Hi Jack,

I think I'm going to replace both switches anyway, but I have my ohm
meter out and I disconnected both switches.  I then touched the
terminals to each switch and put pressure on the brakes.  They both
give a reading if I press hard, but neither if I only use light
pressure.  Hopefully changing the switches will solve the problem, but
is there anything else I should be looking for?

Thanks,

Warren Lail
88 Westy "Billy Bones"

On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 8:39 AM, Jack R.<jack007@comcast.net> wrote:
> Warren,
>
> Change both brake light switches, and make sure you have flushed your brake
> fluid as well so there is no crud plugging the ports.
>
> It is easy to test the switches, just remove the instrument cluster, then
> pull the plugs on the switches. �Next, put an ohm meter on the two opposite
> plugs and press the brake pedal.
> Noting the pressure to get the ohm meter to show closed. �You will see which
> switch is bad.
>
> I just went through this over this past weekend... and had a 1 year old
> switch I replacemed go bad on me.
>
> I now have brake lights with light pressure.
>
> Jack R.
> 84 Westy with 2.1 synco motor
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Warren Lail
> Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 10:58 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: brake light issues
>
> Greetings everyone,
>
> I'm having brake light issues. �It seems that when I press my brakes,
> the brake lights only come on when I press particularly hard. �I
> searched the archives and someone (Mark Drillock, I think) said that
> in this situation possibly one of the brake light switches was bad and
> to switch the wires from one to the other to find out which one. �I
> did that and the result was the same - no brake light until I press
> firmly on the pedal.
>
> So, do I have two brake light switches bad or does this seem like
> something else? �All comments and suggestions are appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Warren in Santa Fe
> 88 Westy "Billy Bones" �4-speed manual with Subie 2.2 engine.
>
>