Brake switch problem

My wife & I just bought a Series 2A Ambulance & are having problems with the brake lights failing. We replaced the switch again yesterday, it worked fine - but today the brake lights aren't working!
By-passed the connections and the brake lights come on, so it must be the switch.
Any ideas as to why this failed so fast or how we can stop this happening?
Contacted the dealer we bought the switch from & was told that I had to buy another one, would only get a refund if their supplier agreed it was faulty.

Our baby is a 1971 Series 2A

Did you check the switch with a test meter for continuity? Is it the one that fits above the pedal inside the cab 'cos they need to be adjusted properly and the lock nut has a tendancy to come loose. (it does on my S3, anyway)

We tried that but the switch is not working at all. Brakes come on when we by-pass the connectors, but the switch (which is only 2 days old) is now not working.
Wondering if this is a common fault with the S2?
If so, what recommendations there are for fixing it?

Sorry but this is our first Landy and are still learning :doh:

Sounds like the switch is duff. I presume you've taken it out, connected it up and tried it not in situ?

Yes, eased it off the connectors out & crossed the connections....lights came on - but it won't work on it's own. So, duff switch I guess? This is the second switch in 4 days though - is this a common problem?

Was it a crappy Britpart switch? (i.e came in a blue box)

dealer should refund / replace if it's faulty, if his supplier then refunds him or not is his problem not yours.

Has the switch housing melted at all? I had a switch on mine whitch got a bit warm at some stage and the contacts all came loose

Ulysses said:

Yes, eased it off the connectors out & crossed the connections....lights came on - but it won't work on it's own. So, duff switch I guess? This is the second switch in 4 days though - is this a common problem?

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You need to take the switch off and test it off the landy. I had a problem with the brake light switch on a SIII, turned out the brake pedal had been set up without enough movement in it, the switch plunger has to move a certain amount for the switch to work reliably, adjusting the position of the switch would get it to work for a short while, adjusting the brake pedal to give it a bit more free play sorted it for good.

I get through one every couple of months on my old ex army SIII. I have come to realise that if you stand around with your foot on the brake it will heat up and it will fail. I do think there is an issue with a duff load of replacement switches though.

Rather than use a switch would it not be simpler to modify the connections and brake pedal so that when its depressed it just connects the wire ends together


I've got a diagram in my head that I can't explain but it makes sense to me

Well I could but I CBA, just involves using metal blocks and a semi conductor

if its type that go through plate ontop of pedal box sometimes plate needs to be moved to find best place if only a little,switches are very finnicky to fit, ive often resorted to fitting later non servo type which works off pedal in cab

mcupis said:

I get through one every couple of months on my old ex army SIII. I have come to realise that if you stand around with your foot on the brake it will heat up and it will fail. I do think there is an issue with a duff load of replacement switches though.

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Have you contemplated putting a relay in? If you are burning through them that frequently i'd go with a relay so the switch only has a very low power going through it and the full current to the lights is going through the relay

Never had an electrical failure of a brake light switch on my S3 - I had one where the plastic thread stripped - and I'm only on my second. Perhaps it's a duff batch as suggested. You could try a relay if the contacts are burning out, they do take a fairly high initial current.