2003 freelander brakelights only come on when brake pedal is pushed hard can anyone help please

Brake light switch usually in front of the brake pedal arm under the dash toward the top of the arm.. Some have a small grommet or spacer that pushes the switch closed when you release the pedal to its off position, and they break, or get worn and fall out/off. These are easily replaced.

You brake lights are actuated by a switch that is connected to the brake pedal or to the hydraulics. It's sticking in the closed position. I'd need to see a shop manual on your car - or the car itself - to tell you any more than that, but that's your problem. The first place to look would be at the brake pedal, under the dash, near the top of the linkage. Shine a flashlight up there and see if you can see a see the switch. It may look like this:



If it's not there, it could be in the hydraulics. In that case, you should take the car to a brake shop.
You may be able to find a used break light switch online.
Sources: Picture: About.com

Most vehicles have a brake sensor on the top of the brake pedal and it may be out of adjustment. It's very simple to adjust. Try checking that out. If it's out of adjustment it doesn't know you're foot is on the brake until you push the pedal very hard. But don't adjust it too far the other way or you're brake lights won't work right.

Ive got a 92 Tercel. Had this same problem. Look around on the floorboard of your car. Look for a small rubber disc, or broken up pieces of the rubber disc.

If you see the pieces or whole hard rubber thing on the floor, then the rubber disc that goes at the point where the brakelight switch touches the back of the brake pedal has fallen off.

When that disc falls off the brakelight switch touches bare metal, and the switch is grounded which makes it stay on all the time.

Climb under the dash with a flashlight and look at the back of the brake pedal. Find the brakelight switch, look at the point where the switch contacts the pedal. See if the rubber disc is missing. If it
is missing find a small piece of rubber to superglue on the spot where the switch makes contact.

If the disc is there the brakelight switch is probably stuck. If its stuck you will see a gap between
the switch contact and the brake pedal. If its stuck get a replacement brakelight switch from an
auto parts store.

it could be just an adjustment problem, the switch needs to be fully activated when the brake pedal is pushed in......hope this helps......cheers.

the cause is the brake light switch on the backside on top of the brake pedal. it is either out off adjustment or it needs replaced. this switch activates the brake lights when pushing on brake pedal. if it gets out of adjustment or sticks the brake lights will stay on because it does not cut voltage to brake lights. have a good day !!

suspect a bad brake light switch,on the brake pedal itself.the key need not be on when checking the brake light switch.but requires 2 people.one to insure the brake lights come on,one to push the brake. theres a switch on the brake pedal itself. look above the brake pedal pad that you push to apply the brakes. you will see a plunger that moves in and out,just to supply the current to the brakelights.if the plungers out of sync,it will not work. or it may only be stuck.or simply bad,if it moves and brake lights do not work. if the plunger works on visual inspection,and is plugged up,the switch is suspect to be bad. thank you,for choosing fixya.com!! SIMPLE SOLUTION,CHECK THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE. IT MAY ONLY BE BLOWN. UNDER THE DASH ON DRIVERS SIDE CLOSEST TO YOUR LEFT FOOT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. WITH FLASHLIGHT,CHECK FOR BLOWN BRAKE LIGHT FUSE. if this fails,check for blown brakelight bulbs. unlikely that both brake light bulbs blown at once! but not unusall. thank you for choosing fixya.com!!

hi from uk your brakelights problem may well be the brake lights switch is not being pushed off by pedal when released look where the b/pedal pivots under dash you will see the switch it has two wire plug attached? pull off plug brakelights will go off now the switch needs to be screwed clockwise a couple of turns so it contact b/pedal and the plunger is pushed in fully inside switch refit plug/wires then press pedal down slowly approx 3/4'' the light will come on and go off when pedal released the air bag light may also go off ?? however if not ? check underneath front seats you will see wires with plug connections under each seat these are what operates the pre tensioners on seatbelts in event of impact/accident ? unplug then reconnect plugs then check if light goes off also ensure rear seat backrests are fully locked in position these seats with constant adjusting sometimes cause light to come on ? hope this helps ?

Test for power at the inoperative bulb socket with a 12V test light

Hope this helps if this information is helpful please give me a good rating. Thanks , Randy

www.aceautomotive1.com