"check brake light circuit" on bmw 325is

[mickey428]

Hi guys, i need some help. Every now and then my car will flash the "check brake light circuit" notice on the com?puter thing. Is this something serious that needs to be checked by my bmw dealer or is this something i can change myself.

[InsayneWrapper]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I have this problem too I've been searching around. I just bought the same exact car and it has this problem.
Also, I have a weird idle problem too; it's really erratic. I'm new to BMWs but I'm pretty mechanically inclined I guess I'm kinda converting from Hondas..
Any ideas where to start?

[k.sidlosky]

for the bulbs if they all work I wouldn't think much of is and for the erratic idle I would look intot he throttle position sensor mine got oil in it and it lost power and idled funny

[silversled]

Here's what I know...on my 1988 325iC the brake light telltale has been on for the last several years...you know, triggers the dash warning and the old overhead reset routine...I just go through the reset thing as a matter of course any more. Here's what I found out and I don't care to fix it. After inspecting the brake lights, a real toughy as I had to have the wife start the car and then step on the brake pedal, I rapidly determined that all 3 brake lights were, in fact, working. After research I determined that there is a 'relay' or something in the middle brake light housing that triggers the warning lamp in the cabin. As I know all 3 brake lights work I do, and have for several years, just reset the warning on the dash and ignore the overhead. This doesn't exclude actually checking all of the brake lights anyhow. And how is it that cars don't have front brake lights....so you can tell if they are slowing down coming at you as well....I can't even think of a downside to that from the consumer standpoint..Anyway, I know on an 88 325 the brake light telltale comes from the center brake light.....good luck

[94BMW325i]

It's the switch on the brake pedal. On my car it was black, with a little plunger on it. I replaced that, and it has been fine since (no check brake light circuit msg). Previously it would say that error msg even if all my lights did work properly. It cost me about $15 from a website online.