Bizarre brake and indicator problem!

[guitarcarfanatic]

Hello one and all!

There is something seriously wrong with the lights on my ES...Firstly when I indicate left not only does my left rear indicator flash, my brake lights( all three) flash after every indicator flash. This only happens when I indicate left.

And also I have a problem which is only affecting the lights 80% of the time. When I press the brake pedal, the brake lights come on...as well as the reverse lights and also the rear left indicator solidly. If I have the wipers on, the rear wiper will sweep constantly if the brake pedal is depressed (reverse lights being on). It is really annoying me and I need it sorted for MOT. I have had all the rear light boards and there is no corrosion so I figure it must be an earthing fault somewhere...but where?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Rob

[robkendall]

defo earth problem.

arent the rear lights earth in the scoop for the space saver?
theres also other wiring droops down in there.....iirc on my first 480 the wheel had rubbed the wiring and it was shorting out on the body.....re-sleeved the bare bits and all ok.
could also be as the loom enters the back of the car, above the rear glass hatch....the loom there can get flaky
rgrds
rob

[guitarcarfanatic]

Boot loom is fine. Will rip all the insides of the boot out tonight then and give everything a good check over!

[dabac]

Hello one and all!

..when I indicate left not only does my left rear indicator flash, my brake lights( all three) flash after every indicator flash.

..When I press the brake pedal, the brake lights come on...as well as the reverse lights and also the rear left indicator solidly.

I've had some trouble with my rear indicators related to braking too, but it turned out to be an overheated socket where the wiring attaches to the rear lamp assembly. See link for more: http://volvo480.northernscum.org.uk/for ... highlight=

[Murf]

take out the plastic panel that surrounds the left rear cluster (N/S) there is an earth point for all the clusters kinda in the middle, under the cluster. it bolts on to the body and has male spades on it for the earth cables to push onto.
its hard to describe where it is but its obvious when you see it!

[barlar]

Hello,

after yet another two months all the electrical problems come back again. After I sort them out they seem to always come back again. And this time it´s almost the exact wierd symptoms as guitarcarfanatic describes. My brake pedal has multiple capabilities of turning the brake lights+ left rear indicator on as well as the rear wiper (if front wipers are on) and disables the left side indicator function completely!

I've checked the earth points and (everyone in the car) wires at the rear, but have you found you´re problem guitarcarfanatic? I could sure use some help, with my MOT coming up soon.

...well, the search continues....

/Lars

[MGB_GT]

Take the pannel with all the bulbs out from the car. If any bits of the metal have discoloured, then water is getting in and this is causing the lights to have problems. I had many a weird and wacky problem with mine, took them out and cleaned them up good and working fine. Of course if you don't fix the leak, it'll just happen again.

If it's not this, I'm sure it's an Earth-related problem. Mad lights at the back just always are.

[kitt]

i have had a similar problem - if you replace uour "bulb holder" as it were your problem should be sorted - my metal parts didn't look corroded but it solved the problem!!