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I was trying to get my seatbelt from behind the seat while driving and accidently pulled my brake pedal up.
Now when the pedal is pushed down it stays down and the brake light stays and the battery goes dead. Unless I have not been drinking and remember to pull the pedal up with my foot.
BTW I bought this without wife's permission and slept in the guest room until I agreed to sell. I had it painted and sidepipes to help sell ,,,,,,,,I have decided the guest room is not so bad .......keeping it eventhough it is a 75 but it is all original, matching with A/C and 67k miles.
I am sure the pedal is an easy fix but I can see the problem.
I will check fluid but it happened when I pulled the pedal up with my foot on accident
I was told yesterday by a friend that he thinks there is a brake switch with a spring but I dont see the spring or did not see one in my floor when I caused the problem.
Sounds like you need a brake pedal return spring if the system is otherwise in good shape. If the pedal will not return to the normal position due to a weak spring, the brake lights will stay on, eventually running the battery down.
It sounds like the striker arm that is attached to the brake pedal arm is not hitting the brake light switch under the dash. I would look under the dash and see why the pedal is not moving forward, you will also see the brake light switch I am talking about. It should not be the problem, it sounds like something is in the way of the arm coming all the way forward.
Originally Posted by uksailmaker
I was trying to get my seatbelt from behind the seat while driving and accidently pulled my brake pedal up.
Now when the pedal is pushed down it stays down and the brake light stays and the battery goes dead. Unless I have not been drinking and remember to pull the pedal up with my foot.
BTW I bought this without wife's permission and slept in the guest room until I agreed to sell. I had it painted and sidepipes to help sell ,,,,,,,,I have decided the guest room is not so bad .......keeping it eventhough it is a 75 but it is all original, matching with A/C and 67k miles.
I am sure the pedal is an easy fix but I can see the problem.
Sounds like you need a brake pedal return spring if the system is otherwise in good shape. If the pedal will not return to the normal position due to a weak spring, the brake lights will stay on, eventually running the battery down.
Mike
I checked fluid it is full. The pedal hits the switch and turns taillights off if I pull it up by hand.
The pedal gets stuck down and pulls back with a click by hand.
I think Mike is right and my friend also said there is a spring.Where does the spring go and where do I buy one
My 75 has the EXACT same problem, except that mine was like that when i bought the car. I dont have leaks in my brake lines. I heard that it is either the brake pedal return spring, or the power brake booster. For me, since i am funding the restoration by myself, am using the option of pushing the pedal back in its spot everytime i brake. LOL my left foot isnt doing much anyways...
Last edited by chstitans42; Apr 12, 2007 at 11:44 PM.
Reason: brake not break lol
My 75 has the EXACT same problem, except that mine was like that when i bought the car. I dont have leaks in my brake lines. I heard that it is either the brake pedal return spring, or the power brake booster. For me, since i am funding the restoration by myself, am using the option of pushing the pedal back in its spot everytime i brake. LOL my left foot isnt doing much anyways...
THIS FORUM IS IMMPOSSIBLE TO STUMP. I AM SURE THIS THREAD IS NOT GETTING READ SO I WILL REWRITE IT.
I have been spoiled buying this 75 with 65k miles all original and everything working except the A/C cpmpressor locks up.
I would perfer to fix the pedal and it has to be simple. And I know the guys on this forum has the answer.
I caused the problem by putting my foot under the pedal and using it to do a situp to get my seatbelt from behind the seat.
Because I did it by pulling the pedal it has to be a spring or whatever makes the pedal come up after braking. I can not believe it is a booster issue but a spring. Either way it has to be a easy fix.
Because I did it by pulling the pedal it has to be a spring or whatever makes the pedal come up after braking. I can not believe it is a booster issue but a spring. Either way it has to be a easy fix.
Ok, define "easy". Because it doesn't sound like you've even looked under there to see what's up. If that ain't "easy" in your book, then you need to just take it into a shop.
Let's review...
1. Brakes were working
2. Lights were working
3. Yanked pedal up
4. Brakes still working
5. Lights not working
This sequence of events effectively eliminates....
So what's left? Ahh yes, the pedal itself. Now the pedal stop is actually a push button switch. There's a striker attached to the pedal arm that hits this switch to turn off your brake lights. The position of that switch is what determines the "rest" position of your pedal. If that switch is knocked out of place (for example by yanking the pedal up hard into it) then it's possible that the pedal will not come to rest at a high enough position for the striker to push that switch in to open the brake light circuit. So guess what, you knocked that switch up too far or maybe even completely out of its housing. Crawl under there and look.
We are trying to help you here, but you've got to meet us halfway.
Notice the long, threaded length which allows you to adjust the rest height of the pedal. Also notice that it's plastic and can be stripped/broken.
The striker...
wcsinx,
I am in Orlando ..thanks for the help
I have looked under again and I cant figure what makes the pedal come out
here is what I see
The pedal has a rod that goes into a rubber boot near firewall and it stops about half way out of the rubber boot coming back up after pushing down.
this leaves the striker less than an inch from the white plastic switch....if you give it an easy pull on the pedal it releases with a click and comes up to the correct position with the striker pushing the white plastic switch and turns off the taillights.
The taillights work fine but do not turn off because the pedal gets stuck just before the switch. The switch and striker appear to be in the right place.
The brake pedal gets stuck everytime not just somtimes. I sprayed the piston or rod going into the boot and it moves in and out easier but still gets stuck.
WHAT FORCES THE PEDAL UP AFTER YOU BRAKE?????
that is the problem....is it oil pressure or a spring
this leaves the striker less than an inch from the white plastic switch....if you give it an easy pull on the pedal it releases with a click and comes up to the correct position with the striker pushing the white plastic switch and turns off the taillights.
The "click" you describe is actually the pushrod popping out of its seat in the booster. I know that sound well because my pedal used to do the same thing because the previous owner installed the wrong booster with a pushrod that was too short. But that's another story. If you feel/hear that sound, the pedal is coming up way too far.
WHAT FORCES THE PEDAL UP AFTER YOU BRAKE?????
that is the problem....is it oil pressure or a spring
1. Hydraulic back pressure
2. Relaxation of the booster bladder
3. The pedal spring
(in order of most to least)
But none of those are your problem. I don't remember how sturdy (or not) the switch bracket is, but it's possible that you bent it up. What I think is more likely is that you knocked the switch back up through its threaded hole. Unplug the leads to the switch and see if you can spin it back down into place. If it's stripped, then just get a new one. It's a cheap, common GM part used in a bajillion vehicles.
The "click" you describe is actually the pushrod popping out of its seat in the booster. I know that sound well because my pedal used to do the same thing because the previous owner installed the wrong booster with a pushrod that was too short. But that's another story. If you feel/hear that sound, the pedal is coming up way too far.
1. Hydraulic back pressure
2. Relaxation of the booster bladder
3. The pedal spring
(in order of most to least)
But none of those are your problem. I don't remember how sturdy (or not) the switch bracket is, but it's possible that you bent it up. What I think is more likely is that you knocked the switch back up through its threaded hole. Unplug the leads to the switch and see if you can spin it back down into place. If it's stripped, then just get a new one. It's a cheap, common GM part used in a bajillion vehicles.
Thanks for all the help
I looked again today and when I pull it up ...you are right it is not normal position to be up this high
The switch has been moved or bracket and I will take it out tomorrow.
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