Brake Light Switch - again - wrong part?

[midnight911]

Was told my brake light was not working. So I get my friend press the pedal. Barely comes on when pressed hard on the pedal. Searched the forum and voila, ran into 100 threads.

My vehicle is 84 Carrera.

Got the part locally, 113 945 515 H, bought 2. This is the 2 prong one as I saw two wires going into the switch I could see on the master cylinder.

Sitting on top of gas tank, removed few parts in the way to the master cylinder including the bulk head board, two heater/ vent ducts.

Well, what I found was that the wiring couplers were barely grabbing the prongs on the switches. The parts I had on my car had 2 prongs and one plastic thingy in the middle, sticking out like a semi-prong. This thing prevents the coupler to grab the prongs and the coupler could have been loose where conductivity might have been an issue. Anyways, I changed the switch to the newly bought ones because how the coupler would bite on the prongs better and also this part is well known to fail.

I had brake fluid filled new switch on one hand, while loosening old switch with 22mm deep socket. I let the fluid drip and quickly placed the new switch and tightened with the deep socket.

Pedal got a little soft as air might have entered the system, so I bled. Got the firm touch back.
...I should have had someone (or something) semi-press the pedal to avoid air getting into the system...

I looked at the old record PO kept. There was a record that the switches (both 2 of them) were replaced...1998...with p/n 113 945 515 H. The switch emboss p/n does not quite say so but the paperwork did. Don't know if there was a retrofit in the part since 1998, but I'd have to say that the part used then was not quite snug to the coupler on the vehicle...


...afterall, I now have healthy bright brake light...

[rnln]

these pressurize brake light switches tend to fail after several months for most people. For me, it start to slow down after around 2 months or so. Draco found a solution by using a relay and some other components. You might want to read this thread: Brake Lights

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Is a plong a Chinese prong?

[3.2 CAB]

Damn, you can fit on your gas tank???