Brake light bypass ...Critical for F1 owners

As discussed previously, F1 cars will strand you if a brake light fails.

Today I installed the F1 Brake Fail bypass that I bought from Stef at Scuding in Switzerland. It cost only $100 with free shipping included !! I got it in about three days amazingly from Switzerland.

All you have to do is plug this harness between the brake light assembly and the car's harness.

No more brake light F1 worries.
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Sounds cool.
Have you tested it by pulling a brake light?

 

Anyone know how this works? Seems like the functionality could be recreated if someone wanted to homebrew it themselves.

Thanks Skipp for reminding us F1 owners to watch out for this gremlin.
Ken

 

sorry not sure I understand why an f1 car will leave you stranded if a brake light fails?

 

Also of note, if the engine hatch contact switch fails (or isn't securely closed), you can be stranded too.

 

Daniel, is this just an F1 issue, or are we who know how to shift gears affected too?

 

Beccause it wont fing shift. You're then stranded for a light bulb. I say carry lightbulbs just like the tool kit provides.

 

Another design wonder by Ferrari!

 

So the bypass allows you to drive home without the brake lights. No thanks. I'll get it towed instead of taking the risk of being rear-ended.

To build your own: R=E/I

R = Ohms
E = Volts
I = Amps

Most likely, a 6 ohm, 5 Watt power resistor will do the job. That's what I used when converting my 360 lights to all LEDs.
Cost: less than $15.00 USD.

 

Each to there own. I'd rather drive with no brake lights than sit on the side of the road waiting for a tow !

I posted this to help folks who aren't aware of the issue.

 

A bad brake pedal switch will leave you stranded too. I suggest that you carry a spare.

 

If I have LEDs, which almost never burn out, does that mean I probably don't need to worry about this issue?

 

Ummm. Not sure if I'm missing something, but are you saying that if a brake light bulb goes out you will be stranded?!

If so, that is wrong.

I had a brake light bulb fail last year and my car continued to perform completely normally (in fact in the drive by video I posted on you tube you can see one of my brake lights is not working!)

I just bought a new bulb and put it in when I got home with no interruption to normal operation at all.

If you are saying something else, ignore me and carry on!

 

Thanks for the information.

Robb

 

well I can say this as I haven't tried the bulb yet. But someone had a issue with the tail light fuse. His was blown and it wouldn't shift.

I took out my tail light fuse and it wouldn't work.

I am not sure if losing one bulb will cause this but the fuse really will.

 

I haven't pulled a bulb yet, but unplugging the taillight plug rendered the F1 system inoperable.

 

Ok that must be the difference then because my fuse was fine.

So really as long as you carry a spare fuse you should be ok.

 

Spare fuses and bulbs as said before are in tool kit.
For my car the rear bonnet switch if it malfunctions can be unplugged and then it works. I think most f1 s are the same.

More importantly the 30 amp f1 fuse which is not in your tool kit will leave you stranded.

 

The 355F1 system will still work if you have a burnt bulb,It will not work if your brake light switch is not working.

 

Yikes! Had no idea light bulb failure, brake pedal switch failure, and engine hatch contact switch failure would render F1 inoperable. Are there any other potentially fatal dinky parts? Shame to be stranded because dinky part fails. Nothing wrecks a date faster.Has anyone perchance made a Critical Dinky Parts Kit or List? Would seem wise to have these items along with install instructions and install tools permanently in vehicle. Anything to avoid the horror of a flatbed tow.

 

I think you misread Michael and I both . Only brakelight switch will leave you stranded.