Break light Switch (What a Nightmare)

Today I decided to change the faulty breaklight switch on my Freelander with the new modified switch I bought from Stratstone Cardiff, a couple of day's ago.

Then the wife tells me she has arrainged for us to go to her mothers to help with a bit of house work because she has had a new hip operation and can't get around at the moment.

No problem I thought I'll take the new switch with me and fit it outside the mother-in-laws house. Started at around mid day, placed a mirror on the floor and placed a light up under the pedals. This looks easy I thought to myself. Pulled the plug out from the back of the old switch then gave the switch a twist and out it came no problem.

After fiddling about for around 3/4 of an hour I managed to fit the new switch, then fitted the new extension cable and plugged it in. This is where the problems started.

I asked my wife to check the break lights for me, she said yes they're on, I said hang on a minute I'm not in the car yet, she said well they're on. So I went and had a look and yes the break lights were on, strange I thought so I tried pumping the break pedal to see if they would go off, no they stayed on.

I then removed the new switch to check the plunger was the same lenth as the old one, yes a match. I then spent the next four hours trying to get it back into the holder to no avail. I'm ashamed to say I had to call the AA, the reason being is I suffer from Ostio Arthritis, in my knees, hips, and shoulders, and after the four hours of trying to get it back in I was in agony.

The AA man turned up 45 minutes later, I told him what I had done and that the lights were staying on, he said perhaps it wasn't fitted correctly so he had a go at fitting it himself. After 20 minutes he had it in and you guessed it the break lights were on. Ok he say's it looks like you have a faulty new switch. He asked for the old switch and gave the plunger a few good plunges then re-fitted the old one back into the holder. The break lights worked as they should and there was no sign of the three amigo's on the 50 mile drive home.

Finger crossed it was a bad connection or something similar, but I know Stratstone will be having there faulty switch back on Monday.

Thanks all for the help and advice

Grayo

Yes, you do need to be at least double jointed as I remembers.

I had the three amigos on mine when I first bought it. Why spend money on the new, unnecessary, switch? A simple strip and clean is all that's needed to go the old switch. I done it 20K miles and over two years ago, still works fine now.

Please it's working for you tho mate.