Unregistered users may browse the website, but in order to participate in the forums and view select pages (such as "Club Contacts" and "Classified Ads") a user account is required. Click HERE to email the webmaster and request a free account. The National DeSoto Club uses real names rather than pseudonyms. Notify the webmaster of your user name preference (Johnathon Doe vs. John Doe, etc.), preferred email address, and password request.
The brake lights stopped working on my '55 Firedome with non-power brakes. I've run silicone brake fluid for over 30 years in this car and had excellent life of all components. A local club friend with much more skill and knowledge than me helped me replace front shoes and wheel cylinders last year. The car has been driven several hundred miles since that work last year and the brakes have performed flawlessly.
I suspected the brake light switch was the cause of the non-working brake lights. The current switch had been on the car for many years. I replaced it with a NORS switch new in the box, hooked up the wires and nothing except a very low pedal (after replacing the minimal amount of lost fluid when changing switches). OK, so maybe a bad switch in the box. I put on another new switch and the same problem. The other lights controlled by the circuit breaker on the headlight switch are working, i.e., the trunk light, dome light, etc. I discussed with my buddy and he's stumped but going to come over this week to see what we can find and fix.
If you've got any ideas about the brake lights or the low pedal please chime in.
Mark
Hi Mark,
My 55 Fireflite does not have power brakes and I also am using silicone brake fluid. I was having cronic brake light and turn signal problems which couldn't be corrected by replacing the brake light switch. My mechanic wound up mounting and wiring in a switch which operates off the brake pedal. The switch is compressed by the brake pedal arm when the pedal is not engaged. When the brake pedal is depressed the switch loses contact with the pedal arm and sends current to the brake lights.
The new switch on the pedal arm is mounted inside the car and can't be seen without sticking your head under the dash. The old brake switch is still mounted on the master cylinder and looks original. I am not sure if this new setup corrected the turn signal problems or if additional work had to be done, but it has been a blessing not having to worry about brake lights and turn signals.
I could not speculate on your low brake pedal.
Mac
Mark, this is just an idea because I am not a mechanic and have not changed a brake light switch but would changing the switch put some air in the system? You might need to bleed the system. That might cause the low pedal and just the air in the switch might keep the switch from working.
A simple test to determine if it's the hydraulic brake light switch is to put a jumper between the pink and white wires on the switch. If the taillights illuminate, it's the switch. If not, the issue is somewhere else.
Ron
Guys,
Thanks for the suggestions. I've got that skilled club member helping me later this week and one thing he has is an electrical tester. I'll update if/when we find the solution.
Mark
Did the low pedal situation resolve itself?
It's supposed to be fun!
1949 De Soto Custom Convertible (project)
Issue resolved, and Ron Waters was dead on with his suggestion. My buddy jumped the wires that connect to the brake light switch after studying the wiring diagram in the SM. Sure enough, no lights. So we traced the wires under the dash and he discovered one of the two wires connects at a junction block secured behind the steering column trim piece. When those wires were temporarily connected, voila, we had brake lights. With a little persuasion the wire connectors were properly seated in the junction block.
Assuming that was the problem, I reinstalled the old switch and the lights worked as they should. The pedal was still a little low so we bled a wee bit of fluid by loosening the brake light switch and everything is back to normal...hopefully. Driving tomorrow to a DQ cruise-in hosted by our local club.
Thanks again to all the suggestions.
Mark
Mark,
You should write this up as an article for the club's magazine. It sounds just like the type of article our editors are looking for. And it could be helpful to our members who don't read the message board.
Bill
Bill,
Good idea, but all I could do is report how I watched my buddy climb under the dash, say a few choice words and then "magic". I'll do my best.
Mark
