Brake Light Freakiness

[914orrust]

I have checked the threads on this subject and I think I might have a unique situation. My Brake Warning Light won't turn off (or shut up for that matter). My brakes are acting just fine. Here is what I've tried thus far:

1. I pressed the reset button on my master cylinder.

2. I check the e-brake but I don't have a switch installed that would trigger that it was up or down. (I'm in the early stages of restoring my 74 and the previous owner had dismantled the e-brake for some reason)

But here is where it gets funny. When I turn on the blinker, the buzzing turns off and the brake warning light flashes as though it was a blinker light.

Would bleeding the brakes another time solve the problem? Is there a short in the wiring? I'm new to this wiring business and I'm not sure where to begin.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[nine_one_4]

Electrical troubleshooting is not my strong suit but have you checked the ground (#82 in this diagram)? Numbers 14 are the taillights. Also, I understand that cracked relay plates can cause a lot of electrical problems so you might want to check that yours is ok.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/914_electrical_diagrams.htm

---

[GreenWater]

Did the brake lights work before you started the restoration? Do you have a Multimeter? I have not gotten to wiring my 914 yet, and I dread the day(weeks).

[914orrust]

Thank you for the quick, late night replies. I think I used the wrong terminology in my original post. Its not the actual brake light that is giving me problems, but the brake warning light above the gas gauge.

I apologize for the mixup.

Now that I've cleared that up... are there any suggestions?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Yes--find the wire that should be going to the button under your e-brake handle. It is probably touching a ground. Grounding that wire (or the one going to the MC switch) turns the light on. Since you say there is no button under the handbrake, I'm betting the wire that should be going to that button is grounding out somewhere.

--DD

[914orrust]

I ground the wire going to the e-brake button and that fixed the problem. Thanks Dave!!!!