Technical Brake Lamp Failure

[vladof]

Anyone think I should investigate this further or leave it as it is?

 

[Davren]

It's only two bulbs, you might aswell replace them.

 

[vladof]

So you definitely think that brake lamp fail refers to the light bulbs, not an error in the warning lamp used to inform you that the certain device is not working? f.e. braking system? (brake lamp fault)?

Look at the previous page in the manual,

there's also a ABS LAMP FAIL, ESP LAMP FAIL, POWER STEERING LAMP FAIL etc. For Abarth versions, the error you get is, for example, "ESP Warning Lamp Failure".

Does this make any sense?

 

[Davren]

Brake lamp failure warning refers to a fault anywhere in the brake lamp circuit but the bulb or connections are the most likely causes.

Translations from Italian to any other language are never perfectly accurate for Fiat manuals. The Italian to English version has some strange translations so I expect the Italian to Romanian one could be worse.

 

[FRED007]

Each time I put in a new brake light bulb shortly after a hole burns into the side of it - can anyone say why on earth that would keep happening?

 

[Davren]

Each time I put in a new brake light bulb shortly after a hole burns into the side of it - can anyone say why on earth that would keep happening?

Hi, Welcome to the FF.

A hole burns into the side of the bulb?

 

[Shadeyman]

Each time I put in a new brake light bulb shortly after a hole burns into the side of it - can anyone say why on earth that would keep happening?

If the bulb receives too much current it can cause the filament in the bulb to overheat and sag, sometimes melting the glass bulb.

Edit
Always best to fit a quality brand.

 

[cinqsandminis]

Sorry to bump a fairly old thead but I found it when I searched for BRKE LAMP FAILURE and wanted to record my findings. I got this error last week, bought a can of contact cleaner and took both rear clusters out this evening to find that the earth pin on the passenger side cluster had developed high resistance and was melting the housing. I cleaned the pin, melted the plastic around it to hold it in place and refitted everything - fault gone.

Stilo DOESN'T lie - it was telling me to sort something before it went on fire.

David.

 

[neonglow]

Well, changed the battery and still get random BRKE Light Failure on the dash. Really annoying, don't know what do do anymore.

Thing is, brake lamp is working just fine, with or without the error on the dash. What's wrong?

EDIT: I wanted to go downstairs to take a picture of the dash with the error on, started the engine, error gone. What about the 3 clean starts policy? :slayer:

View attachment 81905

Are you really sure some lamp hasn't burned out.. cause I used to get this message just the same way as you are.. fully random.. and as it turned out the two brakelights on my boot hatch were gone and I used to think they are just for decoration I replaced them and have never gotten the error message since..

 

[vladof]

Pretty sure man, I've checked them all over and over again. The lamp was always on when pressing the brakes and everything was working fine, just beeped the hell out of me each time I was starting the car.

I still think it's high resistance in one of the bulbs and will change both of them, just that it's my fathers car and it's now at the repair shop for a broken rocker cover (the cover on top of the camshaft). Mine doesn't get this fault.

 

[jacksy]

Hi all sorry to bump this thread but also need help. I get the Brke.Lamp Fail message continously with the yellow triangle on dashborad. I have sprayed WD40 on the connectors and checked the lamps and all lights are working fine. anymore ideas please

 

[Davren]

Hi, Welcome to the FF.

You need to use electrical contact cleaner, not WD40 to clean the contacts. WD40 is oil based and will insulate the connectors rather than clean them.

While you have the bulb holders removed, disconnect, clean and refit the electrical plugs as well.

Also while you're in there, for the sake of £2, fit new bulbs to both brake lights. The warning system works by measuring the circuit resistance and after time, the resistance of old bulbs can change, generating false warnings.

 

[jacksy]

Hi, Welcome to the FF.

You need to use electrical contact cleaner, not WD40 to clean the contacts. WD40 is oil based and will insulate the connectors rather than clean them.

While you have the bulb holders removed, disconnect, clean and refit the electrical plugs as well.

Also while you're in there, for the sake of £2, fit new bulbs to both brake lights. The warning system works by measuring the circuit resistance and after time, the resistance of old bulbs can change, generating false warnings.

Hi Davren
Ok electrical contact cleaner..any particualr brand?
disconnect clean and refit electrical plugs??? can you elaborate please im a bit of a noob when it comes to cars. piccies would be great
can you confirm the bulbs i require? i have installed at the moment P21 12v's.
i went and purchased some more bulbs but they turned out to be the wrong type..they had two filaments.even though the guy in the shop said they were correct for my car. they did say brake and stop on them though. I appreciate your time and patience

 

[Davren]

Any brand will do. Halfords sell it for about £4.

The rear lamps (and bulbs) are different for 3 door, 5 door and MW versions of the Stilo. Diagrams below are for the 3 and 5 door cars.

Once you've taken the lamp holders away from the lamp, they will be hanging on the wires and plugs. You don't need to remove the complete lamp (2a) as shown in the diagram. Disconnect the wiring plug (2b) from the lamp holder to spray the plug contacts and the pins on the back of the lamp holder with electrical contact cleaner. Wait for it to dry then refit the plug. Contact cleaner is spirit based so won't take long to dry.

Some versions have a single filament 21W bulb for the brake lights. Some have a 21W/5W combined brake and tail light bulb.

 

[jacksy]

wow that is a pretty comprehensive reply Davren and very much appreciated
I will purchase some contact cleaner Saturday and give that a try. I have four bulbs in the rear casement and a 5door car including the boot.

I had them both apart today trying to fathom out what is wrong. What a nightmare. 3 bolts and 3 screws just to change bulbs!! anyway i had a look at all the connections and they all look clean, a sort of aluminium looking shade of silver if you get my drift.
I also looked at the type of pin in the bulb holders and i have 3 singles and one double. So when i went to the car accessory shop and he gave me some new bulbs which he said were correct i was atd annoyed to find out they were incorrect and had two connection points rather than one.

actually Davren am i right in saying that B is the break light on the diagram? sorry for being thick..
last question promise, well for now. you state that....Some versions have a single filament 21W bulb for the brake lights. Some have a 21W/5W combined brake and tail light bulb.

how do i determine what i have?I have Fiat Stilo 2004

 

[Davren]

actually Davren am i right in saying that B is the break light on the diagram? sorry for being thick..

Yes, I think so. I have a MW and haven't fitted bulbs for a saloon. It would appear that the diagram from the handbook I posted above has incorrecly labelled B as a tail light. Best thing is to watch the rear lights while someone is pressing the brake pedal (with ignition switched on) to confirm which one is the brake light.

last question promise, well for now. you state that....Some versions have a single filament 21W bulb for the brake lights. Some have a 21W/5W combined brake and tail light bulb.

how do i determine what i have?I have Fiat Stilo 2004

Either check the old bulbs, you will be able to see whether there is 1 or 2 filaments inside the glass bulb or, if you suspect the wrong bulbs have been fitted, after removing the bulb, look in the bulb holder to see whether there are 1 or 2 metal contacts in the bottom of it.

The bulb list from the handbook says the 3 door Stilo should have a single filament 21W bulb for the brake light. That would be bulb type 382.
.

 

[jacksy]

Yes, I think so. I have a MW and haven't fitted bulbs for a saloon. It would appear that the diagram from the handbook I posted above has incorrecly labelled B as a tail light. Best thing is to watch the rear lights while someone is pressing the brake pedal (with ignition switched on) to confirm which one is the brake light.




Either check the old bulbs, you will be able to see whether there is 1 or 2 filaments inside the glass bulb or, if you suspect the wrong bulbs have been fitted, after removing the bulb, look in the bulb holder to see whether there are 1 or 2 metal contacts in the bottom of it.

The bulb list from the handbook says the 3 door Stilo should have a single filament 21W bulb for the brake light. That would be bulb type 382.
.

In that case i appear to have the correct bulbs in the correct holders. P21's in holders with single connectors. Just going to pop to halfords for the spray see if that corrects the fault.

ps bloody battery is flat again...anyway managed to get spray and have sprayed the female white group connector and the male connector on the circuit. will check it again in morning when i jump the car off. btw i have a 5door so is it still p21 bulbs?

cheers and thanks for your patience

 

[Davren]

This seems rather strange.

Row 11 in the handbook bulb list above says the 5 door car has a combined tail light and rear fog lamp bulb (4W/21W). I've never heard of, or seen a twin filament bulb being used for a tail light/rear fog light. I suspect that may be another mistake and it should read tail light/brake light. Rear fog light is shown further down the list as being a 21W bulb for all models.

I think we should disregard the handbook diagrams and once you've ascertained which is your brake light in the light cluster, replace the bulb like for like.

 

[jacksy]

This seems rather strange.

Row 11 in the handbook bulb list above says the 5 door car has a combined tail light and rear fog lamp bulb (4W/21W). I've never heard of, or seen a twin filament bulb being used for a tail light/rear fog light. I suspect that may be another mistake and it should read tail light/brake light. Rear fog light is shown further down the list as being a 21W bulb for all models.

I think we should disregard the handbook diagrams and once you've ascertained which is your brake light in the light cluster, replace the bulb like for like.

I can confirm that on my car the rear fog which is at the bottom of the row lights has twin elements with twin connecters in the bulb holders on the board. All other bulb holders have single connectors. My brake light is at the top of the row of lights. I'm going to double chekc all this Sat am though to be 100% sure.

 

[vladof]

The diagrams may be a mixture of before and after the facelift, showing both the new lamp and the old one. The previous version had the 21W bulb as a standalone lamp.

I think the italians just made a copy paste and didn't bother correcting anything.