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Brake Lights Not Working


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spathak
User

Sep 5, 2017, 10:59 PM

Post #1 of 13 (1811 views)
  post locked   Brake Lights Not Working  

I have a 1998 BMW 328i, 2.8L 6 cylinder with 158K miles on it.g

Both my brake lights are not working. I have checked the bulbs, they look fine. I am not sure whether BMW 1998 hazard lights use the brake lights when flashing, but when I switch on the hazard lights, only turn signal lights flash (it could be that brake lights are not supposed to flash for hazard signal in the model so I am not sure). I have also changed the brake light fuse (no. 46). Online posts suggest changing the brake switch but I don't know where it is located. Youtube videos only talk about BMW E36 model and not BMW 1998 328i. I want to know if there are any other things I can try before trying to replace the brake switch. Also, where is the brake switch located in 1998 BMW 328i?


(This post was edited by spathak on Sep 5, 2017, 10:59 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 6, 2017, 6:45 AM

Post #2 of 13 (1783 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

Does the 3rd (high mount) brake light work?



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



spathak
User

Sep 6, 2017, 10:58 AM

Post #3 of 13 (1766 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

My car looks like the one in the link below. I don't think it has a third brake light:
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1097&bih=566&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=bmw+1998+328i+back&oq=bmw+1998+328i+back&gs_l=psy-ab.3...22304.23197.0.23492.5.5.0.0.0.0.76.310.5.5.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0.64kxl6m7GGM#imgrc=ynFj0YvXfiFdVM:


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 6, 2017, 11:00 AM

Post #4 of 13 (1764 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

Yes, they all have a 3rd brake light. It's the law.

It's either on the trunk lid or the back window.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Sep 6, 2017, 11:02 AM)


spathak
User

Sep 6, 2017, 11:12 AM

Post #5 of 13 (1758 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

Here is a pic of my car. Where is the third brake light located?



http://autoforums.carjunky.com/photos/pic/375hA7ZN/1263.jpg


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 6, 2017, 11:14 AM

Post #6 of 13 (1754 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

It's right in the rear window



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 6, 2017, 11:18 AM

Post #7 of 13 (1750 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

That is a brake light






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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



spathak
User

Sep 6, 2017, 11:20 AM

Post #8 of 13 (1748 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

I see you already answered my question. It looks like it is on the back window. I don't think it is working. I tested the brake lights yesterday at night when it was dark, and nothing turned on when brakes were pressed. What could be the issue?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 6, 2017, 1:16 PM

Post #9 of 13 (1723 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

The bulb has probably been burnt out for ages since you didn't even know the light was there. You should try a bulb there first.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



spathak
User

Sep 9, 2017, 11:37 AM

Post #10 of 13 (1697 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

You were right. The third bulb was burned. I just bought a new one from Walmart and replaced it. Tested the brake lights after replacing the third brake light. None of them were working. I bought a brake switch as well. I opened the cover under the steering wheel and connected the new brake switch. The brake lights are now working. The problem now is how to put the new switch in that metal socket. The old one was very difficult to pull out so I broke it into pieces. I have made 5-6 attempts to put the new brake switch. I have to twist my body, hold a torch and push the brake light switch with my left hand. I am assuming that it will snap in place. Is there a different method to put the brake light in that socket. It is just an iron square socket right (I hope I didn't break any plastic section attached to the iron socket when I was breaking the old brake switch).


(This post was edited by spathak on Sep 9, 2017, 12:00 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 9, 2017, 11:52 AM

Post #11 of 13 (1695 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

It just snaps into place and self adjusts when you release the pedal. Make sure there are no pieces of the old one still there.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



spathak
User

Sep 9, 2017, 11:58 AM

Post #12 of 13 (1691 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

Just made another attempt. This is a Youtube video that shows that one should pull the red tube out before installing it and ask someone to press the brake pedal...Followed this, and was able to install it in one attempt.

Thank you for all the help Hammertime. Have a great weekend.

Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Y8zzu48jM


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 9, 2017, 12:07 PM

Post #13 of 13 (1684 views)
  post locked   Re: Brake Lights Not Working  

OK, glad you got it resolved.

I'll close this now as solved.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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