[delomike1049]

One of the little hiccups with my car I'm trying to figure out is the parking brake dash light.

The light will come on when you turn the key to run, and then it goes off.

Then, using the parking brake won't turn the dash light on. I'm guessing that there is a sensor at the parking brake handle that is disconnected or broken?

Do I "simply" have to peel back the carpet around the handle to find the connection, or by some oddball chance is it in another place?

The car is a 1987 HCi.

 

[amanda11270]

On my 88, im pretty sure there is a switch located at the brake handle assembly, you dont peel back the carpet, the whole section removes with the carpet intact. You may have to peel back carpet to get to the screws.

 

[sleekgt]

If any consolation my 88 did the same; stopped working about. 6 months after I got it. Too lazy to get it checked out - plenty of bigger fish to fry on the Esprit ;-)

 

[delomike1049]

Haha, that is very true (and my car is going to the shop on Tuesday for my transmission noise!), but I'm a stickler and don't like to let little things stand

 

[Turbo R]

On my '88, there is a connector there at the switch that likes to come off. I've fixed it a couple times over the years...an easy fix.

Roy

 

[carbuff]

The "sensor" is a microswitch on the bottom of the parking brake handle linkage.

Mine came loose some years back, (or was it a broken wire at the switch, can't remember now).

Anyway, it wasn't a major repair, as things go.


I DID remove the driver's seat, and peel the carpet up on the sill to repair, then I glued it back down.

 

[Turbo R]

The first time I ever test drove my car, the parking brake light didn't work (for the same reason). The owner had barely applied the parking brake and left it in gear. I drove it around the block before I realized that it was on.

If you are bringing the car into the shop for service or if anyone else is going to drive your car, you likely should fix that first so that no one unknowingly tries to drive it with the parking brake on.

It sounds so simple and rudimentary, but you wouldn't believe how many mechanics and smog techs have trouble figuring out how to work the parking brake on my Esprit and Corvette.

Roy

 

[sleekgt]

OK - I'm feeling the peer pressure to fix my brake light - will video record it just for grins too.

 

[MidLifeZ]

Mine was doing similar things.. With park brake on light would go on, release brake and light would stay on. sometimes..

While replacing carpet found that the switch has a very narrow lever which is supposed to be pushed by the brake being released but the narrow piece would move left and right slightly. Glued on a piece of plastic to alleviate and all good

 

[DaveS4s]

It's not a hard job, it's just work. On my Esprit I had to take the driver seat out , peel back enough carpet to access the pop rivets that secure the cover over the E-Brake assembly, then everything is wide open. I found that the arm on the switch was loose at the point where it attached to the switch body, so when the e-brake was released it would contact one end of the arm , but the other end would pop up enough so the little button wouldn't get pushed down. The switch worked when I pushed on it with my finger. I used some JB weld to secure the loose end, and now it works great. Note while you have the area open it's a good time to clean and lube the E-brake assembly.

 

[Turbo R]

BTW, just wanted to add that on my Esprit (an '88), I did not have to remove the driver's seat to access the microswitch. Interesting since Atwell's is also an '88. Maybe I got lucky? Must have been the wing karma...all hail the power of the rear wing!

Anyway, my suggestion for anyone attempting this repair is to try it first without removing the seat...you might get lucky and save a step.

Happy Sunday, all!!!

Roy

 

[sleekgt]

BTW, just wanted to add that on my Esprit (an '88), I did not have to remove the driver's seat to access the microswitch. Interesting since Atwell's is also an '88. Maybe I got lucky? Must have been the wing karma...all hail the power of the rear wing!

Anyway, my suggestion for anyone attempting this repair is to try it first without removing the seat...you might get lucky and save a step.

Happy Sunday, all!!!

Roy

Hey Roy - you gonna have to tell me the secret handshake so I can do this on my 88 too. I didn't look that closely at it but not interested in taking the seat out if I can just pop the leather boot easily (not obvious how it's down without pulling carpet.

 

[Turbo R]

Just sent you a detailed email, Eddie!

Roy

 

[carbuff]

I didn't say you HAD to remove the seat. I just did it ... to allow room. 4 nuts under the car, and out it comes.

I might have been addled because other owners' Esprit wings hit me on the head too often? LOL




Step One for attempting any service inside the rear hatch on a '99 - 2004 V8: Install THESE on the tips of the wing:

Available in Norfolk Mustard. How appropriate... rotfl :evil:

 

[Turbo R]

LOL!!!!!!! Literally laughing out loud here right now, Atwell! :clap:

Roy

I didn't say you HAD to remove the seat. I just did it ... to allow room. 4 nuts under the car, and out it comes.

I might have been addled because other owners' Esprit wings hit me on the head too often? LOL




Step One for attempting any service inside the rear hatch on a '99 - 2004 V8: Install THESE on the tips of the wing:

Available in Norfolk Mustard. How appropriate... rotfl :evil:

 

[Turbo R]

Went to our other house today so was really happy that I got to see my Esprit!

Anyway, took some pictures of the parking brake switch area in hopes that it might be helpful to somebody. The pictures aren't the greatest...I took a ton, but for some reason, because of the small square opening that I was shooting into, the camera did not want to focus on what was in the opening due to the close proximity of the surrounding area. Regardless, I think they will give you a really good idea of what to look for

After opening the door, without getting into the car, stick your head in and...

1. Locate the carpeted area directly below and to the side of the parking brake handle

2. Remove or pull the floor mat to the side to the right, away from the parking brake area

3. Pull up on the factory floor carpet of the Esprit and pull it to the right

4. Now that the floor carpet is out of the way, pull up on the carpeted area that is covering the side directly below the parking brake handle on the right side.

5. When that side carpet covering is lifted upwards, a small square or rectangular opening will be exposed. It looks like someone at the factory cut a hole in the fiberglass. Inside that small opening, you will see the parking brake mechanism and towards the base, the microswitch (it's hard to miss) which has wires and connectors coming off it.

6. Check to see that the connectors are firmly on the spades and that the wires are properly crimped onto the connectors. In my case, the wire was too short and kept pulling itself out of the connector until I finally used a new connector and a short length of appropriate gauge wire to extend the existing wire so that it would no longer be stressed.

7. Chances are that the connector has come loose or the wire has come out of the crimped connector thereby no longer illuminating the parking brake indicator when the parking brake is on.

I'm no expert here...just trying to be helpful and hoping it might help someone out...it worked for me.

Good luck!!!

Roy

 

[sleekgt]

Went to our other house today so was really happy that I got to see my Esprit!

Anyway, took some pictures of the parking brake switch area in hopes that it might be helpful to somebody. The pictures aren't the greatest...I took a ton, but for some reason, because of the small square opening that I was shooting into, the camera did not want to focus on what was in the opening due to the close proximity of the surrounding area. Regardless, I think they will give you a really good idea of what to look for[snip]

Roy

Many thanks - that helps ALOT! Unfortunately I'm dealing with a few things at work (and my smoking engine due to (I hope) 10 days of idle use) have gotten my full and undivided attention.

But will try and at least take a peek tonight.

 

[Turbo R]

Excellent!!!
Thanks Eddie!

Sorry to hear about work and the smoking engine...hopefully it will be nothing that a nice, long, fun drive can't fix. She was probably mad that she was left sitting at home.

Roy

 

[delomike1049]

Thanks for the pictures. I didn't get a chance to fix my light before the car went to the shop to deal with my transmission issue.

I'll get this fixed as soon as the car comes back home.

 

[Turbo R]

Sounds great, Mike!!!
Was just thinking about you today and had been wondering if you had her towed to the shop yet since this week is two weeks. Just saw your other post

Roy