How to get to brake switch?

supradupra

New Member
Dec 15, 2006
16
0
0
Florida
I have an 89 Supra non-turbo. The brake lights stayed on after turning the engine off. I pulled the fuse for the brake lights until I could figure it out. I noticed small pieces of rubber on the driver's mat indicating that something in the brake switch crumbled. I'm trying to get to that area but need to remove the panel under the steering wheel. It's being held on the left side, but I can't figure out why. Do I have to take off the side panel and driver's door floor strip? What about the foot rest? It seems like there's another screw holding the side panel in that area.

Also, once I get access to the brake switch, does anyone have pics so I can see what I'm looking for? I understand that I may not need a new switch, but simply the "grommet" or rubber piece. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 

cuel

Supramania Contributor
Jan 8, 2007
1,536
0
0
Baytown, Texas
The panel has two screws in the front, and you have to remove the hood release screws. You can replace the rubber stopper(on the brake pedal arm) with a small bolt and nut. Put it in so that the head of the bolt is what contacts the switch.
 

ajcma70

New Member
Feb 28, 2009
4
0
0
OZ
Just curious how it all turned out? Was it the brake switch? Mine's just started doing the same thing... except car won't turn over. Its funny a I noticed a bit of round rubber on floor also, got no idea where it came from... might be related, or I might be barking up the wrong tree, my second thought is its something to do with the immobilizer...
 

SupaMan

Want The Boooooossttttttt
Oct 12, 2006
1,101
0
0
Cape Coral,Florida
this happened to me and burned out my 3rd brake light im lucky it didnt catch anything on fire when i got to it it had been sitting for about 4 hours like this in the florida sun it was so hot i couldnt touch it with bare hands.

the wax rubber pad slides into a hole on the brake arm if you let the pedal bounce back into the switch alot itll stress it and once day itll just break. to get to it you have to remove the panel which cuel told you how to do and i found taking the duct out for the foot well vent made it easier too. its a pain in the ass to get in there to make it a little easier to replace that you can pull the safety pin and slide the big pin out of the brake arm from the master cly you can move the pedal a little bit and get in there to replace it.

a word of advice, take your driverseat out. it takes 45 seconds and its well worth it if your gonna spend a little bit of time under the dash on your back, and you have to be under your dash on your back to get to this one.

you cant find that part to buy i ended up buying a brake arm for cheap to get the pad. you can use a stick on weight or glue something to the brake arm to take its place as long as it shuts the switch off your good.

best of luck to you.
 

ajcma70

New Member
Feb 28, 2009
4
0
0
OZ
Yep, thats it precisely! :) Car won't start as battery was flat from having brakes on for all of about 6 hours! Plastic was damn hot, but (touch wood) globes etc all seem fine. I now know when this happened as earlier on in the day the TEMS "HARD" setting kicked in and wouldn't go off, WHY?? As according to the sensor the brakes never were released!

Brilliant, thanks all, this has been a great help!

Now, to just get this little rubber pad back in the right spot...
 

supradupra

New Member
Dec 15, 2006
16
0
0
Florida
ajcma70;1441071 said:
Just curious how it all turned out? Was it the brake switch? Mine's just started doing the same thing... except car won't turn over. Its funny a I noticed a bit of round rubber on floor also, got no idea where it came from... might be related, or I might be barking up the wrong tree, my second thought is its something to do with the immobilizer...



I ended up going from underneath without pulling off the lower panel. It was a PAIN to get the rubber grommet in there, but after many tries, I got it inserted and everything's fine now.
 

supradupra

New Member
Dec 15, 2006
16
0
0
Florida
I ended up doing it without taking the seat out. My back is sore, but mission accomplished. Thanks for the response.


SupaMan;1441079 said:
this happened to me and burned out my 3rd brake light im lucky it didnt catch anything on fire when i got to it it had been sitting for about 4 hours like this in the florida sun it was so hot i couldnt touch it with bare hands.

the wax rubber pad slides into a hole on the brake arm if you let the pedal bounce back into the switch alot itll stress it and once day itll just break. to get to it you have to remove the panel which cuel told you how to do and i found taking the duct out for the foot well vent made it easier too. its a pain in the ass to get in there to make it a little easier to replace that you can pull the safety pin and slide the big pin out of the brake arm from the master cly you can move the pedal a little bit and get in there to replace it.

a word of advice, take your driverseat out. it takes 45 seconds and its well worth it if your gonna spend a little bit of time under the dash on your back, and you have to be under your dash on your back to get to this one.

you cant find that part to buy i ended up buying a brake arm for cheap to get the pad. you can use a stick on weight or glue something to the brake arm to take its place as long as it shuts the switch off your good.

best of luck to you.
 

gwumpkus

New Member
Nov 27, 2009
76
0
0
Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
i had the same experience of that rubber padding cracking on me!!.. of course, the resultant activation of the brake lights drained my battery!!! i replaced the rubber pads with 2 pieces of 1-cent coins epoxed together for thickness, and then epoxied to the brake lever! (1-cent coins are out of circulation for the longest time, and have little monetary value thus..)... cheesy as it sounds, but this proverbial "2-cents-worth" cured the problem..and i'm sure they're stronger than that piece of original plastic thingum!..
 

cuel

Supramania Contributor
Jan 8, 2007
1,536
0
0
Baytown, Texas
I do these all the time on many different cars. The rubber pad gets brittle with age, and falls apart. A short bolt through from the switch side, with a nut on the other side is a permanent fix. No rubber to break down, or glue to let go(it will after a while). Pulling the pin will let you push the pedal back a bit further.