M3 Evo Brake Light Failure

[thegreengoblet]

I've got the control message "Brake Light Failure" even though all are ok.

The car exhibited this problem before I took it in as a px and the chap fixed it by swaping the sensor unit with the reversing one??? Can anybody shed some light (as it were!) on the problem and a fix?

[andye30m3]

I think you'll find this is a very common problem, mine does it sometimes

Sure it's been discussed on e36coupe.com if no one on here can help it might be worth a look

[ASBO]

It's your brake light switch.

It is located above the brake pedal within the dashboard. Very cheap but time consuming fix.

[thegreengoblet]

andye30m3 said:

Sure it's been discussed on e36coupe.com if no one on here can help it might be worth a look

For some reason I cannot register on this forum - keeps throwing me back to the registration page?? I reckon it could be something to do with the works computer system and it's security measures.

[thegreengoblet]

ASBO said:

It's your brake light switch.

It is located above the brake pedal within the dashboard. Very cheap but time consuming fix.

Wouldn't this switch - if faulty - stop the lights coming on altogether???

[dan101smith]

Nope. It's that switch. Cheap part, PITA to swap.

[tjw110]

It's an intermittent fault with the switch, or an intermittent fault with one of your rear break light bulbs, I've had it on both of my Evo's. The switch under the brake peddle is about £10 from BMW and takes 15 minutes to change, you may have to destroy the old one to get it out.

[M3John]

thegreengoblet said:

I've got the control message "Brake Light Failure" even though all are ok.

The car exhibited this problem before I took it in as a px and the chap fixed it by swaping the sensor unit with the reversing one??? Can anybody shed some light (as it were!) on the problem and a fix?

Give Cactussed a shout sir as i know that he has done the recently-ish.

[thegreengoblet]

Thanks for all the replies folks.

Guess I'll be going down to BMW at lunchtime to buy the switch.

Thanks once again.

[jamesm3]

Iv'e had this before so replaced the switch and it started doing it again after a while. When I turn the ignition off and back on it stops doing it. Before replacing the switch I would just take out the rear brakelight bulbs and clean up the connections. It worked for me;)

[Fer]

So, did the new switch solve the problem? I have this problem on my 328i. I put a new bulb in to replace one that had blown, and it is still showing the error. I have had the light cluster out and dremmelled the contacts, and checked it with a multimeter, but the OBC is still showing an error, and the bulb is not lighting.

[poshgit]

it has been suggested that the rear wires that go through the plastic cable rub abd wear over time each time the boot lid opens and closes and perish and start to cause problems to electrical gremlins - including this fault. might be worth pulling back the rubber and having a look at the wires....

[thegreengoblet]

Yes, it solved the problem. Actually got the local Indie to do it when she went in for some work. I think it came out at £70 all in.