Handbrake sensor?

[uvachief]

My handbrake light will come on briefly when I turn the car on and use to stay lit on the dashboard until I released the handbrake and fully lowered it. Now it turns off as soon as I touch the release button or slightly release it. Every time I take the car to the car wash, the idiots move or drive the car with the parking brake engaged because the light doesn't remain lit on the dash. Where is the handbrake sensor located and how do I replace it?

[89-944NA]

It's a button mounted right under the lever. Raise the lever and look at the front end of the bracket, you'll see the black button sticking up.

[Cocacolakidd]

+1^ Also the replacement parts are basically the same as the door open/interior over head light switch that is in the front of the door jam.

Basically the emergency brake light switch sits under the hand brake lever and when contact is made with the hand lever being down it breaks the electrical circuit and the warning light goes out - it is adjustable...

[vdubr928]

Its also easily repaired. They don't get much simpler. You may have an open short in the wire though. The light always comes on for a second when you turn the car on. This is the ccm's way of showing you the bulb is good. When you are stopped, engine running, and you set the brake....... does the light come on then? If not then for some reason the circut is never being grounded. You will probably find that the wire is seperated from the button. Little dab of well placed soulder should correct. Use rosin core.

Or go to the junk yard and pick up another. I probably have 6-7 of them if you are unable to find one ill drop one in the mail for you. Pm me if you can't fix yours and can't get local. Should go on a snail mail stamp.

[uvachief]

Originally Posted by vdubr928

Its also easily repaired. They don't get much simpler. You may have an open short in the wire though. The light always comes on for a second when you turn the car on. This is the ccm's way of showing you the bulb is good. When you are stopped, engine running, and you set the brake....... does the light come on then? If not then for some reason the circut is never being grounded. You will probably find that the wire is seperated from the button. Little dab of well placed soulder should correct. Use rosin core.

Or go to the junk yard and pick up another. I probably have 6-7 of them if you are unable to find one ill drop one in the mail for you. Pm me if you can't fix yours and can't get local. Should go on a snail mail stamp.

Thanks! The light doesn't come on after initial start up. I replaced the long emergency brake cable last year and I bet I disconnected the wire or knocked it loose pulling out the old stuck cable. I will check.

[uvachief]

The wire had come loose. Plus the bulb in the instrument panel was on its last legs. Works fine now. However, the "!" no longer comes on when the emergency break is engaged. The green light with the words does in the temp/fuel combo guage. The "!" use to come on when it was engaged but the green words didn't light up. I thought both were supposed to come on? Can't figure out why the "!" only comes on at start up.