Brake lights won’t turn off? Top 8 Reasons Why

Brake lights won’t turn off? That’s a serious safety issue. The brake lights on your car should always be in top shape because it helps fellow drivers in knowing when you hit the brakes.

They would only know that you were slowing down or coming to a stop if they saw your brake lights. If your brake lights won’t turn off, it could put you and other drivers at risk.

results for brake lights wont turn off
freepik.com

8 Reasons Why Brake Lights Won’t Turn Off

These problem has become common to a number of car models including Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic and Kia Optima. Here are the reasons why your brake lights might not be working properly:

Bad Brake Switch

The brake light switch is a small electrical device that is mounted underneath the emergency or parking brake pedal. When you step on your brakes, it sends an electronic signal to the car’s computer indicating that you are slowing down or stopping.

If the switch malfunctions and remains in the on position, it will keep your brake lights on.

Bad Wiring Harness for Brake Lights

There are three ways that an aftermarket device might damage your car’s wiring: improper installation, faulty construction, and an electric short. For example, if a shop technician mishandles any of the wirings during installation or it’s improper for your car, then you might have some problems.

Faulty Brake Light Bulbs

You must know how to identify brake light problems and stop them before they happen again. Do this by checking the bulb’s operation.

Turn on your car and watch your brake lights function. If they don’t turn off, you should inspect them to see if any burnt-out bulbs are present. Make sure that the ends of the wires aren’t touching each other. If they are touching, you should use a wrench to loosen them.

Bad Brake Switch Wiring

Inspect the wiring that connects the brake light switch to your car’s computer system and replace it if it is faulty or has been damaged in any way. It might have an electric short for example.

Broken Power Fuse

The power fuse is another important part of your car’s electrical system. It can be used to control the brake lights, so if it turns out, then your brake light won’t work properly either. Replace the fuse as soon as you notice that something isn’t right with it or your car’s electrical system.

The Brake Pedal is Stuck

If your brake lights won’t turn off, it is also possible that they are stuck on because the emergency or parking brake pedal is stuck in place. This will prevent any of the pedals from functioning properly and could even cause a complete car lockout if you leave your car with the brake pedal engaged too long.

The Brake Pedal Spring is Not Working Properly

If you notice that your brake lights won’t turn off, the brake pedal spring isn’t working properly. This spring is usually an inexpensive part that may need to be replaced.

Bad Brake Pedal Sensor

Your car might also have a sensor in its system to monitor the position of the brake pedal. This will tell the computer that you are stepping on the brake to slow down and stop your vehicle. If this sensor stops working, then your computer won’t know when it is time to turn off the lights.

This electrical device can malfunction for many reasons including being damaged by water or extreme heat. You should replace this part if it isn’t working properly.

5 Steps to troubleshoot brake lights that won’t turn off

Here are the steps that you can take to troubleshoot your brake lights problem:

1. Car Inspection and Symptom Analysis

The first step in figuring out the cause of your brake lights problem is performing a car inspection. Start by looking at all of your external parts like the headlights, turn signals, taillights, hazard lights, and blinkers. If any of these are damaged or malfunctioning, then repairing them will fix your brake lights issue too. Next, check for any loose or frayed wires around these parts because this could be causing an electrical short as well.

2. Check Your Fuses and Relays

After searching inside and outside of your vehicle, start checking fuses and relays to see if any of them is loose or burned out. The first place that you should start is your engine compartment because this is the most common place where fuses and relays are located. Another likely place to look for a burnt-out fuse or relay is under the dashboard of your car. 

3. Check Your Brakes Fluid Level 

The hydraulic / brake system in many modern cars uses liquid to operate. If it gets too hot, then air can enter the system and cause it to push up against another obstacle like a seal causing the pedal not to work correctly.

4. The Wheel Cylinder

An internal component called a wheel cylinder will deliver pressure from your foot on the brake pedal straight to your drums, so check for any problems with this part if they are not releasing the pressure properly.

5. Broken Power Fuse

The power fuse is another important part of your car’s electrical system. It can be used to control the brake lights, so if it turns out, then your brake light won’t work properly either. Replace the fuse as soon as you notice that something isn’t right with it or your car’s electrical system.

RB The Mechanic

Conclusion

This issue is not isolated to Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic, or Kia Optima – brake lights that won’t turn off could happen to every car model. If you have a brake lights problem, then be sure to take the time to troubleshoot all of your car’s components. You may find that there is an easy fix for this issue and it doesn’t require any major work.

Safety is important to your family so don’t forget about the importance of having working brakes and brake lights. It will give you peace of mind that if you ever need to use them, they will work properly and allow others to know that it is time for them to stop as well.

Follow us on Facebook for more car guides and tutorials!

Leave a Comment