I just noticed on my way back from lunch that the BAS/ESP and the "light Bulb out" (or whatever the technical term) lights were on. I got back to work and had a co-worker stand behind the car as I pushed the brake pedal down. HE says there are NO brake lights what-so-ever. Everytime I push the brake pedal, those lights on the dash illuminate then disappear when I let off the brake pedal. Could this be something simple as the Brake Switch malfunctioning? Everything else, including the brakes, work as they should with no other lights illuminated on the dash. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

Update: drove home from work which is mostly highway and the BAS light stayed on but the "light out" illuminator went away. Now I couldn't see if my tail lights were working but they appear to be now. So what could cause this randome event? Electrical grimlin? I have no codes stored in the system.

 

Try resetting your bas/esp.

 

How about this?

 

I backed into my garage so I could look into the rear view mirror and check the brake lights as I did the reset. I did the reset procedure 4 times. On the forth time I noticed the brake lights were working again. I want to say it's the brake switch causing the issue but I'm uncertain.

 

Can you repeat the "back-it-into -the-garage test?

I would re-try that test a whole lotta' times in a row. You SHOULD never see any kind of flicker or dead spot. If so, I would just replace the switch. Never take a chance on someone rear-ending you and being able to say "his brake lights weren't working".

 

My tool box inside the garage is reflective, so I backed into the garage to watch and see if the brake lights would kick on during or after the reset. After the forth attempt they did and they have stayed on since then. I just got back from the parts store with a brake switch. I'm going to put it in and hope that cures the issue.

 

I've "thrown parts" at a problem a few times in the past.

This "method" always, eventually, works to resolve ANY problem!

 

Update: Three days later, no problems to report. I replaced the Brake Switch and all seems well. Both lights are off. Thanks for the help!

 

Reviving this thread. I dropped my son off at school this morning with the car operating normally. Get out to walk him into school, come back to the car, put the key in the ignition, start it, put my foot on the brake and the blasted BAS/ESP light is back on along with the "light bulb out" indicator. Sorry, I forget the technical term for that warning light. I HAD to drive to work with no brake lights using my hand signals. I had arrived and immediately tried to reset the BAS with no luck.

I must have turned the steering wheel 20 plus times trying to reset it and nothing helped. I checked the fuse to see if it was blown, Nope... Checked the connectors on the 3 week old brake Switch and everything was fine. Now im getting angry. A co-worker had been with me this whole time and was watching my brake lights as I continued to fiddle with everything in hopes I'd find out why they weren't working. I ended up turning the headlight switch to the parking lights position and he said the side marker lights flickered to life. I repeated the process 4 more times with the same result. While this was going on, the brake lights started working again.

The BAS/ESP light was still on but the brake lights are working again. They work with the headlight switch on or off.

So I guess at this point I'm looking for ideas as to what maybe causing this? I do have another headlight switch coming along with a new brake switch relay. Could the headlight switch be the culprit? Could it be the wiring? Any help would be appreciated!

 

Update on the brake light failure... Turns out it was the switch on the right was a hair to short. I would assume it was causing an intermittent contact failure. The one on the left is longer and thus works like it should. Thats what I get for not checking the new and old parts to make sure they were the same. LOL

 

That much difference in supposedly identical parts? That stinks.

 

They do not look like the same parts to me, the catch looks different. The OP does not say they are the same part either.

 

What part of "supposedly" did you miss?

 

Why take that as a dig at you, everyone here has a thin skin.

I just said that they were different parts, but if you want a poke I'll give you one, how can you use `supposedly' when it is obvious that they are not the same part and the OP says he purchased a part like the old and presumably OEM part?

 

I apologize fellas. Both parts pictured are from Borg Warner. The Mopar switch wasn't going to be available from my dealer anytime soon and it was clear the switch I was using had a problem. So yes both are identical part numbers (1st one was made in Austria and the new one in Poland if that matters) and yes they have different catches and the button lengths are different. However minor the differences are, the new one made the difference.

Here's the kicker, even though the switch was indeed bad, that wasn't what was causing the random BAS light. It's the fuse panel/headlight switch. My trusted sidekick (my 7 year old son) and I diagnosed a faulty connection at the fuse panel, specifically the number 2 fuse which is for the brake lights and cruise control. There's enough wiggle on that fuse for it to loose contact and cut off cruise and brake lights. We figured this out with the car running, my sons foot on the brake pedal, and me moving the fuse around. The further in you push the fuse, the worse the connection. It's the same if you wiggle in the upward position. I'm pretty confident fuses aren't meant to wiggle. So, i plan to remove the headlight switch and see if it can be saved or not.

 

Bud, I hope you can. I understand they are a bit...pricey.

So, they are supposed to be the same part, 'eh? I wonder if more and more parts for our cars will have...discepancies...like this as the years pile up?

Nice catch, by the way. Hope your son can find a good price, if needed! Let him have a shot!

 

How were you able to determine that the cruise control cut off? We're you moving and engaging the cruise? Unless there is an indicator light showing that cruise is engaged or disengaged, I can't see how you determined this, but my bigger question is does this mean that during a failure to engage situation, that there are no brake lights? I experienced an intermittent mystery fail to engage of my cruise control and now wonder if I had no brake lights at the time....peace

 

"We figured this out with the car running, my sons foot on the brake pedal, and me moving the fuse around."

I have a feeling that he assumed the Cruise cut out because the Brake Lights did. And they did this while the car was stationary.

A fair assumption, I assume....

 

Good assumption. Cruise would cut out when the BAS and "light out" indicators would illuminate.