I've got a '90 convertible and little experience with cars. My parking brake switch is broken and looks like it got crushed. I bought an OEM replacement microswitch but the mounting place on the handle mechanism isn't immediately obvious to me, and the diagrams I've found don't show the whole mechanical and electrical assembly together. I also can't figure out what part of the mechanism would engage the switch, so I'm annoyed. I might be able to figure it out if I remove the driver's seat and really dig in there, but I haven't tried that yet.

A previous owner shorted the wires to the parking brake switch so that the top can be lowered and raised. This causes the parking brake light on the dash to stay on, and the lamp test light comes on every time I apply the brakes. I believe that is normal with a shorted parking brake microswitch.

I've also got a broken cruise control, which means there is a switch on the ski slope console just sitting there doing nothing.

So, I'm considering running those parking brake switch wires to the cruise control switch so that the emergency brake circuit will be normally off. In theory, I wouldn't have dash lights on or flashing at me and I could just flip the cruise control switch on when I want to raise and lower the convertible top, then flip it back off.

My question is, does anyone know if the cruise control switch could handle the current that runs through the parking brake switch? I assume it could, but I don't want to burn my car down over something as half-assed and lazy as this.

Ideally I'd have both systems fixed properly, and I don't want to offend anyone that takes pride in the work they put into these cars. But my cat just isn't in good enough shape yet for the cruise control and parking brake to be priorities. Thanks in advance.

 

Fix the park brake properly.

The park brake switch may be improperly adjusted. You should be able to test it with a multimeter without removing the drivers seat.

 

The cruise control should be able to handle the electrical load OK, I'd say.

But, in all honesty, I don't think you're being lazy. To the contrary, I think you're making more work for yourself ! Just remove the seat, replace the switch, and be done with it. In the end I think you'll be saving time and effort.

Just my two cents

Cheers
DD

 

Doesn't the handbrake switch just go to ground ??

 

No, on a pre-facelift anyway. It has three terminals on the microswitch. One to ground and two others. It is dead easy to change it once the seat is out.

 

i've been duly shamed into doing this the right way. turns out i have the wrong microswitch, the one i bought only has 2 terminals. it's probably for a non-convertible that doesn't have the droptop interlock.

anyway, i decided to take the entire handbrake apart to clean and lubricate it and now of course i can't get it back together. i've got most of it right, but i don't know what to do with the spring with two different-length arms.

i'm pretty sure its purpose is to bring the handle back down. all i could find on the internet is an exploded diagram for a RHD car, which isn't helpful enough for me. i see an indentation on the chrome handle that looks like the short spring arm should hook into, but i can't figure out where the long slightly bent spring arm is supposed to go. does it go under the rear mounting bolt?

 

i found an image that shows how the return spring is mounted. i'm putting this up in case someone else has the same question.