Megane won't start using brake pedal

[handyandy23]

Hi - newbie here, I've searched the forum and can't find a similar post so apologes if I've posted this in the wrong place.

2004 04 1.5 DCI Authentique. 97k miles.

It's just been MOT'd today and had the front nearside suspension arm changed as there was excessive wear in the offside front suspension arm (that was all that was done apart from the tracking)

I always start it using the brake pedal + start button, but when I went to drive it away from the garage that wouldn't work, but pressing the clutch + start button did work. I asked the mechanic why and he seemed confused and just said try it for a couple of days.


I've seen posts where people have had problems the other way (i.e. clutch won't work but brake will) but don't know what this is. Either way I'm going to take it back to them in the next couple of days as it was working fine this morning before I dropped it off.
Also the reversing lights are on permanently. I didn't notice this until it got dark tonight though, does anyone know if the two might be related?

It's now also developed a rattle - though I've had a look and I think I can see what's causing that.

Can anyone suggest what it might be? and if they don't play ball with repairing it for free, how much it might cost to fix??

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

Andrew

[manoman48]

Are your brake lights coming on when you push the pedal? If not then it will probably be the brake pedal switch.

Reversing lights not sure about I'm afraid, but how did it pass an MOT with them on permanently?

[handyandy23]

Hi Manoman48

No the brake lights do come on when I press the pedal.

I took it back in yesterday and the bloke in the garage thinks they might have knocked the reversing switch which is somewhere near where they were working (near the front arm?). He said they've probably knocked that at some point, so the car thinks it's in reverse all the time, which is why it won't start with the brake pedal, but will with the clutch, and that could also be why the reverse lights are on all the time. So they've ordered one in and will fit it this week.

Re: MOT, I can only think it must have happened after they'd fixed it and maybe they only re-tested the part they changed and didn't notice (or did and ignored) the reversing lights.

Will post an update once it's sorted so other people are aware.

[tomalamix]

if that is happening then if you press the brake pedal it will not start because the car is supposedly engaged on the rear gear, the ECU wont let the car start up even if it detects the brake pedal pressed. you must fix that reverse lights switch, which is on the gear box and not on the rear of the car.

after this i think you will not have more problems starting the car with the brake pedal pressed...

cheers

[triumph2.5man]

Andy, you really must sort this problem with the emergency key - you never know when you might need it!
My earlier post will explain what is wrong and how you can correct it.
Cheers, Mike
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