by southern man Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:21 pmThe switch I salvaged out of my parts van when I swapped in the dual reservoir master cylinder finally gave up the ghost recently. One of the corroded terminals just snapped off, so I replaced the switch. Works fine except the lights don't always go off. The brake pedal comes back up fine, but I can't be sure the lights are off. A few good pumps does the job. Do I need to lubricate the bolt that holds it on (and is attached to the tension spring)?
3 posters
Brake Light Switch
southern man- Number of posts : 486
Location : Columbia, South Carolina
Registration date : 2008-05-21
southern man- Number of posts : 486
Location : Columbia, South Carolina
Registration date : 2008-05-21
Bump! Anyone have any ideas? I have taken this thing apart and put it back together several times with no luck. Now the brake lights won't even come on! I'm seriously frustrated!
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12245
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
Is that a mechanical one or a pressure one? You can take your 12 volt test light and see if you have power to it and see if it actually turns on and off at the other terminal while you mess with the brake pedal and see what it is doing,,,,,,,
southern man- Number of posts : 486
Location : Columbia, South Carolina
Registration date : 2008-05-21
"You can take your 12 volt test light and see if you have power to it and see if it actually turns on and off at the other terminal while you mess with the brake pedal and see what it is doing,,,,,,,"
Thanks Donivan. I was thinking last night that doing that might tell me something. I guess it's a mechanical one (has spring lever inside). It doesn't seem complicated, and unless I've fried the brand new switch, it should be something simple. What I need is my wife to push on the brake pedal while I'm underneath. She's been gone for a couple days on business but comes home tonight (but late). I gotta figure this out so I can drive it again!
Thanks Donivan. I was thinking last night that doing that might tell me something. I guess it's a mechanical one (has spring lever inside). It doesn't seem complicated, and unless I've fried the brand new switch, it should be something simple. What I need is my wife to push on the brake pedal while I'm underneath. She's been gone for a couple days on business but comes home tonight (but late). I gotta figure this out so I can drive it again!
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12245
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
You might be able to just reach up there and pull down on the pedal to operate the brake light switch. The idea is to see if the pedal activates the switch and sends a signal to the turn signal switch and it's job is to turn the brake lights on. You might be able to adjust the switch to get it to go on and off correctly,,,,,however,,,, if it is old, it won't work right,,,,,but see if you have power in and power out first,,,,,,,
Twinpilot001- Number of posts : 6186
Location : spokane ,Wa.
Registration date : 2009-09-28
[i]Many times the switches connections will get loose & or corode- try sanding the electrical connections or check wiring - likely switch isnt bad -worth a try - can also try some electrical contact cleaner
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12245
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
If it's one of these things, they are pretty sensitive,,,the pedal kinds of rubs on it to operate the brake lights,,,,,and it probably likes the brake pedal that it originally came built for,,,,,
southern man- Number of posts : 486
Location : Columbia, South Carolina
Registration date : 2008-05-21
Yep, Doni, that's it! I have the brake pedal installed that came out of the parts van that had the dual M/C.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12245
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
Then you should just be able to take a small screwdriver and push it in and see if you get power out of it and also if the spring returns it to the off position,,,
