Pontiac Owners Club UK

Hi all - just a quick question regarding the brake warning light on the dash of a 1980 2nd gen - can any one tell me
if the brake light should light up when you 1st turn on the ignition ( for a bulb check ) - because mine doesn't - but its
been off the road with the clocks out for so long I cant remember if it should - it lights up ok when the foot/handbrake
is applied - I have fitted new brake proportioning valve fitted that came with a new switch already installed on it
- I have checked the feed to the switch witch reads 12v - how should this light work

Many thanks steve

Hi,

That light only comes on if the brake is applied so if you turn the ignition on with the park brake off it won't light up.

The only other time it comes on is if there is a fluid or pressure issue. Yours sounds like its fine .

There is no bulb check as such in the second gen. The oil, temp and volts lights come on when you turn the ignition on because the relevant switches and sensors are closed circuit until the engine runs when the grounds are then removed ( turning the lights off) until the ground is reinstated due to the switch or sensor being operated by a fault.

Many thanks - that has put my mind at rest

No problem !

Thought I had a problem as I've noticed that my brake light doesn't come on with the ignition like it used to, but it does light only briefly when starting (then goes out as it should as engine runs). However my parking brake is on so guess there's a wire to check that is connected on that pedal? (Unless it has anything to do with my reverse light that has also stopped working?) I was worried no brake light at ignition was an alternator fault but the volt gauge is reading fine and battery is relatively new and holding charge fine. So nothing to really worry about then?

The switch is on the pedal assembly and there is a single wire coming from it which can get knocked with feet etc.

Another common issue is the lamp connection on the binnacle. The binnacle has a very simple and crude PCB on the back which peels away from the rear of the binnacle with age, and also the tracks can get worn down. Mine had the same issue and so I took it out and glued the PCB back down and built up the circuit board tracks with a bit of conductive paint to make a good connection for the lamp.

The brake light should not come on with the ignition turned on unless the park brake is applied. Oil and volts lamp should come on until the engine is running.

Try those!

Oil and volts lamps? Don't remember ever seeing those but the oil pressure gauge and volt gauge certainly move when ignition switched on. Only ever had a red brake light appear. But then again, my clock (within tach) doesn't work either! Old electrics eh! lol. Thanks Ian.

ah you probably don't have the oil and volts lamp as you had original "Rallye" gauges installed from the factory. Some cars had warning lamps instead.