Forum Discussion
Griff_in_Fairba
Jun 24, 2018Explorer III
my440 wrote:
Griff!! Your a wealth of information. I got to have a look over this all. Thanks kindly. I'm leaning on changing both the master cylinder and booster. Been afew years but just figured I could tweak something to get that dang peddle to go up just a tad to switch off the brake lights.
When the engine is off and the peddle is pushed it returns back enough where the lights go out.
Other than that brakes work perfect. Nice and firm, no spongy peddle, just changed all pads drums calipers.
A work in progress.
Are you talking the brake lights in the rear or the brake light in the dash?
If you're talking the brake light in dash, it's the 'brake failure' switch located on the proportioning valve. It senses the lose of pressure in the front or rear brake systems via a piston 'balanced' between the front and rear systems.
Sometimes this piston gets 'off-center,' yielding false readings. Alternatively, the switch is a normally closed switch, held open by a bump in the piston. If the switch is broken or somehow stuck in the closed position, you'll also experience 'false positives.'
This is the same type of switch, and same function, as the neutral start switch on your automatic transmission. The same with the switches on car and truck doors for interior lights,
(Modern vehicles use magnetic reed or proximity switches to sense 'door ajar.')
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