brake warning light

I have a '72 standard Beetle. In my quest to get EVERYTHING functioning
properly in this car I am down to one last small item. and it is driving me
nuts.

How is the brake warning light suppose to work? Other than the obvious
"comes on when the brakes mess up".

I have heard that you are supposed to be able to test the light by pushing
on the lens(?) I would guess that it would have a slight 'spring' to the
lens in order for it to operate like that. Mine has no 'spring'. pushing on
the light does nothing, the lens doesn't move in, nothing lights up. How do
I remove it?

Thanks,

Dave



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john wrote:
> I have a '72 standard Beetle. In my quest to get EVERYTHING functioning
> properly in this car I am down to one last small item. and it is driving me
> nuts.
>
> How is the brake warning light suppose to work? Other than the obvious
> "comes on when the brakes mess up".
>
> I have heard that you are supposed to be able to test the light by pushing
> on the lens(?) I would guess that it would have a slight 'spring' to the
> lens in order for it to operate like that. Mine has no 'spring'. pushing on
> the light does nothing, the lens doesn't move in, nothing lights up. How do
> I remove it?
>
> Thanks,
>

Your year has no push-to-test. It automatically tests itself when
the key is turned to ON.

This is what the inside of the warning light looks like:
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/warning.gif

This is what the wiring scheme for the 2 brake switches looks like:
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/3brake.gif
The Red wire goes to term "K" on the warning light.

More elec "stuff" on my web site:

--

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 02:45:50 -0400 "john" > wrote:

>I have a '72 standard Beetle. In my quest to get EVERYTHING functioning
>properly in this car I am down to one last small item. and it is driving me
>nuts.
>
> How is the brake warning light suppose to work? Other than the obvious
>"comes on when the brakes mess up".
>
> I have heard that you are supposed to be able to test the light by pushing
>on the lens(?) I would guess that it would have a slight 'spring' to the
>lens in order for it to operate like that. Mine has no 'spring'. pushing on
>the light does nothing, the lens doesn't move in, nothing lights up. How do
>I remove it?

Up thru '71 the lens pushed in to test the bulb. Starting in '72 that
light is supposed to come on, along with the generator and oil light,
when you turn the key on, but the engine hasn't started.

Unfortunately, a lot of the solid state works in these late units have
died. If you're good with small electronics you can fix it, but it
might be easier to find a good used one. I'm sure I have several of
these here.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

After some more troubleshooting I have some new news.
I am getting power at the light, but the light isn't burning. There is a
relay that two of the wires coming out of the light go to. How do I check
the relay?

Thanks,

Dave



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O.K. after some hours out with the Voltmeter I have some new questions. I
don't think the light is the culprit. From what I understand from the
diagrams I have been studying, the warning light should take it's test power
from the oil light located in the speedo.

There is a blue wire that comes up from the abyss that is the inner fender
well on the drivers side. This wire then runs through what looks to be a
fusible link. Two blue wires then emerge from the other side of this link.
One goes to the oil light, one to the brake warning light.

I just don't get this. I get power to one side of the warning light, but no
light. I picked up two bulbs while I was out today and neither one works. I
cleaned off the ground lug and the connector and still get nothing.

Is this system in any way connected to the door switch/ignition buzzer?
That is actually the last part of my electrical repairs. I forgot about that
one. I just haven't been able to find a replacement switch.

Thanks,

Dave



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john wrote:
> O.K. after some hours out with the Voltmeter I have some new questions. I
> don't think the light is the culprit. From what I understand from the
> diagrams I have been studying, the warning light should take it's test power
> from the oil light located in the speedo.

Yes.

>
> There is a blue wire that comes up from the abyss that is the inner fender
> well on the drivers side.

Yes.


This wire then runs through what looks to be a
> fusible link.

No.


Two blue wires then emerge from the other side of this link.
> One goes to the oil light, one to the brake warning light.
>
Yes.


> I just don't get this. I get power to one side of the warning light, but no
> light. I picked up two bulbs while I was out today and neither one works. I
> cleaned off the ground lug and the connector and still get nothing.
>
> Is this system in any way connected to the door switch/ignition buzzer?

No.

> That is actually the last part of my electrical repairs. I forgot about that
> one. I just haven't been able to find a replacement switch.
>
> Thanks,
>

I posted links to these 2 drawings last time.
Maybe my posts are being filtered out?
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/3brake.gif
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/warning.gif

Term #61 goes "Low" when the OIL light is On.
Term #15 is live with key On.
If the light does not light under those conditions,
then the internal ckt (transistor) is bad.

--

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

On Mon, 1 Aug 2005 23:41:13 -0400 "john" > wrote:

> I am getting power at the light, but the light isn't burning. There is a
>relay that two of the wires coming out of the light go to. How do I check
>the relay?

When the late, non-pushbutton, warning lights stop working, It's
generally because there's a dead transistor inside the light assembly
itself. You can take them apart and replace the transistor if you are
familiar with this kind of stuff.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

It appears that I am not getting a ground with the light socket. I can
ground a tester to the gear shift and check inside the socket with the bulb
removed and I get power, but with the tester on the ground lead and the hot
side of the light I get nothing. I'll just keep working with it. It is
really hard to see where everything connects from the back of the light
because the wiper assembly is directly in the way.

I actually have a degree in electronics, but that was 15 years ago and I
never put it into use so most of it has been forgotten.

Thanks,

Dave



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On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 11:01:39 -0400 "john" > wrote:

>It appears that I am not getting a ground with the light socket. I can
>ground a tester to the gear shift and check inside the socket with the bulb
>removed and I get power, but with the tester on the ground lead and the hot
>side of the light I get nothing. I'll just keep working with it. It is
>really hard to see where everything connects from the back of the light
>because the wiper assembly is directly in the way.
>
> I actually have a degree in electronics, but that was 15 years ago and I
>never put it into use so most of it has been forgotten.

Do you have the Bentley manual for your car? Sounds like you don't,
because most of your questions are answered in the wiring diagrams
there. Get one; it will be one of the best investments you'll ever
make.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------