What is a neutral safety switch?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Out Where the Buses Don't Run, Eglin AFB/ Niceville FL
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The neutral safety switch keeps you from starting the car in gear (D,3,2,R) in your case. They are normally mounted outside of the trans but I don't remember which side. My 82 is back on the ground so I can't crawl under and see. One of two symptoms can occur, it won't start or it will start in gear.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,914
Likes: 229
From: Oakbank Manitoba
It's function is to prevent the engine from being started in gear. If functioning correctly you can only start the car in PARK or NEUTRAL. It is located next to the shifter.
If it fails then you most likely will have a "no start" condition. The "safety switch" is just a heavy duty switch that is wired inline before the starter that will only allow current to the starter when in neutral or park. Modern cars use relays to allow current to pass to the starter motor.
If it fails then you most likely will have a "no start" condition. The "safety switch" is just a heavy duty switch that is wired inline before the starter that will only allow current to the starter when in neutral or park. Modern cars use relays to allow current to pass to the starter motor.
Last edited by KENS80V; Sep 8, 2011 at 07:36 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The "lockout cable" is connected to the steering system. It prevents the car from being driven (anything other than straight ahead, anyway) when the car is placed in "Park" position and the key has not been inserted in the ignition switch. The Neutral Start Switch prevents 'things and people' from getting run over by mistake. It allows you to start the car ONLY in Park and Neutral.
It really isn't a conspiracy by GM. Real people really ran over their own real kids [and pets, and lots of irrelevant stuff], so there was a 'demand' that something be done to prevent such mayhem. The NSS was the result. The only negative thing that results from having a NSS is that your car won't start at all when it fails (it was intentionally designed to fail such that the car couldn't start).
The steering lockout gizmo is for theft prevention...also not a conspiracy by GM.
{P.S. I'm no 'fan' of GM either, but I'm not paranoid about them. They are just a bunch of blithering MBA idiots who have no clue as to what the public wants or needs; they also have forgotten that their purpose in life was to create the future of personal and commercial transportation in America...rather than to just make more money so they could get bigger bonu$e$.}
It really isn't a conspiracy by GM. Real people really ran over their own real kids [and pets, and lots of irrelevant stuff], so there was a 'demand' that something be done to prevent such mayhem. The NSS was the result. The only negative thing that results from having a NSS is that your car won't start at all when it fails (it was intentionally designed to fail such that the car couldn't start).
The steering lockout gizmo is for theft prevention...also not a conspiracy by GM.
{P.S. I'm no 'fan' of GM either, but I'm not paranoid about them. They are just a bunch of blithering MBA idiots who have no clue as to what the public wants or needs; they also have forgotten that their purpose in life was to create the future of personal and commercial transportation in America...rather than to just make more money so they could get bigger bonu$e$.}
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 9
The heavy cable running from the trans to the steering column is used to prevent you from removing the ignition key unless a manual trans car is in reverse. That acts like a "park" function. On a manual shift car, the neutral safety switch operates off the clutch pedal.
PS- looks like the sending unit for your oil pressure gauge is disconnected.
PS- looks like the sending unit for your oil pressure gauge is disconnected.
Last edited by gcusmano74; Sep 8, 2011 at 10:04 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
gcusmano74 thanks for the concern on that connection but that whole area of my car has been modified to accept an oil safety cutoff switch for my fuel pump.the cable is removed from both ends in an attempt to clean the area up a bit.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
Also as mentioned previously, the key can only be removed with the shifter in reverse for a manual trans car or park for an auto. That is also handled by the interlock cable.
cc
