Brake Lights Blowing the Fuse!

Has anyone had this fault and know what to check. I have checked the bulbs and seem fine checked the connectors to light compartment they also seem fine How ever found water in the light compartment which I removed and have had some hot weather last couple of days so should be dry now.

Passenger side does not light up not not even with tail lights on. - Defo a brake issue as replaced the fuse and it blows when pressing brake pedal.

Would appreciate any help with this one.

The light that had water in you may have to take the bulb holder apart to see if it has got rusty. The metal parts could be bridging and shorting when you brake. So check, clean, WD40. Hope this helps.

Check the electrolyte level in the battery, if that's low it can blow bulbs.
Otherwise it sounds like it's shorting out somewhere.

bushwwacker said:

Check the electrolyte level in the battery, if that's low it can blow bulbs.
Otherwise it sounds like it's shorting out somewhere.

Click to expand...

What ?

never heard of that one in all my electronic life

if you are blowing a fuse then you have a short...

as said above check all the bulb connections...

what i would do tho is unplug the bulb holders from the wiring put a new fuse in and press the brake pedal a few times of the fuse does not blow then the wiring to the bulb holders is fine.. where as if the fuse did blow then i would have said there is a fault in the wiring...

the water in the light unit is a good place to start you need to try and stop the light filling up with water or at least drill a tiny hole in the bottom of the light for the water to drain

teddywood1 said:

never heard of that one in all my electronic life

Click to expand...

I had a punto that kept blowing bulbs years ago and an old mechanic told me to check the electrolyte (which was low), topped it up and it never blew a bulb again.

Summat to do with the low level increasing the current/amperage in the battery...
I stand to be corrected...

bushwwacker said:

I had a punto that kept blowing bulbs years ago and an old mechanic told me to check the electrolyte (which was low), topped it up and it never blew a bulb again.

Summat to do with the low level increasing the current/amperage in the battery...
I stand to be corrected...

Click to expand...

The only thing I can think of that would cause this is that the alternator regulator is faulty causing the battery to receive more voltage than it is rated for which can cause the electrolyte to boil away, thus giving a low level in the battery...
If this happened, you would have to regularly top up the battery though.

Isn't he complaining of blowing fuses and not blowing bulbs

Checked all the connectors no sign of corrosion water totally removed only a wee bit of moisture left. No sign of damage to any of the wires either.

Replaced fuse tried putting in reverse (Same Circuit) and depressed several times - Fuse didn't blow.

Took it for a short run - fuse blew again and took dashboard lights with it!

Now I'm stumped!

What is your alternator output voltage at about 2500 rpm ?...

You got a short in the wiring, what vehicle is this? And what is the milage on the vehicle?

Freelander 1 XEDI 2000 with 90k on clock

L series means u have a 2 pin brake switch and a more simple system I'm in bed now so nt check but I'm sure it takes ignition power to the relay which feeds live to the switch on the pedal an then down 1 cable until the rear section somewhere then splits into 2 wires one to pas and one to drivers side. Also think the drivers cable splits upto the middle brake light


You it's a short so it's prob got a broken wire... If it was relay it would blow on ignition


Again I'm not on my comp to confirm that's how the wiring works but should be about right but will post a wiring diagram tomorrow and u can check it out

Some ideas here too

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/brake-light-fuse-keeps-blowing-53337-2.html

according to Autodata

Fuse 2 power brake lights and reverse

power from fuse down to the switch's wire green

on the brake light system the wire is green/violet from the switch to the bulbs

Earth wire is Black

Problem solved - Brake Light Switch wire broken shorting at the switch - new one on order £8.

Thanks for all the help guys

good to see you found the problem and hope you rectify it soon