?'s about replacing an 82 brake light switch
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 797
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?'s about replacing an 82 brake light switch
Looks like I will have to replace the brake light switch on my 82. It quit the other day, but after I checked & used contact cleaner on the connections it seemed to be ok.
I was going to go for a drive today but something must be flakey inside the switch because they are not working again. I don't want to get rear ended so it's off the road until I get a new switch & install it.
I think the best thing will be to remove the seat so I can get better access under the dash but the clip that seems to hold the switch onto the bracket is something I have never seen before.
If anyone has any tips on doing this it would be appreciated.
I was going to go for a drive today but something must be flakey inside the switch because they are not working again. I don't want to get rear ended so it's off the road until I get a new switch & install it.
I think the best thing will be to remove the seat so I can get better access under the dash but the clip that seems to hold the switch onto the bracket is something I have never seen before.
If anyone has any tips on doing this it would be appreciated.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Maybe it just slipped too far out of the hole and it may therefore only need adjustment. Both switches there (brake light & cruise disengage..the one w/ the vac hose) have ribbed bodies that the metal slip in the pedal assembly grabs so they don't move. Here's a pic
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
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Thanks for the pix. That helps clear things up a bit. 
The adjustment is ok because the pedal fully depresses & clears the plunger when moved.
I was just out & checked the switch "overtravel" once the lights come on ( yup, its working again
) and the plunger has very little travel left once the contact point is reached. I think the spring inside the switch is weak and doesn't have enough strength to push the plunger out fully or the contacts have deformed so even when the pedal is pushed far enough the switch wont close reliably.
Since I have no confidence in this switch, I will replace it ASAP instead of trying to fix it.
The adjustment is ok because the pedal fully depresses & clears the plunger when moved.
I was just out & checked the switch "overtravel" once the lights come on ( yup, its working again
) and the plunger has very little travel left once the contact point is reached. I think the spring inside the switch is weak and doesn't have enough strength to push the plunger out fully or the contacts have deformed so even when the pedal is pushed far enough the switch wont close reliably.Since I have no confidence in this switch, I will replace it ASAP instead of trying to fix it.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 797
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Well, the job was a lot easier than I thought. I didn't even need to remove the seat.
For those interested, this is what I did:
I just removed the AC duct, unplugged the 2 electrical connectors
(the one with the lock tabs was a bit of a fuss, but not too bad). I then bent the 2 forward terminals flat & unscrewed the switch back out.
The new one was easy to install, all it needed was to be wiggled into the spring retainer & slowly pushed/rocked forward until it was in far enough in to depress the plunger with out bottoming out. Now the brake lights work reliably.
For those interested, this is what I did:
I just removed the AC duct, unplugged the 2 electrical connectors
(the one with the lock tabs was a bit of a fuss, but not too bad). I then bent the 2 forward terminals flat & unscrewed the switch back out.
The new one was easy to install, all it needed was to be wiggled into the spring retainer & slowly pushed/rocked forward until it was in far enough in to depress the plunger with out bottoming out. Now the brake lights work reliably.
