I've been having quite a bit of trouble adjusting the parking brake switch so it operates the dash light indicator properly.

Can somebody with please take a picture of their switch so I can position it properly? I understand it might be difficult without the lower steering column panel removed.

The switch looks like this and is mounted by a single pivot machine screw up behind the parking brake foot lever and has a single ground wire attachd to it.



I understand how it operates but I can't get the position of the switch right. I snapped a piece off the original switch and hope not to repeat that on the replacement.

Also, can you check to see if there is a some kind of hard wire or something attached between the lever and the brake lever mechanism itself (so that the switch pivots as the lever is pressed and positions it properly as the lever is pressed in? I've seen this configuration on other cars but don't see something like that on mine.)

Like this... (see the wire attached between the switch and brake lever mechanism)


Thanks!

 

I don't understand your problem...the switch only goes in one way.

 

the single bolt allows the switch to pivot in a number of positions before tightened down. Therefore the distance of the curled 'actuator' to the lever mechansim can vary depending on what angle the swich was at before tightend down. Too far, the actuator arm doesn't engage, too close it snaps off. In most positions I tried, the light would come and then off again as the pedal got pushed nearly all way in. I suspect this might have more to do with my parking brake cable not tightened enough, and the pedal isn't intended to pushed that far in (and consequently, the switch actuator arm pops off the lever and back into its normal position).

At any rate, I'm tired of fiddling with it and with a photo of a properly working switch, I can hopefully mount the new switch at intended angle/position in relation to the lever without driving myself nuts adjusting again and again.

 

There should be a tit on the back of the switch that fit's into a hole on the mounting plate. With that tit in the hole and the bolt installed the switch should be right where it needs to be and should not move.

 

aha, that makes sense. looks like it sheared cleanly off my original switch, allowing it to freely pivot. managed to overlook it in the pic I attached too.

lots of typing to get to such a simple explanation. thanks!