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MG MGF Technical - I was getting paranoid.......

... every night as i drive to work, i was getting flashed from behind (STOP IT!) but only occasionally,
hmm perhaps they're MG owners in their other car.

Finally managed to drive next to one of the flashers, who told me my fog lamps on, checked....nope.
I know there can be a problem with the brake lights and faulty switch, but not being electrically savvy i need help.
Only seems to be intermittant problem, i have a 3month warranty with the seller but i need the car everyday so would prefer to sort it myself.

thanks

Darce
darce

Darce,
Easily fixed, check the archives for info - but basically the switch above and in fron to f the brake pedal is stuck - remove it from the bulkhead by twisting a quarter turn, then pull out the plunger really hard, you will feel it give slightly (it is on a ratchet type mechanism).
Then refiit.
Cheers,
Jason H
Jason H

darce, i have just had the same problem on my ’96 vvc. it seems in my case that the switch just isn’t long enough and the cure was to drill a small hole in the top and put in a small screw. this just adds a couple of mm and does the trick.

t
tony

tony

It's more likely that the plunger was stuck too far inside the case. If you remove the whole thing as Jason says and then give the plunger a good hard pull, you should find that it releases itself from the body and extends by a good 10mm or more. Should remove the need for the screw.

Stefan
Stefan Gibney

Yep, brake switch has an internal self adjustment mechanism which as was mentioned earlier does work just like a ratchet. The sensitivity of the switch is set by the position of the brake pedal at rest, if you accidentally catch the pedal and lift it rather than press it you will depress the plunger further into the switch re-setting it to the new position, this makes the brake lights flicker intermittantly or worst case be on constantly.

There are 3 cures ranging from the expensive to the heath robinson...

Expensive - Replace the switch with a new one

Heath Robinson - drill/glue an extension piece to the top of the plunger.

Cheapest - Reset the switch by removing it and giving the plunger a short, sharp tug. It will make a clicking noise and extend a good 10mm. depress the brake pedal with one hand and re-insert the switch with the other, now gently release the pedal. The pedal is an inverted 'L' shape with a pivot at the intersection between the two perpendicular legs, pushing the pedal releases the switch, lifting it depresses it. Just let the pedal find it's own neutral position and it will automatically depress the plunger and re-adjust the switch.

None of the above will stop it happening again, but only the last one addresses the problem and solves it, the other two side step the issue.

SF
Scarlet Fever

This thread was discussed on 20/09/2002

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.