Brake Lights Please help urgently...

MOT booked tomorrow at 2pm. Just checked everything and of course, the brake lights arent working. Checked all fuses, bulbs, connections etc.
All ok. side lights work. It is a 1983 GTI. Ive read other threads and it appears to be operated by a switch on the master cylinder. I ve cleaned the connections and no change. There is one connection on each side of the master cylinder, does anyone know which one is for the brake light switch? If I change the switch do I need to bleed the system? Any help or thoughts would be appreciated as MOT in under 24 hours and I have run out of ideas.

This sounds familiar. Both of the switches on the master cylinder are for the brake lights. I would suggest replacing both of these along with new brake fluid. This is a pig of a job but worth doing. I believe the switches tend to fail because of the fluid not being changed often enough.

Whatever you do, DO NOT snap off a bleed nipple. I would strongly recomend soaking then in WD40 and leaving over night before you attempt to undo them.

Hope it goes ok.

Jay

Try shorting the spade connections that go to the switches on the master cylinder and check if the brake lights work, if they do then change switches.  If the brake lights still dont work, then check the fuseboard, my 3 month old GSF fuseboard gave up last year losing my brake lights.  

Just gave the fuse board a gentle ragging from side to side, and would you believe they now work… Obvoiusly a loose connection or something, easier than changing the switches so I'm happy, thanks for advice.
Gary.