Hey guys, maybe you can help me with the following problem. It seems that my parking(emergency) break switch is either missing some parts or installed incorrectly. In any of the positions (On or Off) it's not touching contact - thus light on the dash stays on. Any help?
1994 Jaguar XJS V12 6.0 Cabrio.

 

I'm not completely familiar with this but if you flip the switch 180 degrees so that the switch lever is up and pointing at the brake handle and connect the wires so that the switch it is open when the brake is off. It should work as expected.
Does the light come off and on when you connect the wires and press the lever? It should come on when you press the switch lever down i think.
it sounds like it was connected to the wrong two terminals and mounted wrong.

 

The position of the switch needs adjusting by loosening the screws/the actuating arm bending, so that when the brake is on the off position, the metal heel piece of the arm activates the switch.

 

Dear Greg, thank you. I thought that position of actual switch is OK just some adjustment should be made. Electrical connections are also OK since by hand it's working fine (When pressing the switch light turns on and off);

Do you mean two bolts (Right and Left side) or the main one (Big one)?

Thank you guys, because this problem is really annoying

 

The two tiny bolts securing the switch may have some adjustment when loosened. After that, ensure the handbrake is fully off (button pressed in, lever fully depressed) and then bend the arm to engage the heel of the lever mechanism. In the photos the lever does not look to be fully in the off position.

 

Frankly speaking lever always stops 3 teeth away from the end. - maybe it needs some adjustment as well. Thank you, the main answer is that nothing is missing and basically needs some adjustment one way or another.
Thanks guys.

 

As Greg wrote, it's adjustment. The diagram from the Workshop Manual confirms nothing is missing:





Graham

 

Yoopas,

If the first pic is supposed to represent the handle in the fully released position, it seems that the disengagement of the pawl is not happening. Because it seems to show that the teeth are still engaged. The lever should disengage from those teeth and sit further back, thus engaging the heel with the microswitch.

Hope that helps

Paul

PS You have an XJS Convertible, not a Cabriolet - quite a different model!

 

To fully disengage the park brake lever, proceed as follows:

1. Pull lever fully up to engage the brake
2. let lever fall to down position
3. press in button and KEEP pressed in while you pull the lever fully up until you feel the ratchet disenage: i.e. you feel the weight of pulling the brake cable. KEEP the button in while you
4. lower the lever and press it fully down completely parallel with the floor.
5. Only now release the button.

If, as Paul mentions, the ratchet is still visible and the lever not fully down, try anti-seize and keep working the lever as described here, until it frees off.

 

Case closed. Parking break switch finally working as it should
This lever was this one in a need of adjustment.

Thanks everybody.

 

yoopas,

Glad you've got it sorted!

I appreciate that's the original pic, but have you now got it set up so that the pawl in that pic is actually disengaging from the lever teeth to allow the handbrake lever to be properly in the off / disengaged position when the heel is touching the microswitch?

Paul

 

Nobody has mentioned that this handbrake switch also controls whether you can lower the convertible top or not.
Nofking

 

The good news is that in that failed position with the light permanently on, at least you can raise and lower the roof!

Paul