[houseguest]

Hi Everyone. I've just bought my first SAAB, (a 900S Convertible on a P plate. YAY!) and the other day the Brake Light Failure message popped up on the information panel. I replaced the bulb but the message still appears. I checked again and now whenever the lights are on or the brake is pressed, both filaments in the bulb come on. (Instead of one for the tail light and one for the brake) Can anyone help?

Sorry if this has been asked before. I did a search and didn't come up with anything similar.

Thanks in advance.

Rik,

 

[hkayssi]

Yea that is very common. Check all the bulbs including the 3rd brake light. The sensor that sends the info to the SID is too sensitive so the bulbs all have to be the same brand and have the right bulb number. Also if the bulbs are getting old, they give out resistance values that are diffrent from each other thus triggering the message.

Just make sure all bulbs are good and of the same number and age.

 

[houseguest]

Hi Hkayssi!

Thanks for your reply! I'm not too fussed about the message coming up on the SID, I can live with that, it's more the problem with both lights activating when only one should be. Is it still worth changing all the bulbs do you think?

Thanks again!

Rik,

 

[hkayssi]

OK, I understand what you mean now. Did this happen before you changed the bulb as well? I'm assuming this problem is present only on this bulb, am I right? The bulb may not be twisted in it's socket all the way. I recall having a similar problem with the boat's trailer a couple of years ago, it was a loose bulb. apparantly it wasn't turned all the way in.

 

[earthworm]

Use the 7528, 1 each for each side; then assure that the central or middle ones are good. ..4 of them, I think..

The bulbs must be very carefully installed - pull the whole black bulb housing if necessary..check it out..

I do receive the same message and have learned to ignore it; as Hkayssi says, the burned out bulb checker is too sensitive..

 

[boxman]

Hi Everyone. I've just bought my first SAAB, (a 900S Convertible on a P plate. YAY!) and the other day the Brake Light Failure message popped up on the information panel. I replaced the bulb but the message still appears. I checked again and now whenever the lights are on or the brake is pressed, both filaments in the bulb come on. (Instead of one for the tail light and one for the brake) Can anyone help?

Sorry if this has been asked before. I did a search and didn't come up with anything similar.

Thanks in advance.

Rik,

you have probably got a bad earth on the bulb so the power is having to flow throw both filaments to find a rout to ground

 

[Bootneck]

It could be worse bud,My 97 900s failed it's MOT on a broken coil spring on the front,changed both to be safe,but didn't expect anything that major on a 68k miles car.

 

[houseguest]

Thanks to everyone for their replies! Last night I checked and rechecked the bulb, and also tried 2 other spares and I get the same thing. The problem is on the passenger side so I unplugged both of the rear light clusters and swapped them over, and the problem stayed on the passenger side!

I'm guessing this means a wiring fault?

Is there anything else I can check? Or is this an expensive garage fix?

Many thanks,

Rik,

 

[Mikes900s]

Thanks to everyone for their replies! Last night I checked and rechecked the bulb, and also tried 2 other spares and I get the same thing. The problem is on the passenger side so I unplugged both of the rear light clusters and swapped them over, and the problem stayed on the passenger side!

I'm guessing this means a wiring fault?

Is there anything else I can check? Or is this an expensive garage fix?

Many thanks,

Rik,

Try runing a tempory earth wire from the light assy to the car body to see it that sorts it out. Make sure you don't short out the live side though.

 

[earthworm]

I'd buy a Haynes manual(OK for minor stuff, but requires patience and understanding)..

Then use your multi-meter to check the grounds and the wiring. In the good old days a test light would suffice - the circuits were far simpler, but less reliable than todays....

 

[bobdotorg]

I had a similar (if not the exact same) problem.

In my case it was pure operator error - I had new the bulb inserted wrong (either 120 or 180 degrees twisted from correct). I think I figured out on the third bulb.

Good Luck!

 

[houseguest]

Oh dear God......

I'm so embarrassed!!!!!! ;oops:

Bobdotorg you hit it right on the head! I just went out to make double sure it was fitted correctly, and found out that the holder is actually broken. The metal fitting that the light goes into has snapped and because of that, I'd twisted the bulb too far, everytime I fitted it!

I then got curious becaus as I said, I actually swapped the drivers and passenger side clusters and the problem stayed on the drivers side. So I looked at the other bulb socket, and that's broken too! But for some reason, it works fine on the drivers side regardless!

Now all I have to do is fix the multiple problems with the heater! The direction controls don't work at all and the fan only works on setting 4! However I've searched this forum for those answers and discovered I need a 'Toilet Roll holder' and a new Relay! (I think!)

Thank you so much to everyone who replied! Sorry for being so stupid!

Rik,