Brake lights on your car are designed to prevent you from getting involved in an accident, and the light lets other drivers know that your vehicle is slowing down. When anything in this system fails, it may be catastrophic.
It is one thing to drive in a potentially dangerous situation with brake lights that don’t come on, and, in fact, it can be just as scary to have a set of brake lights that are stuck on.
Today, we look at the reasons why your brake lights remain on, and how to fix it – let’s start with the causes:
5 Causes Why Your Brake Lights Stay On
A defective brake light switch or sensor is the most common reason your brake lights stay on. It can also be caused by a defective brake pedal or component in the electrical system.
If you just replaced the rear light bulbs when this happened, it’s possible that you installed the wrong bulbs.
So, more than likely, the issue here is caused for one of the above reasons. Now, let’s review each defective brake light symptom.
#1. Faulty Brake Light Switch or Sensor.
The major reason your brake lights may not shut off. A problem with the brake system switch is preventing your lights from turning off.
The switches and sensors in a brake system are designed to tell the lights if the pedal is in the down or up position. If one or the other is defective, your brake lights would receive a false signal.
The brake pedal switch is nearby the brake pedal, and you may be able to adjust it.
#2. Defective Brake Pedal Spring.
The brake pedal consists of a spring that moves it back to the original position once released. However, as this spring gets older, it can become weaker.
If the pedal does not come to the natural position, your brake lights will stay on. Furthermore, it can also keep your brake pads engaged and cause extra wear on your pad and rotor.
#3. Brake Pedal is Stuck.
Worse than having a bad spring in the pedal is having a bad pedal. If you cannot get the brake pedal back up from the floor, the lights won’t go off.
The pedal must return to its original position for the switch to close and the lights to turn off. If it does not return to its original position, it is like you are still braking, because you are.
#4. Malfunctioning Electrical System.
When an electrical fault occurs, it can affect multiple function, brake lights among them. It might cause them to remain on, not turn on, or even work intermittently.
This may be the most complicated suspect to troubleshoot, but we want to make sure that we check it off the list of suspects after checking all other suspects.
#5. Wrong Light bulbs installed.
This doesn’t happen often, but it can occur if your tail or brake light was recently replaced.
There are really two types of bulbs, one circuit or two circuits. If you put a bulb with one circuit in a socket that has two circuits to it can short the circuit and it will cause the brake lights to come on.
You should look at the socket to see if you can tell if you have one circuit or two, and also check the type of bulb. If it is the wrong bulb, replace it with the correct one.
How to Fix Brake Lights that Stay On
For most people with some level of mechanical knowledge, it’s not too difficult to identify the breakdown of the brake light. Here are some steps to consider.
#1. Inspect the Brake Switch.
The brake pedal switch is located under the dash area sights, adjacent to the pedal. You want to verify that the switch is always in a depress position.
If this component is faulty, you will want to replace this part, and this should restore the brake lights back to normal operating conditions.
You can also adjust the brake pedal switch at the least, if it has adjustment, if it appears to be engaged even when the brake pedal is not depressed.
#2. Look at the Brake Pedal Stopper.
There is also a brake pedal stopper that you will need to check. If the brake pedal stopper is not there – check around on the mat to see if it dropped.
If the brake pedal stopper is there, you may be able to put it back in place. If it is shattered, you will want to replace it.
#3. Adjust Brake Pedal Spring.
You will need to check the brake pedal spring which is mounted under the pedal. If you kneel down on the driver’s side of the vehicle, you should be able to see the spring, you can check to see if it looks functional or broken.
If the spring has lost a considerable amount of tension and it doesn’t return to normal, the brake system is kept in an engaged position which causes the lights to stay on.
You will want to be careful when unhooking and replacing a new spring, you might be able to reuse the old clips, you could use a small pair of pliers if necessary.
When you get the new spring attached, you will want to check the brake lights to see if that resolved the issue.
#4. Check for Corrosion or Debris.
Certain components of the braking system can corrode or collect debris. Even a small amount of debris can cause issues.
Take a few minutes to look at the brake lights, pedal, and all the lines in between to see if anything is corroded, or covered in leaves, dirt, etc.
#5. Inspect Electrical System.
This is the hardest option and should be done last. When there is an electrical problem with the brake system wiring, the brake lights will act strangely.
If you have a service manual, you can follow the steps to check wiring and connections. However, this is very tricky, and you will need extensive automotive experience.
You should also check light bulbs in the rear and see if the correct type is installed, like we said earlier in the article.
#6. Ask a Mechanic.
When all else fails, take your car to a mechanic. Don’t take chances with the brake system, even if it is just a brake light malfunction.
Not only are these lights confusing to the other driver, but you are possibly creating unnecessary wear on the brake pads or rotor. You also do not know what, if anything else is wrong with the system keeping you from brakes when the car is being repaired.
Don’t take chances with your safety and the safety of others on the road.
Is it OK to drive a car with the brake light on?
It is not okay to drive a car with the brake light on. Even if it might seem okay, you are indicating to the driver behind you that you are braking. The driver that is behind you may not even notice that your brake lights are on, and this could lead to a rear-end collision.
Is it illegal to drive with brake lights stuck on?
Yes. It is illegal to drive with your brake lights stuck on because, if your brake lights are stuck, the drivers behind you won’t be able to see when you are braking. This can cause very serious accidents.
Therefore, if your brake lights are stuck on, be sure to get them fixed as soon as possible.
How much does it cost to fix a brake light switch?
The cost to fix a brake light switch will depend on the make and model of your car, however, to fix this you would be looking at anywhere from $25.00 – $300.00 for parts and labor to fix it properly.
If you are mechanically inclined, you could also just fix it yourself for the cost of the switch which can range from about $25.00 – $100.00.
Will brake lights that stay on drain the battery?
Brake lights that stay on after you turn off the vehicle will drain your battery fairly quickly. If the brake lights only work when you have the ignition on, they are not likely to drain your battery.
If your brake light is on, you need to get it repaired ASAP. This issue is a safety hazard to you, other drivers, and may also be against the law.
Depending on where you live, you could receive a huge ticket if you were stopped for driving with your brake light on all the time.
Fortunately, if you have even basic mechanical and automotive electrical skills, using a multimeter you should be able to diagnose the issue easily.
If you do not have the skills, then contact a mechanic asap!