Having a few dramas....The tail lights are working in the 68 1600 beetle but the brake lights are not. Neither of them.

Had a problem where the low beams weren't working either but now they seem to have come good on their own.

It is a MESS of wiring. Any hints, tips or clues as to what I need to check?

With the advice offered, please understand I am not a guru by ant means so any "just look at the soleniod" may not be helpful without a clue as to where it is situated.

Might be a problem with when I had to replace the brake lines from the master cylinder attachment as per this thread: http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=83163&page=1#pid774442 

Have I done something there and IF I have to have a look at this again, I will need to pull the petrol tank out right?

Maybe a trip to the auto electrician for a speedy fix?

Thanks for any help you can offer...

John

If you have a multi meter check to see if the switch on the master cylinder is working??

I have a multi meter. Do I need to take the petrol tank out to check that or is there an easier way? Told you I was no guru.....

easy without multi meter ,bridge the 2 switch wires if lights work then its the switch ,just take drivers side front wheel off and you can get to the switch on the master cylinder pretty easily,if they dont work check your fuses are all good and maybe clean the fuse terminals,if not fuses check wiring connections in the engine bay

also give all the earth's a good clean up with wet n dry or alike that will help too when u finally find the problemo

To be able to do basic electrical work on a car you will need to have at least two lengths of electrical flex about 2 metres long with a small crocodile clip on each end. Make them in different colours.

You can then get power from the battery or a fuse to check any part of the system.

Carry one in the car and then if you need to, you can connect the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal on the coil, to hot wire the car if you are without your keys.

Also get a test light which is shaped like a fountain pen with a festoon globe in it and a pointy end on it and a length of flex and a small alligator clip on the end. You can test all sort of things with it to see if there is power in a circuit. Connect the clip to earth and then poke around at terminals and fuses and see what happens. IF the light comes on you have power there.

With regard to your brake light problem I would recommend as policy from now on that when something like that happens, the first thing you do is clean all of the earth terminals that are connected to that circuit.

You must have followed a car where the indicators turn on when they apply the brakes, or the tail lights turn off, or something weird like that. That is a sure sign of bad earths. the current goes to the easiest place not the required place.

If Your tail lights or blinkers still work....

The Earth/ground is OK....

otherwise the tail lamps etc wouldn't work...

also check the fuses...

LEE

Thanks for all the very quick repsonses. I took the wheel off and can get to the switch fairly easily. I disconnected the two wires and put them together but no luck. Still not working. I will have a look at the earth connections but I am wondering why both are not working. Seperate earths I would think?

I have checked all the fuses and they are fine. I checked the brakes with the ignition on and off and no joy. I checked one the bulbs and it is fine as well. The top connection on the MS wire was not real good but I dont think that is the problem as I put the two together and no good. It is off to the auto elec. I have run out of time as I have other stuff to do. I will let you know what he/she finds.

Check whether you have power (with a test light) to one of the wires to the brake light switch on the master cylinder when you have the ignition on.

The other thing to do would be to run power to the other wire (the one going to the brake lights) and see if they light up then.

At least this way you should be able to work out if the problem is no power to the switch, or no power getting from the switch to the lights at the back of the car.