Hi Folks, i inherited a 1.9 diesel octavia mrk 1. I was driving the car yesterday when a taxi driver pulled up beside me and told me i had no brake lights. When i stopped and started the car up again the abs light came on and is staying on.

I checked the brake light fuse which is fine. Has anyone got any ideas? I really can't afford to go to a garage so i'm hoping there is a simple solution. Please help, Cheers.

Check the switch at the top of the brake pedal - they are known to fail. Or it might simply not be "twisted" in properly.

I assume you have checked the bulbs are ok?

Check the switch at the top of the brake pedal - they are known to fail. Or it might simply not be "twisted" in properly.

I assume you have checked the bulbs are ok?

Hi thanks for the quick reply. No i didn't check the bulbs as i didn't think they would all fail at the one time. I will check now, though and also check the switch on the brake peddle. Oh forgot to say that when the brake peddle the wee brake light at the top comes on??? This was what i was told by a passer by who i asked to look while i pressed the brake so not sure what he meant by "the wee light" lol

"Wee light at the top" - maybe the passer by mean the high-level brake light. Therefore one might conclude the stop/tail bulbs have failed, so I would start my investigations there.

"Wee light at the top" - maybe the passer by mean the high-level brake light. Therefore one might conclude the stop/tail bulbs have failed, so I would start my investigations there.

Checked the stop/tail bulbs and they are fine. If the high level brake light is working would this mean that the brake peddle switch is also working?

Do the indicators and side lights work? If not could be earth fault at the rear

Yes all other lights working

Leaky rear washer pipe near the cd changer? Dunno if it would affect the brake lights?

Would be worth trying a new switch tho under a Tenner from vw

The two lights are fed at the left hand light and there is a loop wire to the right hand light so start checking the connections at the left, preferably using a multi-meter or a small 12 volt bulb with one connection made to a good earth.

I would guess the high level stop light is also looped from there. Are you sure the bulbs have not blown (tested them elsewhere)?

Check also to see if someone has not made a mess of removing a towbar light set.

Mike

Edit: if the high level stop light works, then there is nothing wrong with switch.

Edited 21 April, 201214 yr by pikpilot

Try the brake bulbs in one of the other bulb holders, the filaments are very thin and sometimes it can be difficult to see if they're broken.