So my car has no brake lights whatsoever. When the pedal is released after being pressed I get a blink from a single bulb on the light behind the rear window. The actual brake lights are inactive. I replaced the bulbs but no change. I've been reading that a failed switch will cause your car not to switch out of park though. Should I start with the switch or elsewhere? If I should start with the switch, does anyone know where I can buy it? Motorcarsltd has it at $77 and another $70 for the harness.

 

The rear window brake lamp working suggests that the switch is OK.

The regular brake lamps are wired through a solid state "rear lamp control module". I suspect a problem there....but I've never had to do any repairs in this area so I'm talkin' outta my hat.

Others will chime in.

Cheers
DD

 

Thank you.

 

You probably don't need the harness Motorcars is talking about. That is needed to use the switch on an XJ40, they discontinued the DBC 10800 switch when the X300 came out in favor of the LNA 6420BA. The X300 sw had no flylead like the XJ40 switch. The harness makes up for the short harness that can't reach the X300 switch.

You might check the plug in diode the is beside the battery, it is in the circuit to the High Mount Stoplight relay. Just a thought.

EDIT: Jees, after further pondering I realized I wasn't quite right above. The early X300's also had the XJ40 style switch and were in need of the additional harness. If the switch currently in the car has a connector on it, no harness will be necessary. If it has a lead about 4-5 inches long, it will need it.

My apologies for the faulty gray matter!

Cheers,

 

ok so after looking in my luggage compartment fuse box I've found that I have a Combined Lamp Control Module. I took it out and started my car and turned on the lights to see what it controls and all my exterior lights did not work except for my headlights but I didn't try my hi-beams. I cleaned the connections with some electrical spray and put it back in to find no difference. Would this imply that my switch would be the issue since I don't have a rear lamp control module?

 

finally got it taken care of. Replaced my brake light switch with a used switch from my fathers 99 xk8. no harness or anything. who knows...