Last weekend I went with the mountaineers 4×4 club and the forest service to help inspect and clear Kelly Flats. There wasn’t much work to do, so it was more of an exclusive opportunity to wheel Kelly Flats before it opens to the public soon.
At one of the stops somebody pointed out my lights were on. I checked and the brake light was stuck on (the headlights were off at the switch). After some experimentation I found out that the brake pedal sensor switch appeared to not get depressed enough to turn off the brake lights when the pedal was back to its upright position. Someone else in the group also pointed out that the sensor was getting how in the closed circuit position that it was stuck in. It seems like a pretty simple sensor/switch, so you’d “think” it shouldn’t get hot (something about the design I don’t understand).
When I got home, I disconnected the battery so it wouldn’t drain from the brake lights being constantly on. I ordered a replacement switch/sensor that Amazon said was an exact fit for my 1997 Wrangler, but the sensor pin on the new one was longer. I installed it anyway by depressing the brake pedal enough to get it in. I’m not sure if the pin is self-setting and/or intentionally longer by design. So, my next step is to chock the Jeep, put it in neutral, jack up each wheel, and verify there isn’t pressure in the brake lines causing the brake pads to engage. I did drive around a little and let it slowly roll in neutral, and it “seemed” OK. But it’s hard to tell for sure. So, I’ll inspect it closer before I take it on another ride.
Here’s what the old one looked like…
Here’s the old and new one side by side for comparison to show the difference in the pin length:
