Brake Lights on car will not turn off, where is the brake light switch located?

PILOTBILL

MEMBER
2009 KIA RIO
1.6L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
86,332 MILES

My wife and I went out to dinner today, when we got home, I noticed the brake lights on the car were on. Got back into car, pump the brakes a couple of times, did not help. I think that the brake light switch went out. I tried to find the brake light switch under dash, but no luck. Can you tell me where the brake switch is and how to change it? Any information you can give me would be helpful, if you have any pictures, could you send them also. The vehicle listed above has A/C. Please help. Thank you all. Bill Hewitt Comfort, Texas

Sunday, July 7th, 2024 AT 5:45 PM

2 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
110,176 POSTS

Hi,

I attached two pics below. The first one shows the location of the switch. The second does as well, but it does it from a different point of view.

Before you replace it, confirm that it isn't out of adjustment. There is a lock nut that holds it in place. If it needs adjusted, that nut will need to be loosened and the switch moved to a position that allows the switch to open and turn the lights off.

Let me know if this helps or if you have other questions.

Take care,

joe

See pics below.

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Sunday, July 7th, 2024 AT 10:25 PM

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
15,233 POSTS

To add to Joes, reply, you will also want to check if your car uses a bumper insert in the brake pedal to activate the switch. Those will typically have a hole where a plastic insert goes that activates the switch, the insert fails and falls out and now the switch just sticks through the hole rather than being acted on by the lever. The result is that the lights stay on.
To repair that I generally use a push nail or "Christmas tree" like the image. Those seem to last longer than the OE part.

Image (Click to make bigger)