brake lites work ,sorta

Change 'em again. The quality of replacement switches is poor.

Speedy Jim

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Your brakes could need additional bleeding.

But as a point of interest, after two brake light switch failures in two years I installed a mechanically-actuated switch (in 1997). Brakes are something I don't think you can afford to fool around with and the quality of the Brazilian hydraulically-actuated switches told me it would be unwise to risk my life on them.

I used a new-surplus mechical brake switch made for a Dodge pick-up, adding a plug-mounted relay to handle the real switching chores. The mechical switch needs to carry only enough current to pick the relay, which is rated at 30 amps. The whole affair cost less than one brake failure :-)

I drive a '65 bus; the installation of the mechanical switch was pretty easy. Doing it to a Ghia would be a bit more complex, requiring actuation by the master cylinder push-rod.

-Bob Hoover

Krager screwed me out of $11 for the last one, said made in usa. "Some say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." John

Yes, I believe that. To get the really good quality ones you'd have to find someone who carries German OEM switches.

Re-inforcing what Veeduber said, the Brazillian switches are notoriously poor; some have even reported that the seals blow out under pressure:-(

Don't have a good answer for you, but maybe the mechanical switch mod isn't such a bad idea.

Speedy Jim

What is the thread on the VW switches? My old Studes use pressure switches as well, and I've never had to replace one more than once. I believe the same exact switch is a current Harley-Davidson part as well. It's a small pipe thread on the one I'm thinking of.

I never had to replace a switch on any of my VWs so I honestly don't know.

nate

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That was the case with the second failure. Not a total blow-out but it was dripping fluid. Typical hydraulically actuated switch is supposed to fail 'safe' in that the plunger that actuates the switch is supposed to seal the bore and prevent any loss of fluid. (Usual failure mode with the original Ford switch was for the plunger to stick, leaving the brake lights on.)

To see that sucker oozing fluid was pretty scary. Replaced it with a plug. The mechanically switched system has given no problems.

Spec'ing a German switch is fine but if you do any amount of travel you either carry a spare, use what's available or do without. The first failure was the original German switch, the second, the one that leaked, was the Brazilian replacement, obtained from a VW shop in La Paz because the local VW dealer didn't carry them (!) (Early style used 1/8-NPT, later style is threaded M8.)

In use, the mechanical switch has several advantages, the biggest being the ability to replace it without having to bleed the system. But you can also adjust the turn-on point. I've got mine set so the brake lights come on as soon as I put my foot on the pedal. Handy, when you're coming down a grade and all you can see in the rear-view is Three Gold Stars :-)

-Bob Hoover

How about using a mercury switch as a poor-mans accelerometer? This would be completely separate from the braking system and work even when the deceleration was due to downshifting. All you'd need would be a way to introduce enough hysteresis to keep it from blinking the brake lights on a jiggly road.

Max