Author Topic: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...  (Read 4387 times)

Offline Grec

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My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« on: October 22, 2011 - 11:55:10 AM »
At some point awhile back, I swapped out my original parking brake pedal assembly for one I found on EBay that had been disassembled and refinished. It's actually a very nice, correct looking piece. Problem is... my parking light on dash has been on ever since I installed it. Light had gone on and off just fine before.

I could never figure out why and had just lived with it ever since. Last night it finally got on my nerves. Lol.

I think I may know why, but I wanted to check here 1st before I start digging into it...

Question: Does the wired plunger that is bolted onto the bracket need to be grounded to the pedal frame in order to work correctly? I'm thinking it may simply be a case of the guy painting the bracket and neglecting to scrape paint away so the plunger would ground.

1973 Challenger Rallye
- 440 Six Pack
- A833 4 Speed, 18 Spline
- FE5 Rallye Red on Black




Offline 4 speed fish

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2011 - 12:55:50 PM »
I had the same problem.The switch was struck just a little.I shot some WD40 in it and all is well.

Offline Grec

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2011 - 04:11:34 PM »
The switch seems to be springing back just fine... I don't think it's that
1973 Challenger Rallye
- 440 Six Pack
- A833 4 Speed, 18 Spline
- FE5 Rallye Red on Black

Offline plumbeeper

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2011 - 10:28:21 PM »
At some point awhile back, I swapped out my original parking brake pedal assembly for one I found on EBay that had been disassembled and refinished. It's actually a very nice, correct looking piece. Problem is... my parking light on dash has been on ever since I installed it. Light had gone on and off just fine before.

I could never figure out why and had just lived with it ever since. Last night it finally got on my nerves. Lol.

I think I may know why, but I wanted to check here 1st before I start digging into it...

Question: Does the wired plunger that is bolted onto the bracket need to be grounded to the pedal frame in order to work correctly? I'm thinking it may simply be a case of the guy painting the bracket and neglecting to scrape paint away so the plunger would ground.

 Sounds like you're on the right track. Since your problem started at that time, there's a pretty good chance it's the switch bad or not grounded. Can you replace the switch with your old one? It's been a while since I've crawled under the dash but I think there might even be some adjustment. :dunno:

Dave

Offline Cuda Cody

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2011 - 11:13:36 PM »
Easy to check.  Ground the switch (you can run a wire right to the negative on the battery) and see if it works.  You also can try unplugging the wire on the back and plug in your old switch to see if your problem is solved.  Shouldn't take long to have your problem fixed.
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Offline Giveitawack

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2011 - 02:14:54 AM »
Just to be sure: Unplug the brake curcuit warning light connector on the brake line block under the master cylinder. That switch activates the same warning light as the parking brake.
But from your description it is problably the e brake switch.

Offline Cuda Cody

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2011 - 06:50:33 AM »
The switch should unplug right at the switch under the dash.
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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2011 - 10:24:56 AM »
the brake light is a grond circuit , it connects to both the park brake inside the car & the center switch on the proportioning valve on the inner fender . so it could be either or a pinch in the wire to either

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Offline Grec

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2011 - 11:13:23 AM »
Had a chance to take a look...

Scraped some paint away from the brake pedal frame so the switch could make contact with bare steel... nothing. Disconnect wire going to switch on parking brake. Nothing. Leaving the switch disconnected, unplugged sensor on proportioning valve... light went off. Now... leaving sensor at proportioning valve unplugged, plugged in the wire are parking brake... light goes on again.

So basically, the light is coming on if EITHER lead is plugged in, but off if both are unplugged.

EDIT:  And keep in mind that the brake warning light was working fine before I changed out the pedal assembly. Also, if I recall correctly, the switch I'm using is the original. I'm pretty sure I just transfered it over into the new assembly.

« Last Edit: October 23, 2011 - 12:28:53 PM by Grec »
1973 Challenger Rallye
- 440 Six Pack
- A833 4 Speed, 18 Spline
- FE5 Rallye Red on Black

Offline ShelbyDogg

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2011 - 10:00:31 PM »
That is a very simple circuit to troubleshoot. if the circuit is grounded, the light will come on. 

Start with the parking brake switch. if the switch is pushed all the way in, it should NOT be grounded. Adjust the sleeve in the switch in or out till it does not ground till the pressure is off of it.

For the shorted brake distribution block, your warning circuit is too far to one side, grounding the switch.  Start by opening a bleeder screw on one of the front brakes. Press the brake pedal slowly and firmly till the light goes off then stop and hold the pedal. Have someone closed the bleeder, then let off of the pedal.

If it doesn't go off, do the same with a rear bleader.  This will push the switch back towards the center-off position, by using the pressure of having one side open.

You have to fix one circuit at a time so leave the pedal wire off when doing the prop valve circuit and vice-versa.
Rob

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Offline Giveitawack

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Re: My parking brake warning light refuses toi go off...
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2011 - 07:07:50 AM »
A friend of mine had a problem with the temp gauge on his Dart -71 with a 360. It showed Max all the time.
At the sender he had a ring terminal and a nut. He had torqued it down so far that the ring touched the sender casing, grounding it.
Could that be your problem? The sleeve on the wire is pushed on so far that it grounds?
« Last Edit: October 30, 2011 - 10:29:57 AM by Giveitawack »