A brake light switch is a small device attached to the brake pedal mechanism. Generally, the function of this switch is to illuminate the brake light when the brake pedals are pressed. However, in modern vehicles, this seemingly small switch can do a lot more.
The brake light switch can malfunction and show several symptoms that are both dangerous and annoying. Well, in this reading, we’ll be exploring the six common symptoms of a bad brake light switch.
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Symptoms Of a Bad Brake Light Switch
If your car’s brake light switch is bad, you’ll notice your brake light won’t display, your car won’t start, the brake lights will stay on continuously, you’ll experience bad cruise control, your ABS warning light will come on, and you won’t be able to move the gear selector. These are some possible symptoms of a bad or failing brake light switch.
1. Your Brake Lights Don’t Light Up
It’s obvious that this is the first sign you’ll notice. When you push the brake pedal, your brake lights should illuminate to alert the driver at your back. The back brake lights won’t turn on if your brake switch isn’t working properly, which presents a serious safety risk because the vehicle behind you won’t be aware that you’re slowing down.
Now, this can mean that a brake light bulb in the back has burned out or that your brake light switch is broken.
2. The Won’t Start
Using the conventional keyed ignition, a broken brake light switch won’t prevent you from starting the vehicle. Driving a car with a push-button starter, however, could be a problem. You might not be able to start the engine because you have to depress the brake pedal.
It won’t start if the system doesn’t detect that you are pressing on the pedal. Many car models with automatic transmissions may also exhibit this.
3. Brake Lights Stay On Continuously
The brake lights staying on after you turn the car off is one of the most typical signs of a bad brake light switch. This issue is brought on by a short, which causes the system to believe you are still depressing the brake pedal. This symptoms can cause a parasitic drain on your car battery.
4. Bad Cruise Control
If your car has cruise control, a broken or misaligned brake light switch can turn it off. What causes that to occur? The switch for the cruise control and the rear brake lights is frequently shared. Therefore, if the brake light switch fails, your cruise control will probably too. This does not imply that the brake light switch issue is the only reason the cruise control malfunctions.
A blown fuse in the electronic control module or a malfunctioning speed sensor might also cause it to occur. But it’s better to be safe than sorry in any situation.
5. Gear Selector Can’t Be Moved
One must have your foot on the brake pedal to shift the gear selector out of the Park. You may not be able to move the shifter into a different position if the system isn’t understanding your command. Sadly, this will leave you stuck in your current location. You can resume driving if you can change the switch at the current position.
6. ABS Warning Light Comes On
When the ABS light on your dashboard illuminates, the anti-lock brake system is malfunctioning. When your ABS warning light flashes. Your car’s ABS module receives information from the brake light switch sensor about when you’ve applied the brakes and when it’s time to activate the ABS hydraulic pump.
Because of this, there’s a potential that your broken brake light switch is to blame if your ABS warning light illuminates. That’s all for this article, where we discussed the symptoms of a bad brake light switch. I hope it was helpful. If so, kindly share. Thanks for reading.