fix handbrake indicator
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,366
Likes: 2,733
Parking brake indicator switch likely/maybe? Adjustment of the switch? Maybe. Year matters '84 - '87 is one and '88+ another. I believe the "INDICATOR" is also multi-purpose - BRAKE (hydraulics) or e-brake. Are you sure it's actually an e-brake issue?
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jan 26, 2017 at 07:23 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 261
Likes: 24
From: Israel
I don't know if there a special relay or its just a fuse or led.
The handbrake works properly.
Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,424
Likes: 603
From: Minneapolis Mn
If it's the handbrake, it's a simple micro-switch on the back side of the parking brake mechanism with a short lever on the switch that moves when the handle is pulled. Adjustment is nothing more than gently adjusting (meaning bending) that lever (which IIRC is nothing more than copper) to the right profile. Take it slow and easy, it's doable but like anything else this old, could be brittle.
3 screws through the cover hold the cover on, and if all 3 are present you may have to pull the seat to gain access to one of them. Once out/off, a little careful finessing with a needle-nose pliers will do it (you do not need to remove the switch, just the cover). One more thing, sometimes the handle can stay up 'a little' when released holding the light on, try pushing the button and pushing it down on the parking brake handle and see if that takes care of it.
Hope that helps.
3 screws through the cover hold the cover on, and if all 3 are present you may have to pull the seat to gain access to one of them. Once out/off, a little careful finessing with a needle-nose pliers will do it (you do not need to remove the switch, just the cover). One more thing, sometimes the handle can stay up 'a little' when released holding the light on, try pushing the button and pushing it down on the parking brake handle and see if that takes care of it.
Hope that helps.
Last edited by hcbph; Jan 26, 2017 at 09:12 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,424
Likes: 603
From: Minneapolis Mn
IIRC the switch on the parking brake handle closes when the parking brake is set. Just pull the connector off the micro switch and if the light goes out, that's your problem. I had to do mine when I bought the car, I don't remember seeing any adjustment on the switch mount, that's why I tweaked the little lever on it. Has worked well ever since.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 261
Likes: 24
From: Israel
If it's the handbrake, it's a simple micro-switch on the back side of the parking brake mechanism with a short lever on the switch that moves when the handle is pulled. Adjustment is nothing more than gently adjusting (meaning bending) that lever (which IIRC is nothing more than copper) to the right profile. Take it slow and easy, it's doable but like anything else this old, could be brittle.
3 screws through the cover hold the cover on, and if all 3 are present you may have to pull the seat to gain access to one of them. Once out/off, a little careful finessing with a needle-nose pliers will do it (you do not need to remove the switch, just the cover). One more thing, sometimes the handle can stay up 'a little' when released holding the light on, try pushing the button and pushing it down on the parking brake handle and see if that takes care of it.
Hope that helps.
3 screws through the cover hold the cover on, and if all 3 are present you may have to pull the seat to gain access to one of them. Once out/off, a little careful finessing with a needle-nose pliers will do it (you do not need to remove the switch, just the cover). One more thing, sometimes the handle can stay up 'a little' when released holding the light on, try pushing the button and pushing it down on the parking brake handle and see if that takes care of it.
Hope that helps.
Another question: when I pull the handbrake, should it stays up or back to its place?
Currently its just a feeling if the handbrake is activated or not.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 261
Likes: 24
From: Israel
IIRC the switch on the parking brake handle closes when the parking brake is set. Just pull the connector off the micro switch and if the light goes out, that's your problem. I had to do mine when I bought the car, I don't remember seeing any adjustment on the switch mount, that's why I tweaked the little lever on it. Has worked well ever since.
I took of the cover of the handbrake.
I played with it a bit but nothing.
Can you see if something is missing or broken?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,424
Likes: 603
From: Minneapolis Mn
I have to admit it's been 2-3 years since I touched mine, but yours looks different based on what I remember. IIRC that lever is pushing down on the top of the microswitch, and looks like it's held down all the time on yours.
I'm going to have to see if I can get a look at mine, just doesn't seem right to me as shown.
Does it turn that light off and on if you play with the lever?
I'm going to have to see if I can get a look at mine, just doesn't seem right to me as shown.
Does it turn that light off and on if you play with the lever?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 261
Likes: 24
From: Israel
I have to admit it's been 2-3 years since I touched mine, but yours looks different based on what I remember. IIRC that lever is pushing down on the top of the microswitch, and looks like it's held down all the time on yours.
I'm going to have to see if I can get a look at mine, just doesn't seem right to me as shown.
Does it turn that light off and on if you play with the lever?
I'm going to have to see if I can get a look at mine, just doesn't seem right to me as shown.
Does it turn that light off and on if you play with the lever?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,424
Likes: 603
From: Minneapolis Mn
I can't be sure but IIRC there's a single wire to a spade connector on the switch. A simple 2 step test could confirm whether the switch is bad or if it's not the cause of the dash light. Test is based on 1 wire to the switch, if it happens to be 2, modify the test to go from one connector to the other instead.
Take an ohm meter from the spade on the switch to ground, work the switch and see if the reading changes.
with the wire unhooked, jumper the wire to ground with the ignition switch to the on position. Does the light status change whether jumpered or not?
If the switch tests out ok and the light does not change when you jumper to ground vs not jumpered, then it's not the parking brake that's the cause of your light.
Good luck
Paul
Take an ohm meter from the spade on the switch to ground, work the switch and see if the reading changes.
with the wire unhooked, jumper the wire to ground with the ignition switch to the on position. Does the light status change whether jumpered or not?
If the switch tests out ok and the light does not change when you jumper to ground vs not jumpered, then it's not the parking brake that's the cause of your light.
Good luck
Paul
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,366
Likes: 2,733
SET your parking brake and check the switch visually and then RELEASE the e-brake and do another visual check. It should become obvious if you need to "TWEAK" the lever to operate.
Here's an '88+ switch that I'd say is "closed" meaning the light would be ON.
You don't need a meter to check. If you unplug the wire then you've removed the ground that completes the circuit and the light if e-brake related should be off if still on it's a hydraulic failure of sorts.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jan 28, 2017 at 08:43 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 261
Likes: 24
From: Israel
Is the TAN/WHT wire actually connected to the switch? If you've still got the cover off you should certainly be able to confirm. Not knowing IF your e-brake was set or not in your snapshots it makes it difficult to respond. Visually if the early was like the later '88+ I'd say the INDICATOR should be on.
SET your parking brake and check the switch visually and then RELEASE the e-brake and do another visual check. It should become obvious if you need to "TWEAK" the lever to operate.
Here's an '88+ switch that I'd say is "closed" meaning the light would be ON.
You don't need a meter to check. If you unplug the wire then you've removed the ground that completes the circuit and the light if e-brake related should be off if still on it's a hydraulic failure of sorts.
Attachment 48058084
SET your parking brake and check the switch visually and then RELEASE the e-brake and do another visual check. It should become obvious if you need to "TWEAK" the lever to operate.
Here's an '88+ switch that I'd say is "closed" meaning the light would be ON.
You don't need a meter to check. If you unplug the wire then you've removed the ground that completes the circuit and the light if e-brake related should be off if still on it's a hydraulic failure of sorts.
Attachment 48058084
I managed to find another thing when I took off another cover.
I learned when the e-brake engaged and two parts with a metal touch each other the e-brake indicator is on.
Now, I don't know how to fix this and don't know if there
missing parts or broken.
the second metal (not the one that near the e-brake it self) is free and not attached to anything.
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,366
Likes: 2,733
Your switch has come apart or been taken apart. The small tab that you see is a "retaining" tab to keep it in the plastic assembly. Using the image I posted as a guide I believe you could maybe reassemble it. Raise/increase the height of the tab some and maybe it will stay sandwiched inside the plastics.
Conventional wisdom says that if the broken piece isn't touching anything that creates a ground then it isn't turning on the light. Is the light out now? Make sure the loose piece with the wire isn't touching anything metal and the light (if it were created by the e-brake) should be out. If stlll ON I'd say it hints a hydraulic problem.
Conventional wisdom says that if the broken piece isn't touching anything that creates a ground then it isn't turning on the light. Is the light out now? Make sure the loose piece with the wire isn't touching anything metal and the light (if it were created by the e-brake) should be out. If stlll ON I'd say it hints a hydraulic problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,366
Likes: 2,733
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,366
Likes: 2,733
I didn't think you were here in the US and that's why I suggested maybe attempting the reassembly of what you've got. He's a quite responsible "reseller I believe". Regardless I believe that if the loose piece with the wire connected isn't grounded/earthed to something metal in the car - IF THE LIGHT IS STILL ON I believe that it's not e-brake related.
In Israel do you use the term ground or earthed? Have you bothered yet to check the brake hydraulics?
In Israel do you use the term ground or earthed? Have you bothered yet to check the brake hydraulics?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 261
Likes: 24
From: Israel
I didn't think you were here in the US and that's why I suggested maybe attempting the reassembly of what you've got. He's a quite responsible "reseller I believe". Regardless I believe that if the loose piece with the wire connected isn't grounded/earthed to something metal in the car - IF THE LIGHT IS STILL ON I believe that it's not e-brake related.
In Israel do you use the term ground or earthed? Have you bothered yet to check the brake hydraulics?
In Israel do you use the term ground or earthed? Have you bothered yet to check the brake hydraulics?
. As I mention before, the e-brake works well. the dash/console doesn't.Today, I took off the door sill and then I noticed the second metal.
from the pictures I attached earlier, is seems to me part 10136720 is broken.
While I engaged the e-brake plus made the two metals touch each other, the e-brake light was lighten on the console like the first picture I attached.
When the e-brake was dis-engaged and the two metals touch each other, no light indicator on the console.
I hope the part I've ordered will solved this issue.