No brake lights ! (Zafira 'B' 55)

[Kalli]

Hi...

I'm posting this on behalf of my 'no PC' & no car tech ability brother !!
He has a '55' plate Zafira 'B' with a rear brake light fault...
For the first few pressing of the brake pedal all is ok, then the brake lights stop working & he gets a dashboard fault display.
The LED light in the tailgate carries on working okay.
If he turns the Ign off then back on, he gets another few OK operations of the brake lights.
The foot pedal switch, & the bulbs have been changed.
I read that there may be a REC unit on the car ?
Where is it ?
Are there any easy tests, part(s) to change to prove or fix fault ?
Or any local help guy to fix ?

TB.

[pecky]

It depends on the model if it has a REC, it will be behind the left hand panel in the boot and look like this, fuse locations are in the handbook.



If it's an intermittent thing, it may be a faulty REC, it does store fault codes so may point to something.

I can do a fault code read and take a look.

[Kalli]

Hi Richard...
And thanks.
I'll need for you 2 to talk to each other if thats okay ?
I cant see any method of sending you a private message with his contact details !
Any ideas ?
TB.

[Kalli]

He now also tells me...

He don't know if it's of any relevance but before brake light problem, when locking/unlocking car with "zapper", both left and right hazard lights flashed, now only one side flashes !

TB.

[pecky]

I don't have private messages turned on as they are difficult to track as many conversations as I need to.

http://www.diagnostics.org.uk/help/f...-Contact-Pecky is totally private and only you and me can see the threads you start.

I don't give out my number or make calls i'm afraid, I only deal through this site and the other forums i'm on. I have an unconnected full time job which keeps me busy and away from home 12 hours a day, so I don't want to spend my nights on the phone. I know it can be difficult at times, but I need to be able to decide what time I can set aside to help people out.

There is a bookings link at the top of the page, if he wants to come over then discuss a time with him and make a booking.

[Kalli]

Hi Richard...

Many thanks.
I'll go see him asap, then I'll get back to you.
I dont want him messing, if you know what I mean !!!

TB.

[Kalli]

Sorry to sound a bit stupid.
But does he come to you, or you to him ?..... Hednesford located.
TB.

[pecky]

Sorry, as before, this started as a hobby and I help where I can, but I don't have the time to do home visits so he would come to me in Wolverhampton. I charge £30 for a tech2 diagnostic session which is half the price of the dealers.

[Kalli]

The story ends ??

My brother tells me this morning, his o/s rear indicator has now stopped working. So I talked him through getting the light cluster off...
He calls me back to say the wiring plug was not connected !! So under instruction he re connects & re assembles.
Then guess what.... Both the indicator works, & the brake light fault clears too.... So as always it pays to check the basics before leaping into complex thoughts & ideas.
So off he goes on a test drive to prove all is good, when after a couple of mins the ABS dash light comes on & the speedo needle flicks around.
Back home he goes in dispair.... And calls me with the 'good' news.
My thoughts is that maybe with all these faults coming & going, that some have got logged & stuck in a controller (ecu/cpu) memory.
So I told him to totally disconnect the battery & go and have a coffee ! Then come back & reconnect.
Low & behold.... The 'Z' appears to be fault free.... Lets just hope it stays that way...
Many thanks Pecky for your words of wisdom & offer of help.
TB.

[rick45]

Hi all,
I am having the same problem but mine came on at the same time the spanner light came on with INSP4, which is water in the fuel filter, plus the BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH warning, I drained the water and cleared the faults using OP-COM, took it for a bit of a run and after about 1 1/2 mls the BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH illuminated again, So I managed to get the under shelf off above the brake & clutch pedals only to fine there is no way to reach the brake light switch, ( I am disabled so very restricted in what I can do ) the only way to reach the brake light switch is to remove all the panelling around the gear lever, remove the radio, remove the radio surround, remove the lever off the panel near the door,remove the steering wheel surround, then remove the lower panel that is in front of your knees, what a f***about and I cannot do all that bending,
Is there a shorter quicker way of doing this as dealer wants £60.00, I bought the switch (£ 7.40 ) even though I don't think it is the switch, if it was the switch why does it work for so long before stopping working,
Zaf got to go in over this heater resistor failing and car catching fire, how much dismantling do they have to do to get at this resistor and would it be better to let them do the job.
Thanks for any help given.
Rick.