parking/emergency brake switch problem

[basto]

So I got a 93 Ranger and failed the state safety inspection due to a non-functioning parking brake light (among other things...). Basically the light doesn't come on when the parking brake is engaged while driving. The light seems to work and comes on during initial start-up (self-test I assume) and when the brake fluid is low (together with the RABS light). I checked the fuses and haven't found a blown one thus far.

I located the parking brake switch next to the parking brake pedal. Shouldn't the pedal touch the switch at some point? It doesn't... Also there don't seem to be any wires attached to the switch - that doesn't seem right. How is a switch supposed to work if not wired to anything?

I tried my Haynes manaul but the switch isn't in there. I personally don't care if it works or not, but I guess I have to fix it.

A pic of how this thing is supposed to look like when hooked up properly would be great. Any help greatly appreciated - gotta get it fixed in the next coupla days or pay someone a probably ridiculous amount of money to fix it for me..

 

[RobbieD]

A wire should be plugged into the switch. Look for a loose wire/connector nearby, and plug it back in. Welcome to TRS, and good luck.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

when u have the e brake engaged, the swithc will pop up, maybe some dw-40 would help, the wire is located in the bottom, facing in direction to the front of the truck

 

[basto]

I just went to the shed and took 2 pics (I don't know how to post images. So below are 2 URLs that lead to the pics on Flickr):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33940053@N03/3593897441/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33940053@N03/3594705348/

The switch doesn't seem plugged in and I can't see a loose wire nearby. Further, the parking brake pedal is fully depressed in the pic and I can't see it make contact to the switch. As you can see in the second pic someone seems to have cut 2 wires. I'll trace them tomorrow, as they appear to be running up to the dash. What are the odds of shorting everything out by grounding the black wire and plugging the blue one into the switch?

 

[Hawk1339]

I just went to the shed and took 2 pics (I don't know how to post images. So below are 2 URLs that lead to the pics on Flickr):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33940053@N03/3593897441/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33940053@N03/3594705348/

The switch doesn't seem plugged in and I can't see a loose wire nearby. Further, the parking brake pedal is fully depressed in the pic and I can't see it make contact to the switch. As you can see in the second pic someone seems to have cut 2 wires. I'll trace them tomorrow, as they appear to be running up to the dash. What are the odds of shorting everything out by grounding the black wire and plugging the blue one into the switch?

Here's a schematic of the brake circuit.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

here you go
this is the pedal position switch,when depressed it souldh be pressing the switch, when engaged, it wont touch the swithc, so that way the light comes ON, so heading to that bunch of wires u see(green and red) must be the wires for the switch, but enlarging the pic shows like if yours si unplugged, see that little plug thing just on top of the switch bolt?? the wire must be there

this is just a relay, maybe it had fog lights, dont ground or connect those if u are not sure

 

[martin]

The switch is a normally closed momentary contact ie. it should have the plunger pushed in when the brake is off and makes contact when the plunger is out. Your wire is missing for some reason. one of the previous posts shows the diagram so all you need to do is find the right wire, the diagram will tell you which colour to look for. Good hunting.

 

[Hawk1339]

The switch is a normally closed momentary contact ie. it should have the plunger pushed in when the brake is off and makes contact when the plunger is out. Your wire is missing for some reason. one of the previous posts shows the diagram so all you need to do is find the right wire, the diagram will tell you which colour to look for. Good hunting.

There is a small black connector on the LB/BK wire that connects to the switch. The wire has a black woven tubular sheath over it. And yes, the switch is depressed when the brake is off.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

mine doesnt work like it should too, if i apply the e brake to fast the light doesnt lits, i have to do it first a sudden kick, and then completely press the pedal, that way the light comes ON, i already cleaned and wd-40'ed the thing, thats the best it can work since lubricating it, before it didnt lit at all, only in some chances it came ON, bothers me a bit, but i wont replace it either maybe later i'll clean it again, only good thing is that when pulling the release it works way more soft than before, and also when pressing the pedal, works softer

 

[austinrick]

basto is right, there is nothing depressing the plunger on that switch. I don't know why it cuts the light on/off.

I just pulled the switch off my truck to put it across an ohmmeter, saw that the switch works from that standpoint; put it back on, put a volt meter on ground and on the tab with key on--got nothing. I put the wire back on the tab, turned the key back on, depressed the parking brake pedal and the dash light came on. I don't know what I fixed, but it works now.

Thing is, there is still nothing pressing the plunger to activate the switch, like basto noted. I still don't understand why it works, but it works.