back light/alarm problems

[lex luthor]

Hi All !

Had a mk1 elise for 4 months now, beautiful but having A FEW PROBLEMS ! Basically, sometimes when the car is turned off, been parked up a while, locked etc. the back lights come on ??? This then drains the battery causing the alarm to go off (usually about 6 in the morning) :-( The battery was new 3 mths ago. I have to mess about removing littel fuses etc. just to try to turn the damn alarm off & have to keep jump starting her.

Any idea on what is wrong please?

if anybody can reply or mail me [e-mail] i would be most grateful.

regards David

[Wolfie4609]

That will be the brake light switch, it can be adjusted so that it does not come on as quick, used to happen on our S1, it's on a thread and you just screw it one way or other to stop it being so sensitive, you get to it under front bonnet at back of pedal box. Should then stop battery getting low.

[lex luthor]

thanks for your reply M8, I will try that though why would the brake light come on at all if the car is immobile & turned off ?

[lex luthor]

found this.....

Brake Lights (coming on by themselves)

A relatively common problem leading to a flat battery. For one reason or another the brake light switch seems to get out of adjustment and can power the brake lights (which are live even without the ignition on) when you are not around (overnight for example).

The switch itself is accesssed from the front services compartment, pictured here (picture taken looking toward the rear of the car from just in front of the brake fluid reservoir), and is adjusted by twisting the switch, pulling it in or out as required and twisting again to lock in position. Always test the brake lights still work after any adjustment.