brake light switch failure caused gear selection failure

brake light switch failure caused gear selection failure

Author
Discussion

grahamcolover

Original Poster:

2 posts

4 months

Sunday 14th July
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Has any one else had this problem ? I have a 2018 PE. engine started normally but impossible to engage either D or R .Parking brake released but white brake enaged motif still engaged so that it was impossible to move.Car had to be recovered by truck with crane back to Alpine St.Albans.They reported that initial diagnostics did not exhibit any fault.Following day I was called to say problem was "brake light switch" and that they had never previously encountered problem.Part 253206454R £19.11 - LABOUR £440 ALL PLUS vat !!!

Rompy

51 posts

100 months

Monday 15th July
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When my car dash lit up and the gearbox refused to engage D or R, I panicked. From memory the ABS warning or similar also came on.
Turned out to be the battery on the way out. Simple fix, replacement was just over £120 and took about 15 minutes to fit.

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Tuesday 16th July
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I've just had this problem too - but charging the battery did not effect a cure, and battery voltage at 15v on tickover. Once in gear the box works faultlessly, even changing down into 1st if the situation demands. Oddly engaged eithe D or R perfectly on startup yesterday, but not confident it will do the same today!

a110au

292 posts

58 months

Tuesday 16th July
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it may be the little switch that signals foot on brake? I cannot remember if you need foot on brake to press D from P

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Tuesday 16th July
quotequote all
a110au said:
it may be the little switch that signals foot on brake? I cannot remember if you need foot on brake to press D from P
I'm pretty sure that is my problem - brake lights don't work when I have the issue. Is it such a big deal to replace the switch - £400+ seems ridiculous?

worldwidewebs

2,543 posts

257 months

Tuesday 16th July
quotequote all
bcr5784 said:
a110au said:
it may be the little switch that signals foot on brake? I cannot remember if you need foot on brake to press D from P
I'm pretty sure that is my problem - brake lights don't work when I have the issue. Is it such a big deal to replace the switch - £400+ seems ridiculous?
The brake light switch was replaced on my 458 last month for £300 by Ferrari Manchester so I'm sure Renault should be able to do it for no more

grahamcolover

Original Poster:

2 posts

4 months

Tuesday 16th July
quotequote all
Thanks for feed back - Alpine st Albans told me that there would be a minimum charge of £250 for "diagnostics" - which as I have said revealed nothing.
Does anyone know where the brake light switch is located ? Is there only one switch ? or does each brake light have one ? I would guess system must be common to all keyless Renault so am I amazed that no one else has ever had this problem.

If this really is a "one off" I can understand Renault /Alpine dealer specilaist "engineers" not recognising what the problem was when first reported.When I was advised of negative fault diagnostic report I was told that thye put the battery on charge - which I told them was a waste of time.The battery was replaced in March and the engine started on the button so I knew it was not a low voltage problem.

On the other hand if in the past six years this fault has been previously reported , then the "intelligence" should have been circulated to the dealer network and the diagnostic expense avoided.

After six years in production A110NG parts catalogue and workshop manual should be made openly available on line.

worldwidewebs

2,543 posts

257 months

Wednesday 17th July
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Part number 5

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Wednesday 17th July
quotequote all
grahamcolover said:
Thanks for feed back - Alpine st Albans told me that there would be a minimum charge of £250 for "diagnostics" - which as I have said revealed nothing.
Does anyone know where the brake light switch is located ? Is there only one switch ? or does each brake light have one ? I would guess system must be common to all keyless Renault so am I amazed that no one else has ever had this problem.

If this really is a "one off" I can understand Renault /Alpine dealer specilaist "engineers" not recognising what the problem was when first reported.When I was advised of negative fault diagnostic report I was told that thye put the battery on charge - which I told them was a waste of time.The battery was replaced in March and the engine started on the button so I knew it was not a low voltage problem.

On the other hand if in the past six years this fault has been previously reported , then the "intelligence" should have been circulated to the dealer network and the diagnostic expense avoided.

After six years in production A110NG parts catalogue and workshop manual should be made openly available on line.
I was appalled when my Seat dealer wanted to charge £100 for "diagnostics" - £250 is really extracting the urine. Looking at the diagram www provided it looks like a simply DIY job unless the switch is buried in the depths of other stuff.

Update - now had a look, if that is the switch in question, it could hardly be easier to install, just pull off the plastic panel by your right knee and it's a couple of minutes job from there.


Edited by bcr5784 on Wednesday 17th July 10:20

James Elmer

263 posts

222 months

Wednesday 17th July
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I’ve just ordered that switch, and will keep in the car for EU road trips, just in case..!

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Wednesday 17th July
quotequote all
James Elmer said:
I’ve just ordered that switch, and will keep in the car for EU road trips, just in case..!
Do you have the part number - I'll do a "pre-emptive" strike too?

worldwidewebs

2,543 posts

257 months

Wednesday 17th July
quotequote all
bcr5784 said:
James Elmer said:
I’ve just ordered that switch, and will keep in the car for EU road trips, just in case..!
Do you have the part number - I'll do a "pre-emptive" strike too?
253206454R

James Elmer

263 posts

222 months

Wednesday 17th July
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Thank you WWW.

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Thursday 18th July
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James Elmer said:
Thank you WWW.
+1

Miserablegit

4,173 posts

116 months

Thursday 18th July
quotequote all
worldwidewebs said:
253206454R
Many thanks and thanks to the OP for making us all aware of this.

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Friday 19th July
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Ordered one - should be in by Tuesday (sic)

k_m

112 posts

9 months

Friday 19th July
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Good idea to put one spare switch in the trunk, thanks for the reference.

I prefer to put the car in N when standing at a traffic stop to prevent clutch wear and noticed when I let the car roll downhill a little I cannot chose D until I come again to a complete stop via using the brakes. So putting the box in sailing mode seems not to be the best idea.

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Friday 19th July
quotequote all
k_m said:
Good idea to put one spare switch in the trunk, thanks for the reference.

I prefer to put the car in N when standing at a traffic stop to prevent clutch wear and noticed when I let the car roll downhill a little I cannot chose D until I come again to a complete stop via using the brakes. So putting the box in sailing mode seems not to be the best idea.
I'm pretty convinced clutch wear isn't an issue - torque goes down to nothing when you have braked to a standstill, to "creep" is, I'm pretty sure is disabled (multiplate clutches don't drag to any extent - ask any motocyclist) However blinding motorist behind in the dark is a bit antisocial. Given that my brakelight switch seems to have failed i'm not sure I'm likely to be guilty of that.

bcr5784

7,183 posts

152 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
Just replaced my brakelight switch. As I thought - it couldn't be easier. Rotate the switch 90 degrees anticlockwise to release it and pull it out, press tab to release wire. Reverse to refit.

Incidentally, in my case the plunger was actually stuck fully in and worked, if rather grittily, once freed. However the contacts weren't working either, so the replacement was needed.

Issue cured and D and R work fine.

Incidentally, when I had the problem repeated hard presses of the brake while jabbing at the D/R buttons was a get out jail card - so worth trying if you have the issue.