I don't beleeeve it!

My scrote that was had a dodgy earth on the multi connector that went=20 into the back right light cluster. When I first started driving the car,=20 I wasn't aware of it and a couple of weeks after doing a regular check=20 in a shop window, someone shouted to me about the brake light being out.=20 I thanked him and felt a bit guilty about driving for the next 10 miles=20 with a fault. Once I found out about the notorious bad connection there=20 I made sure that the connection was cleaned properly and increased the=20 number of checks. I'm pretty sure I never covered more than 80 miles=20 with that light out but it did keep on coming back. =20

With the Pug, I lost the rear left indicator on the way home. I didn't=20 know which bulb had gone since it was the 4th of the 5 left turns I make=20 where the relay started doing double speed. On the last turn I was being=20 tailgated and hoped that the back was on since there seemed a fair=20 chance that I'd be collecting a BMW in the boot if it wasn't. I backed=20 off, went a bit wide into the turn and touched the brake much earlier=20 (just to light up the lights in case). The torrent of abuse that came my=20 way as the BMW passed me was quite surprising considering how many BMW=20 drivers can find the indicator stem.

Warwick

I have done a lot of driving in the last week, and I noticed this as well.

"Incorrect" - are you sure? The greater the load on a given cable the greater the voltage drop. Reduce the load and the voltage drop will decrease therefore the remaining bulb will get a slightly higher voltage. (nit picking and theoretical maybe). The rear lights are usually daisy chained so the feed to the back of the car is a single conductor for both brake lights.

i knew what he meant, its easier to look in a reflection then put a brick on the pedal. he was being a smart ass as everyone knows they wouldnt be on once you take your foot off the brake

The message from "John" contains these words:

However, "2. It will receive a slightly larger voltage as there is less resistance on the circuit." is incorrect. There is /more/ resistance on the circuit as one of the two bulbs in parallel has failed. The /higher/ resistance leads to the voltage rising.

On Mon, 29 May 2006 22:20:38 +0100, I waved a wand and this message magically appeared:

No, that's wrong. The remaining light will receive slightly more wattage and will be brighter. Haven't you seen loads of cars with one broken front light, and the other shining much brighter?

However the resistance is in fact higher, not lower, since the two bulbs are wired in parallel.

On Mon, 29 May 2006 18:26:16 +0100, I waved a wand and this message magically appeared:

That's where you show 'em your police warrant card, and watch their expression change.

On Mon, 29 May 2006 17:32:26 +0100, I waved a wand and this message magically appeared:

It's st00d3nts!

I do,and you're right,every other seems to have one out! I told a guy in a car park once that his N/S brake light was faulty,his reply was"yes i know,it goes every friday night,its because its the furthest from the brake light switch,its a well known fault"..I walked away before i laughed.

Steve

Yep, brother was pulled on his bike a good number of years ago for a "routine check" as they used to do. They made the mistake of parking their van in front of him. They did the paperwork then said they were going to check over his bike. He said they may like to check over then own van first as it had a brake light out. On checking, they mumbled to him to get on his way.

Walls at night, buses, trucks, cars headlights behind in daylight.

WARNING - ANCIENT GAGS. If you cringe easily, scroll no further. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Pat - "Mick, are my indicators working?"

Mick - "Yes no yes no yes no yes no"

The plod pull over a driver late one night, and say " sir, do you know why we've pulled you over?" "No, why?"

"Because one of your rear lights is not working". So matey gets out of the car, goes to the rear, and sure enough, one of the lights is out. In frustration, he lashes out and gives the wing a thump. Lo and behold, the light comes on. "There, it's working now"

The cop says " That's very good sir, now hit the windscreen and see if this year's tax appears"

Well you were warned.

Steve

Yup. I spent a lot of time in stopped traffic on the central motorway, and I estimate about 20% of cars have at least one defective brake light.

Mine are working but I wouldn't know how to fix them! I have a 2004 Fiesta so they are mounted on the rear pillar, with no obvious easy access points.

On 29-May-06 16:40:52, Paul Hubbard said

Corrosive effect of the sea-air?

All the best, Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

I need your memories for the Amiga Games Database: A collection of Amiga Game reviews by Amiga players

Use a wall and do it in the dark. Doesn't need to be a reflective surface.

I use a three foot breaker bar between the front driver's seat and the brake pedal. That way, if there's a problem with the bulb holder (as often or not, this is to blame) I can mess around with it at the back while the pedal is depressed.

What police? Camera's can't tell if the brake lights work.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Walls are fine at night. I normally want to check in daylight, having attached a trailer. Buses, trucks, and following cars are all, like shop windows, about 8 miles away. Also, if you rely on a following vehicle to check your brake lights, it may already be too late. Bear in mind that my main need is for checking a newly attached trailer, it is possible that both trailer brake lights are defective.