BMW 7 Brake Light Issues, Switch Problem or More?

Hey there! I've got some experience with BMWs. Actually, I had a similar issue with my 2013 BMW 5 Series Hybrid last year. The 5 and 7 Series share quite a few electrical components. Had the exact same symptoms, brake lights not working and error messages popping up. Turned out I wasn't fully pressing the brake pedal when starting the car. The brake light switch needs to register a complete press. Once I started making sure to press the pedal all the way down, the errors disappeared and everything worked fine. Didn't cost me anything since it was just a mechanical error. Could you share your specific error codes? That would help pinpoint if you're dealing with the same thing or if it might be something else. Also, has this been happening since you got the car, or did it start recently? Hope this helps, let me know if you need any more details!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Actually, my situation seems a bit different. I've been making sure to fully press the brake pedal, but the issues persist. The error codes I'm getting are P0504 and P0571, which point towards the brake switch circuit. My last service was about 3 months ago and I'm currently at 175265 KM. Given how the symptoms keep showing up regardless of how I operate the brake pedal, I'm thinking it might be an electrical issue rather than a mechanical error. The switch itself is probably worn out and needs replacement. Just wanted to check if others had similar experiences before booking a service appointment.

Hey again! Thanks for providing those error codes. You're right, your case does sound different from what I initially thought. Looking at those codes (P0504 and P0571) and the fact that it's persistent despite proper pedal operation, I'd say you're definitely dealing with a failing brake light switch. After I shared my experience last time, I actually ended up having a similar issue about 6 months later on my 2013 5 Series. Unlike my first experience where it was just me not pressing the pedal properly, the switch actually did fail. The symptoms were identical to what you're describing, constant error messages, brake lights not working, and those same error codes. I ended up getting the switch replaced, cost me around €200 including labor, and that solved everything. Given your mileage (mine was around 160,000 KM when it happened), it's pretty common for these switches to wear out. These parts typically last about 150,000-180,000 KM in my experience. My suggestion would be to go ahead with the service appointment. It's a relatively straightforward fix, and it's definitely not worth risking driving around with potentially non-functioning brake lights. Plus, those persistent error messages can be pretty annoying! Let me know how it goes after you get it checked out. Good luck!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! It's really reassuring to hear someone had the exact same issue, especially with those matching error codes. €200 for the repair sounds pretty reasonable, definitely better than what I was imagining. I'll go ahead and book that service appointment for next week. The quote about the typical lifespan of these switches makes total sense too, given my mileage. Really appreciate you sharing your experience. It's helped me feel much more confident about what I'm dealing with. I'll make sure to update the thread after I get it fixed in case anyone else runs into similar problems with their BMW in the future. Thanks again for all your help!