Parking Brake Light Switch
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Elder User
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From: North Jersey, New Jersey
Parking Brake Light Switch
Well my Aero is giving me trouble again it seems that that when the parking brake is pulled up the light isn't coming on at all. This has happened before but the light came back on after repeatedly pulling the parking brake up and pushing it down.
I'm thinking the switch is shot or needs cleaning if possible but before I look into it how is the switch wired?
Is it wired like on one of my car's the switch connects and disconnects the parking brake indicators ground to turn it on and off or does the switch actually connect and disconnect the hot lead?
I'm thinking the switch is shot or needs cleaning if possible but before I look into it how is the switch wired?
Is it wired like on one of my car's the switch connects and disconnects the parking brake indicators ground to turn it on and off or does the switch actually connect and disconnect the hot lead?
Last edited by krankshaft; Sep 26, 2005 at 08:39 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,452
Likes: 1
From: Southern California
Krankshaft:
It's just a simple on/off push button switch, but unbelievably cheap one.It consists of a spring and a contact, all exposed, not sealed. The connector probably costs 100 times that switch. I don't think it's even made in China. Even China makes better stuff than that
It's just a simple on/off push button switch, but unbelievably cheap one.It consists of a spring and a contact, all exposed, not sealed. The connector probably costs 100 times that switch. I don't think it's even made in China. Even China makes better stuff than that
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: North Jersey, New Jersey
I noticed I have never seen such a simple switch 
and leaving it exposed causes even more trouble.
Upon further inspection this is a ground switch the switches mechanics are simple in nature there is a pin with a washer at the bottom when the parking brake is pulled up this washer is pulled up by the pin connected to the spring against 2 contacts one comes from the ground wire from the indicator light and the other connects the switch to the metal of the parking brake (ground).
When the parking brake is pushed down the pin gets pushed down against the spring causing the washer to move downward away from the contacts thus breaking ground and turning the indicator light off.
Just to be safe I removed the switch and sanded all the contacts including the clip that holds the bolt in and the metal behind the screw on the other side of the switch that contacts the brake then I put white lithium grease on both the spring on the pin and the inner contacts to prevent any rusting or sticking in the future. Probably the washer was getting stuck causing the switch not to work but the grease fixed that. Reassembled and everything works great
.
and leaving it exposed causes even more trouble.Upon further inspection this is a ground switch the switches mechanics are simple in nature there is a pin with a washer at the bottom when the parking brake is pulled up this washer is pulled up by the pin connected to the spring against 2 contacts one comes from the ground wire from the indicator light and the other connects the switch to the metal of the parking brake (ground).
When the parking brake is pushed down the pin gets pushed down against the spring causing the washer to move downward away from the contacts thus breaking ground and turning the indicator light off.
Just to be safe I removed the switch and sanded all the contacts including the clip that holds the bolt in and the metal behind the screw on the other side of the switch that contacts the brake then I put white lithium grease on both the spring on the pin and the inner contacts to prevent any rusting or sticking in the future. Probably the washer was getting stuck causing the switch not to work but the grease fixed that. Reassembled and everything works great
.
Last edited by krankshaft; Sep 26, 2005 at 10:25 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,416
Likes: 1
From: Mitchell, SD
I noticed I have never seen such a simple switch and leaving it exposed causes even more trouble.
Upon further inspection this is a ground switch the switches mechanics are simple in nature there is a pin with a washer at the bottom when the parking brake is pulled up this washer is pulled up by the pin connected to the spring against 2 contacts one comes from the ground wire from the indicator light and the other connects the switch to the metal of the parking brake (ground).
When the parking brake is pushed down the pin gets pushed down against the spring causing the washer to move downward away from the contacts thus breaking ground and turning the indicator light off.
Just to be safe I removed the switch and sanded all the contacts including the clip that holds the bolt in and the metal behind the screw on the other side of the switch that contacts the brake then I put white lithium grease on both the spring on the pin and the inner contacts to prevent any rusting or sticking in the future. Probably the washer was getting stuck causing the switch not to work but the grease fixed that. Reassembled and everything works great.
and leaving it exposed causes even more trouble.Upon further inspection this is a ground switch the switches mechanics are simple in nature there is a pin with a washer at the bottom when the parking brake is pulled up this washer is pulled up by the pin connected to the spring against 2 contacts one comes from the ground wire from the indicator light and the other connects the switch to the metal of the parking brake (ground).
When the parking brake is pushed down the pin gets pushed down against the spring causing the washer to move downward away from the contacts thus breaking ground and turning the indicator light off.
Just to be safe I removed the switch and sanded all the contacts including the clip that holds the bolt in and the metal behind the screw on the other side of the switch that contacts the brake then I put white lithium grease on both the spring on the pin and the inner contacts to prevent any rusting or sticking in the future. Probably the washer was getting stuck causing the switch not to work but the grease fixed that. Reassembled and everything works great
.I know what todays Aero-Restro project is.
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