Why do German electrical parts catch fire?

[Ausmartin1]

My First non light globe failure on my VX II after nearly 11.5 years.

The Stop switch made in Germany note how it overheated, melted and seized the plunger with brake pedal at rest.
What is it with GM Eaton Germany (In fact most Germany electrical crappy plastic switches etc? especially on euro cars)

I've never had to replace Japanese stop light switches ever ! (and most look better accessible)

The location of this switch on my VX is a hoot even with the lower dash fuse cover removed, used long needle nose pliers and extended 22mm socket (note hand thread new one first - before using socket again 6mm +/-0.5 gap from hex to screw in plate) another job where bits of trim etc love to give you a little scratch to draw blood.

[jboy21]

Too much resistance across contacts = more power disappation across the contacts = more heat = melty = magic smoke

[Bling Bling]

Yep every car i buy i check to see if it's a jap stop switch, i hate magic smoke.

[Ausmartin1]

Too much resistance across contacts = more power disappation across the contacts = more heat = melty = magic smoke

True, but in this cars case - all 3 connected globes are in great shape, no water ingress, if it was that bad the 15Amp fuse should blow.
However this is a concern on the Commodore as the Stop switch is always live - powered up.
A lot of Jap cars cannot activate Stop lights until the ignition is on.
Both methods have their pluses and minuses.

Don't mind the GM way as long the switch would be an extremely quality item - but it only appears so visually.
(Again that euro product crux)

[amckiwi]

Remembers Lucas Electricals

The German stuff will be 1000% better

Lord Lucas was the prince of darkness lol

Stu

[Ausmartin1]

Remembers Lucas Electricals

The German stuff will be 1000% better

Lord Lucas was the prince of darkness lol

Stu

True about Lucas, they used to sell can smoke - so you can inject it back into the wires.

Did you hear about their foray into domestics appliances:
Lucas has only one product that didn't suck.....

Vacuum cleaner

[SirNemesis]

Yep every car i buy i check to see if it's a jap stop switch, i hate magic smoke.

Really? A part worth a few dollars is a deciding factor when buying a car?...

[Black VU SS ute]

I had my stop light switch do the same thing on the way to the licencing centre to re rego. brake lights swtich was stuck in the off position, and burnt to buggery. That was 3yrs ago, and was my first too.

[jboy21]

True, but in this cars case - all 3 connected globes are in great shape, no water ingress, if it was that bad the 15Amp fuse should blow.
However this is a concern on the Commodore as the Stop switch is always live - powered up.
A lot of Jap cars cannot activate Stop lights until the ignition is on.
Both methods have their pluses and minuses.

Don't mind the GM way as long the switch would be an extremely quality item - but it only appears so visually.
(Again that euro product crux)

It not really about the current going through it, its the fact the switch contacts wear or get dirty and increase resistance. so the same amount of current flowing will heat it up, its acting like a lower rated fuse.

[Wonky]

However this is a concern on the Commodore as the Stop switch is always live - powered up.
A lot of Jap cars cannot activate Stop lights until the ignition is on.

Not true on VE - brake lights on mine don't work if car is not on (or on accessories).

[peter b]

seriously the car is 11.5 years old and your upset over a melted brake light switch it has nothing to do with who made it or where it was made nothing lasts forever this is what we take on when we purchase a car.

[SirNemesis]

I had a car once that melted a brake light globe. It was made in China, so from now on I'm not buying any electronics made in China.

[Ausmartin1]

seriously the car is 11.5 years old and your upset over a melted brake light switch it has nothing to do with who made it or where it was made nothing lasts forever this is what we take on when we purchase a car.

To agree with you I'd buy Euro car and dump it when its out of warranty.

However ... If GMH went with the always live stoplight circuit on my VXII, they should have used a really high quality Switch to last the life of the car which should be a lot longer than 92K of use.
Who knows under the right conditions it could have caused an electrical fire while just parked.

If the car went up in smoke at that age you would say it's ok?
I'd not be happy with other losses - garage / house my New Volt for example.

Compared to Jap cars that have done "amazing amount of KM" I have not seen this happen.
Europe made cars sadly yes - they seem to be the sort of good at making items that last a "certain" amount of time
- for them it's ok as usually the cars are scrapped due to not passing MOT (Yearly Road Worthy) due to corrosion etc. by the time the predetermined life cycle expires on all the parts.

We tend to keep our cars longer on the road and in the case of my low KM one in excellent mechanical & body shape why not and without surprise fire hazard preferably.
So I don't mind shaming the company who makes this item and its country of origin.

[peter b]

To agree with you I'd buy Euro car and dump it when its out of warranty.

However ... If GMH went with the always live stoplight circuit on my VXII, they should have used a really high quality Switch to last the life of the car which should be a lot longer than 92K of use.
Who knows under the right conditions it could have caused an electrical fire while just parked.

If the car went up in smoke at that age you would say it's ok?
I'd not be happy with other losses - garage / house my New Volt for example.

Compared to Jap cars that have done "amazing amount of KM" I have not seen this happen.
Europe made cars sadly yes - they seem to be the sort of good making items that last a "certain" amount of time - for them it's ok as usually the cars are scrapped due to not passing MOT (Yearly Road Worthy) due to corrosion etc. by the time the predetermined life cycle expires on all the parts.

We tend to keep our cars longer on the road and in the case of my low KM one in excellent mechanical & body shape why not and without surprise fire hazard preferably.
So I don't mind shaming the company who makes this item and its country of origin.

well then i will ask you this how many times have you changed said brake light switch??
is out so far out of the realm of common sense that sometimes shit happens?
How many times do you suppose said brake switch has been activated?
How many times have you seen something such as this occur to make your claim about German parts catching fire? which the switch in question melted and I highly doubt there was any flame.

[Ausmartin1]

I had a car once that melted a brake light globe. It was made in China, so from now on I'm not buying any electronics made in China.

LOL! It's getting difficult as some of the stuff is actually ok - but how do you before hand?

I'm the same with food - I steer clear of Chinese produced food (Even via NZ- local & imported ingredients)
Why because my Chinese friends have warned me about all the dodgy practices going on over there.
Wealthy Chinese import a lot of our good Australian food stuffs or grow their own to be sure!