# Peugeot 206 rear light help Please ??



## ChuckH

The rear brake lights on my daughters 2003 206 are permanently on !! It seems to be a very common problem on this model..
Having followed her last night it was clear to see something was wrong. When she braked the brake lights only got slightly brighter and the centre high level one is permanently lit..

I had a look on Youtube and found this video which shows exactly what is happening ...





Daughter informs me that a work friend recently changed a rear bulb for her and maybe this has some bearing on the problem ??

If anyone has had this issue or can advise I would be very grateful ....


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## Maxtor

Hi Chuck, It will be the brake light switch sticking or worn, normally located on the brake pedal, although on the 206 I believe they are behind the glove box.










The switch seen here with the electrical connector.


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## steve from wath

i recently had a similar problem
in that they were blinking on/off randomley
turned out it was the switch itself was loose in the bracket at the back of brake pedal
a quick nip up with spanner and all sorted


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## ChuckH

Maxtor said:


> Hi Chuck, It will be the brake light switch sticking or worn, normally located on the brake pedal, although on the 206 I believe they are behind the glove box.
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> The switch seen here with the electrical connector.


Thanks for the FAST reply !! Is it an easy thing to change ? I'm 360 miles from home so have very few tools but can nip and buy some if needed.. I go home mid week and would like to sort it before I go if possible ....

Steve this one is a permanent on so unless we are very lucky it will be the switch.....

Thanks again Guys I was away to start stripping the rear lights out of the car tomorrow !


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## ChuckH

Guys I found a link that takes me to a thread on a forum where they say 9 times out of 10 its the switch that has been kicked as its under the glove box in the passenger floor well !! So apparently it should need popping back in or replacing.....
If anyone has any info on tools required that would be awesome !

Cheers !!


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## Maxtor

Hi mate, yes, it should just unplug from the connector and the switch is normally held in a bit like a bulb, Twist to the left and it will come out.

One thing to note is that most of them are adjustable, if you pull up or push down on the switch head (yellow in the photo) it will adjust for pedal travel. You just need to set it so that as soon as the pedal is pushed the switch opens.


Hard to explain, but I hope this helps.


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## Maxtor

ChuckH said:


> Guys I found a link that takes me to a thread on a forum where they say 9 times out of 10 its the switch that has been kicked as its under the glove box in the passenger floor well !! So apparently it should need popping back in or replacing.....
> If anyone has any info on tools required that would be awesome !
> 
> Cheers !!


More than likely is Chuck, the switch is closed when the pedal is not pressed. If it has come out it will be open and on.

Hope you sort it mate.

:thumb:


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## craigeh123

these are always getting kicked out - push turn as mentioned above


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## ChuckH

The switch was in its correct position.. I took it out and adjusted it but still the lights remain on even if the switch is not in place but in my pocket...

So will pick up a new on tomorrow which I expect will do the trick...

Thanks again Guys !


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## iansoutham

Before getting a new brake light switch, which I am pretty sure is not faulty, turn the ignition on and disconnect the rear lamps 1 at a time until the top brake light goes out. There will most likely be the fault.

The reason I say that the brake light switch should not be faulty is that you say that the lights get slightly brighter when the brakes are pressed, indicating that the switch is working properly and that the brake lights are working in series on another circuit. Most common cause is an incorrect bulb, as said in your initial post. Ford Focus brake lights are exactly the same.


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## ChuckH

iansoutham said:


> Before getting a new brake light switch, which I am pretty sure is not faulty, turn the ignition on and disconnect the rear lamps 1 at a time until the top brake light goes out. There will most likely be the fault.
> 
> The reason I say that the brake light switch should not be faulty is that you say that the lights get slightly brighter when the brakes are pressed, indicating that the switch is working properly and that the brake lights are working in series on another circuit. Most common cause is an incorrect bulb, as said in your initial post. Ford Focus brake lights are exactly the same.


Tried that Mate... Its the offside light that turns of the centre high level light....Still remained on... Thanks though !


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## Sh1ner

I think you will find that you need to take the bulbs out and check which one is incorrect or incorrectly fitted.
An offset bayonet will fit into a standard socket if forced as will other incorrect bulbs.
I would first take out the rear bulb that was fitted most recently and then see if the fault is still there. If it is then remove the rest one by one until you find it.
It could also be a front sidelight bulb if one has been changed. It sounds like a route to earth that should not be being taken.
Being Peugeot it could always be a headlamp switch.


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## ChuckH

One of the bulbs did seem a slightly odd fit ...

Seemed like the socket needed an offset one and had a bulb with equal ones ...

Trouble is I'm 360 miles from home and have little in the way of tools .....

I'm hoping fitting the switch will cure it if not it will have to go into a garage which annoys me as I hate being beaten by such a simple job !!


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## craigeh123

I've just read that a bulb was changed recently , as allready said its easy to fit the wrong bulbs some have an offset pin some don't but the wrong one can be forced in , it causes anything from dim lights to permanently on lights ! Its that bulb definately


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## Sh1ner

If the bulb is incorrect a switch will not cure it.
There are 4w/21w and 5w21w dual filament lamps. They look identical apart from the bayonet pins being in different places and heights. If you look at the socket in the lamp it should become clear which is a single filament or dual filament socket. Once that is established you can then look at the offsets of the bayonet slots and determine the correct lamp for the socket. It could be a single jammed in a double socket or a double jammed in a single. It can be a right royal pain in the ar$e. However the correct lamp will fit with just gentle pressure and a twist. If you have to force it at all it will be the wrong lamp.
I have seen all sort of incorrect lamps jammed into sockets with all sorts of weird and wonderful effects.


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## andy monty

also a faulty bulb can cause the issue

so new bulb on both the lowers (can back feed if the side lights are on)


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## ChuckH

Guys Im thinking its the bulbs now ! One in the offside cluster seemed wrong (Dont have the car close to hand )..
All bulbs in this cluster were single filament none were double if that gives any clues ? I will pick up some bulbs later before driving over tonight to see if I can sort this out.. Daughter lives 16 miles from where we are staying at the moment so need to go equipped if possible..

Thanks !!!!!!!!!!


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## Sh1ner

You can tell from the bottom of the socket if it should be single or double filament. A single will have one contact and a double two on the plate at the bottom of the socket. Once you have established that then you can work out the rest by checking if the slots for the pins are offset or diametrically opposed and whether one pin sits lower than the other.
Do you remove the lens to fit the bulbs or do you remove a plate on the back and insert the bulbs into there?


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## ChuckH

Sh1ner said:


> You can tell from the bottom of the socket if it should be single or double filament. A single will have one contact and a double two on the plate at the bottom of the socket. Once you have established that then you can work out the rest by checking if the slots for the pins are offset or diametrically opposed and whether one pin sits lower than the other.
> Do you remove the lens to fit the bulbs or do you remove a plate on the back and insert the bulbs into there?


Easy way to replace bulbs in this car is to remove the whole assembly which is held with just one knurled nut then remove the plate that the bulbs sit in... Just one electrical block connector and your in...

I have picked up the correct bulbs today and the suspect one should be a twin filament with offset pins.. The one in the car is a single filament with diametrically opposed pins so it should now be an easy fix.

The problem is when some one with the best intentions shoves in the wrong bulbs it can make diagnosis a bit harder !!

But as always the information here is top class and I genuinely thank you all for that !!


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## ChuckH

*Sorted ...*

It was indeed a bulb... Single filament where a double should have been and opposed pins where they should have been offset ones....

Thanks again ....................:thumb::thumb::thumb:


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## andy monty

Least it was something simple was just about to type pull both bulbs out and see what happens then replace one at a time :lol:


lets hope this good Samaritan doesn't offer to change a punctured wheel for her Or wash her car :doublesho


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