Dash brake light “reversed”
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
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From: Cool Northern Michigan
I assume you have replaced the switch under the center console cover? I have never done one of those. Is it reversible?
The brake light switch on the pedal assembly is separate circuit.
The brake light switch on the pedal assembly is separate circuit.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Sep 20, 2020 at 09:45 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
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Last edited by CaptainMorganUOR; Sep 20, 2020 at 10:18 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: home
Have you done anything to the hydraulic circuit to cause the valve in the combination valve to offset? If not, unplug the connector from the switch at the park brake handle. with the key on, engine off, what is the light doing? On or off? Should be off. Push the brake pedal, does the light turn on? It shouldn't. Ground the wire going to the park brake handle, the light should turn on. If everything works as it should, I'd replace the switch on the park brake handle.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
You are referring to a Brake Warning Light at the dash cluster. Two different things.
Your issue is either low brake pedal, which its not. Or a warning: parking brake handle is still activated, issue. The dash light serves two functions as mentioned and both are warnings.
Because the parking brake lever activation is operating backwards, logically it seems the switch is wired backwards or maybe the switch was installed backwards. IDK
It should be just a simple On / Off switch, having nothing to do with the hydraulic brake system.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Sep 21, 2020 at 08:57 AM.
Race Director
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From: Virginia
Perhaps it was different in 1969. Isn't the switch at the parking brake just a ground switch, with a short path to ground?
In later years at least, the "Brake" light had 4 possible modes. Off, On (parking brake), On (combination valve), On (Ignition switch in "Crank" position). When the ignition was "On", power was supplied to the brake light in the dash, and one of the three On modes could ground the output of that light bulb, including the bulb functional check when the starter is cranked.
Are there LEDs in your dash? If not, I'd suspect the wrong switch was used in the parking brake, one that is normally open instead of normally closed (the lowering of the parking brake tab onto the switch activates it, it should open the contact, ungrounding the "Brake" light). If the switch has three tabs, swap the outer wire to the other outer post.
In later years at least, the "Brake" light had 4 possible modes. Off, On (parking brake), On (combination valve), On (Ignition switch in "Crank" position). When the ignition was "On", power was supplied to the brake light in the dash, and one of the three On modes could ground the output of that light bulb, including the bulb functional check when the starter is cranked.
Are there LEDs in your dash? If not, I'd suspect the wrong switch was used in the parking brake, one that is normally open instead of normally closed (the lowering of the parking brake tab onto the switch activates it, it should open the contact, ungrounding the "Brake" light). If the switch has three tabs, swap the outer wire to the other outer post.
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Race Director
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From: Virginia
I don't know if you can reverse the polarity of the dash bulbs in a 69. You absolutely can in 79. With a stock incandescent bulb, this doesn't matter. When the light lights, is it still very dim? Is it possible that some amount of current is making it through the bulb, but all of the current is blocked from flowing "backwards" through the LED, and the switch/circuit is actually operating normally? I think a deep-dive into the wiring diagram may be in order. Were the LEDs the last thing that you changed before this behavior started?
Thread Starter
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I don't know if you can reverse the polarity of the dash bulbs in a 69. You absolutely can in 79. With a stock incandescent bulb, this doesn't matter. When the light lights, is it still very dim? Is it possible that some amount of current is making it through the bulb, but all of the current is blocked from flowing "backwards" through the LED, and the switch/circuit is actually operating normally? I think a deep-dive into the wiring diagram may be in order. Were the LEDs the last thing that you changed before this behavior started?
Last edited by CaptainMorganUOR; Sep 21, 2020 at 10:17 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
Yes. I misunderstood 'which' switch. As the E-brake switch is what you are concerned about, and the switch [apparently] operates backwards, the switch is of the wrong design or is assembled improperly, IMO. But you must know that TWO systems can turn on that BRAKE light on the dash: that light will illuminate when the E-brake lever is pulled up AND when the switch in the brake line distribution block is tripped (either front or rear brake system has a leak in it).
I cannot envision a reason for the symptoms you have other than what I stated in my inititial sentence of this post. I think your first action is to determine if the e-brake switch acts correctly and is properly assembled.
I cannot envision a reason for the symptoms you have other than what I stated in my inititial sentence of this post. I think your first action is to determine if the e-brake switch acts correctly and is properly assembled.