change the dash lights to LED's when I rehabbed the gauge cluster, so not sure if that had anything to do with it.

Almost for sure complicating the matter, if not the root cause.  Whatever the case, get an EL13 if you're sticking with incandescent bulbs in the four corners, or get the right flasher relay for LEDs if you're going to switch out those exterior ones as well.  I forget exactly which flasher you need, but I remember it's a specific one that has both an external ground wire AND the extra wire meant to control the dashboard light.  Should be able to find it pretty easily with a quick search!

[schuetz1619]

On 1/29/2021 at 8:04 AM, Mike Self said:

Brake fluid/parking brake warning light flicker:  pop the boot off the handbrake lever and with the ignition on, wiggle the warning light switch--see if that causes the warning light to flicker.  The switch's mounting bracket is flimsy and easily bent, and it doesn't take much for it to get out of adjustment. 

Do you know where in the parts catalogue one would find the parts for the handbrake-lever warning light switch? It's not under lighting or brakes as far as I can tell. Specifically, I'm looking for the little screw that holds the switch to the E-brake frame.  Thanks.

[R.I.P.B.M.W.]

Check out Realoem and go to group 61 page 15 and brake switch is #5 in the picture. As far as the screw is concerned I think its a small diameter/short sheet metal screw (hardware store). Or tap new threads for a small metric machine screw. An electrical pair of pliers that strips/cuts/crimps and also cuts metric/US machine screws to length would be handy. IIRC, the wire from the emer. brake switch fits into a notch cut into the rubber brake boot mounting ridge on the tunnel and can short out if not properly routed. I've put tape on the wire on a few of them as they intermittently shorted.    

[schuetz1619]

9 hours ago, R.I.P.B.M.W. said:

Check out Realoem and go to group 61 page 15 and brake switch is #5 in the picture. As far as the screw is concerned I think its a small diameter/short sheet metal screw (hardware store). 

Thanks for the info. and advice.  I didn't think of the "electrical" section. The screw is a tiny metric machine screw that I lost in transport acrosss the driveway. I had hoped to find the spec and / or the part in the catalog. It's not there, unfortunately.

 

 

[tzei]

Lost screws tend to be found on tyres. Sometimes they manifest themselves.

[schuetz1619]

The wisdom on this forum is infinite.