Author Topic: Brake and tail lights not working.  (Read 712 times)

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Maystro

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Brake and tail lights not working.
« on: July 10, 2020, 07:45:38 PM »
Hi guy's,  just got my Moke running again and have noticed I have no taillights  or brake lights.  I do have rear indicators and reverse lights. 
I have checked the fuses and put new bulbs in.  Is their some where else I should be looking? 
Broken wire or earth? 
I'm not real good with electrics.  I'm guessing I need something to test a live circuit?

Thanks Brad.

moemoke

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2020, 08:27:12 PM »
what year is your moke?

Any owner of a car with Lucas electric should have multiple tools for testing electrical systems but a test light would be a good start.
1976 Moke 1275cc (Dynky),
1976 Moke(Scarlet) current project,
1974 Moke with Suzuki GTI motor (project), 
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Maystro

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2020, 09:19:17 PM »
Hi Moe, 

Dec 1981.  I also just replaced both steering wheel stalks although the problem was there before this. 
On another note the washer stalk doesn't work.  It had a raised rib on the plug which I ground off to fit.  The plug look identical. 

Sorry for trying to get a two for one deal ;-)

Brad

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2020, 10:59:25 PM »
Hi Brad,
Check the switch behind the brake pedal.
May be A simple adjustment of the lock nuts.
HP
The happiest of people don't always have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.

Steam

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2020, 09:03:17 AM »
The raised rib usually gives the plug correct orientation. Given that you had to grind it off maybe it is in backwards. If it is however a different plug the connections may be different. I seem to remember the washer has a separate wire that is not part of the plug.
 With the rear lights check that the lamp holders are not corroded as this will give a poor earth, also check the contact pins are not corroded or pushed back into the holder. they rely on spring pressure for connection and earthing.
 There are a couple of twin bullet connectors in the circuit as take off points and these can corrode. One for each should be near the passenger rear light cluster, and another is at the front near one or other of the head lamps. I assume you have front side lights as this is the same for tail lights. the brakes come from the brake switch.
A simple test light will make chasing circuits a whole lot easier just make sure of a good earth when using it.
Cheers, Dave

Maystro

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2020, 04:28:01 PM »
Okay well I got the wipers going.  The new plug had come loose because its not a good fit even after filing down that ridge.  It only goes one way and I don't know why it was their.  Maybe some model had it at one point in time.  Anyway filed it down more wrapped the whole plug with cloth gaf tape. 

The lights looks like it could be a whole myriad of things which are beyond my abilities.  The actual main light switch on the dash seems a bit hit and miss.  Sometime if I flick it on the head lights don't go on, other times they do and the tail lights come on sometimes.   I stuck my finger behind the dash where the wires go into the switch and the wires are really hot. 
As for the brake lights, they never come on.  I even tried disconnecting the two wires which go to the pedal switch and joined them together to see if that made any difference.  I'm not sure if it is when they are connected or not connected which is suppose to activate the brake lights.

Any way I think a trip to an auto lecci is called for?


SaharaDust

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2020, 04:50:22 PM »
Had similar problem with no brake lights and had me stumped for a while. Tracked it down to the spade connectors on two fuse block (81 build) the spade connectors had a greasy film on them. So cleaned both male and female and brake lights worked and have done since. I put it down to age and fairly hostile environment.  After cleaning brake light connectors did the rest of connectors in fuse block and all were in a similar greasy condition.  This does not do much in relation to tail lights but sounds like light switch might be worthy of further investigation The wipers washers on 81 can also pickup power from same fuse as brake lights

Terry

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2020, 05:58:32 PM »
Hi,

the ignition needs to be on when joining the brake light switch wires together.

The hot wires in the light switch can be due to a poor connection and or build up of crud in the switch. You can pull the switch out and clean up the terminals inside. Either disconnect the battery first or make sure the brown wire can't touch metal as it is always live.

Terry

Maystro

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2020, 06:15:08 PM »
Thanks Terry,

Yeah I had the ignition on whilst testing.

I reckon your right about that switch needing to be pulled out and 40 years of crud being cleaned off the terminals.  Is their a way to pull the switch out from the dash or do I have to remove the dash which looks like removing the winder demister bar as well.   That's why I didn't venture further.

Thanks Brad.

Terry

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2020, 06:30:18 PM »
Hi,

if it is the normal rectangular switch it is a pressed in fit and sometimes can be pulled out from the front if you can get something under the edge. Otherwise if you can get your hand up inside the dash you can try and squeeze the sides of the switch and push it through the to the front.

Terry

Maystro

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.h
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2020, 08:44:40 PM »
Okay well here is an update.

I replaced the rear lights with some trailer LED lights which didn't have rusty earth connectors like my old ones so now I have brake lights.

I had tail lights and head lights after doing this but that dodgy main light switch on the dash which I have been having to switch a couple of times to get the lights going has now totally failed.  I can't get behind it like suggested because I have a late model heater installed.  So looks like I'll have to pull the dash and heater apart. 

Just a question for any lecci guru, I noticed my horn isn't working either.  Would that draw power from the same head light switch?  I did put new wiper and indicator stalks on but everything was working up until the headlights stopped working.

Thanks

Brad.

Tim

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2020, 09:33:49 AM »
The horn doesn't take its feed from a switch, its always live, you can't turn it off. Its wiring is a bit unusual though. The 12V goes from the fuse to the horn in a purple wire, then a purple with black trace wire runs from the horn back to the horn button. When you press the button, it goes to earth to complete the circuit. Most other systems on the car switch the 12V wire not the earth wire.

Tim

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Terry

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2020, 09:46:27 AM »
Hi,

unlikely to be related as the headlight switch isn't fused in the normal wiring, but like the Horn it runs off the fuse block from the same side as the power coming in, meaning it doesn't pass through the fuse itself.

But that was from the factory and if someone has been playing and moved the horn, the purple wire Tim mentions and the headlight wire, heavy Brown or Blue wire to the other side of the terminal block and a fuse has blown then yes it could be related.

Terry

Maystro

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #13 on: October 21, 2020, 08:22:28 PM »
Thanks Tim so does that mean I should be able to test the horn with the ignition off?

Terry I managed to get the head light switch off from the front like you said without having to remove the dash.  I manually joined the wires from the back of the switch to see if it was a faulty switch but no lights or sparks.  Their was a blue,  brown and red wire.  So I'm guessing I'm not even getting power to the switch. 

Checked all fuses wow all 3 them and cleaned all the spade terminals. 

I'm still thinking it might be a connector behind the dash because my heater switch which is identicle to the head light switch works intermittently now which is what originally happened to the head light switch.

Thanks

Brad

Terry

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Re: Brake and tail lights not working.
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2020, 08:26:35 PM »
Hi,

the fat brown wire going into the switch is the feed from the battery/fuse so test if that has power first. Beware as it is normally not fused so if is touches anything metal it will make a nasty mess of your wiring as it melts or sets things alight.

Three fuses suggest you don't have the normal two fuse holder, unless you are also including the inline filter on the red wire.

Terry