Puma Tail still light - how much to diagnose?

The message from Adrian contains these words:

My neighbour has just bought a grey import Japanese something. It's got a fog-light very badly bodged onto the bumper, with wires covered in Sellotape running over the boot seal. There's no sign of a switch anywhere but it's got a brand new MOT.

Only one thing to say about that, really.

Hyuk.

VOSA Special Notice 2/99: (containing amendments and clarifications to the MOT Manual)

================== Item 7 High level brake lamps

Some vehicles are fitted with what appears to be a high level stop lamp, but which in fact is

not connected to the wiring loom. In this case it is not a 'lamp' for the purposes of the MOT

test.

The difficulty is knowing this, as you are not permitted to dismantle.

When extra lamps are fitted and there is doubt whether they are connected, the benefit of

this doubt should be given to the presenter and 'pass and advise' is the correct

course of action.

All lamps that light when the foot brake is applied must meet the criteria laid down in the

inspection manual.

==================

Just before Christmas, my car had its first MOT. It failed! The fault was non-functioning of the high-level stoplight! Presumably it must have snapped when I slammed shut the tailgate as I normally do forgetting there was this delicate element in this rear door. A £2.99 12V 15W D type (i.e. slip in) bulb from Halfords a few doors away fixed it (They did not stock

As for the permanently on stoplight, the fault is clearly an unwanted close circuit. All the suggestions about where an *open* circuit could be are incorrect. I'd suggest the OP take out the Haynes Service Manual and scrutinize the wiring diagrams. Wherever the on-off switch is, the off position has been bridged somehow. If water has sipped in to this switch, corrosion could have produced a more or less permanently close circuit. Now the hunt should focus on where precisely this switch is.

There is a website of all the electrical wiring diagrams in production cars. I have lost it but you may be able to locate that. This fault finding is quite straight forward if you know where to look. Good luck.

Oh I get it, everyone else is wrong and you're right !

I suggest you read the thread once again.

I'd suggest the OP take out the Haynes Service Manual and

Andy

hmmm is that an around about apology I spy ?

cheers Paul saves me posting it :o)

When your mind is muddled, you are advised not to post to confuse everybody.

The message from "Lin Chung" contains these words:

So - time to climb off the high horse and calm down.

Thanks for the replies.

There are four bulbs in this light and I've replaced all of them.

I'm going down to Fords tomorrow.

I'm even more totally pissed off at the moment as my broadband - which I've been without all week, is now up the swanny for good, E7even - yes that shower of s**te that I stupidly paid up front for thinking £10 a month was a good deal and it was really all I could afford - have gone into administration.

chas

The message from "chas" contains these words:

Nothing on their website about it.

Have a look at

chas

p.s - dropped the Puma off at Fords today. Just waiting for a call.

No it doesn't.

What absolute rubbish, checking to see if wire are there is not part of the test.

The very fact that the light is not working is evidence that it isn't connected. The fact that the light looks like it may have been fitted at the factory is irrelevant, the wiring may have been disconnected since.

Eh? That special notice just proved your previous comments wrong, were you being sarcastic with the 'cheers paul'?

Note that some brake light circuits use a "push to open" switch, and have the switch arranged so that the lights are held off when the brake pedal isn't depressed. If the plunger on such a switch breaks or gets knocked out of position, the brake lights remain on permanently.

/john

ok & for a day job you do ?

no i wasnt being sarcastic with Paul, i had the exact spcial notice in my hand tp ost but had already been done & just point out were i was wrong ?