'00acura

I have a the same problem! Whoever can fix this gets a sticker. I have tried everything I have read on numerous forums.

Problem: Brake lights do not work when pressed. Won't shift out of park. (unless bypassed by manual slot)

I have replaced every fuse
I have replaced every bulb
I have replaced the brake light switch twice and adjusted it a gazillion times
I have replaced the gear solenoid

I do not hear the infamous "click" when I press the brake and try to shift out of park...

So now i guess I'm looking at the wiring?

Where do I start? What do I need? What do I look for? What do I do?

Did I miss anything else before I attack the wiring?

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Who's going to get the sticker?

'00acura

No one wants a golden star sticker?

ron1

i had this prob

i replaced fuse for horn in fusebox in engine bay- problem solved
2000 integra SE

'00acura

Fuse for horn? Seriously?

ron1

yes

'00acura

And this fixed your brake lights not working and your shift out of park problem?

'00acura

With much hesitation, I checked the horn fuse thinking this might solve my problem.

Is anybody else out there?


Okay the plot thickens...

The e-brake light comes on and stays on for a while then goes off while im driving. Sometimes it's on when I start the car and sometimes it's off. Sometimes it comes on while I'm driving and sometimes it doesn't.

There is an aftermarket alarm and remote start in this vehicle...

I know this remote start runs through the brakes because if I start the car with the remote and push the brakes before I insert and turn the key to the on position it will kill the car. To confuse you further, I can not start the car with the key. In other words, I have to use the remote to start the car.

I have owned the car for less than i year. When I purchased the car it was like this. Meaning I have never been able to start the car with the key, I have always needed the remote. However, the brake lights did work up until about 3months ago. (yes I have been driving around with no brake lights for three months) no one can help me!

I can live with having to start the car via remote for now. I just need brake lights! However, something tells me both problems are connected...

HELP me! Please help me!

If I take this thing to the stealership I will pay $100 just for them to look at it and I know they will be at a loss because I know it has to do with the aftermarket system...

I plan on taking the car into a place tomorrow that specializes in aftermarket alarms and remote starts.

Does any of this new info help?

'00acura

Update...

I took it to a place that specializes in alarms and remote starters. They fixed the issue of the key not being able to start the car but did not fix the brake light issue.

They said that there is power going to the brake switch but not coming out of it and I should take it to a mechanic...

psychoII

By you a tcm (transmission control module) (located uder the floor pan on passenger side-honda accord). I chased this problem for days, someone on this site told me to check the tcm, so I purchased one for 35 dollars from a junk yard, all fixed, everything working. I no longer have the car, but when I sold it, it was a good as new.. no stuck gear shift.
Just my 02 cent

ron1

for e brake light- top up brake fluid

there is a sensor in there that sets it off when fluid is low

'00acura

Thanks I will try and find the tcm on my Acura. And thanks for the suggestion of topping off brake fluid, brake light went off

'00acura

Update...
I have brake lights and I can shift out of park! ! !
Although it wasn't the fix I was looking for it works for me...

Here is what I ended up doing..

I decided to just run a new power from my brake switch directly to my failure sensor in the trunk.
I tapped into the black/white wire right after it comes out of the switch and then ran it under my panels into the trunk and tapped into the black/white wire right before it enters the failure sensor.

Everything works perfectly!
I guess now I have to ask, what are some down sides of doing it this way and leaving the old power wire in place?

neilhank202

Thanks for your suggestion, i too had a similar problem and now its repaired.

bsmeesta

Hey Guys,

Thought I would give everyone my two cents on this topic and hopefully help as many individuals as I can. This has been a 3 year process of elimination, toil, anger, happiness and a complete learning experience that I am now forever grateful for.

Type of Car: I own a 1990 Honda Accord LX

Problem: Primary issue and the main problem was that I couldn't get my key out of the ignition and when I shifted my car into park, the P Light never came on and I could no longer get it back out of park. Secondary issue was that I couldn’t get the key out of the ignition.

What to Look For (Signs of Component Failure) and Questions to Ask:

1. Main Relay: This component is very vital to many electrical processes in the car, but in regards to ignition, this component must be in good working order. Check to make sure you hear the audible click (driver’s side below dash) when moving into and out of park. This switch interworks with the brake light switch located behind your brakes and is responsible for allowing your key to come out of the ignition.

Do you hear the click? Does your car suffer from “no hot starts?” A hallmark sign of a bad main relay is the inability to start car during warm days (i.e. with the windows up in the sun all day) – Check this component first. If this works fine, move on.

2. Brake Light Switch/Sensor: This component is both a safety feature and how your car electronically communicates that you are indeed in park. The switch is located behind the brake pedal. You can’t get the car out of park to switch to other gears or take the key out of the ignition unless your brake light switch is working properly.

Are your taillights working? Are they on all the time? Are they not on? Do they only come on when you press down the brakes? – The switch is in circuit with a few other solenoids and sensors, so this switch must be working. Easy test is to grab a multi-meter and measure the resistance in Ohms across the switch. There should be no resistance (aka 0 or infinity) If you don’t know what a multi-meter is: Are the brake lights working? Yes- Move on. No- Replace the switch.

3. Shift Lock Solenoid: This component is located underneath the slot to insert your spare key near the shift lever. This is a neat Honda trick for overriding the electrical mechanisms to take your car out of park when something isn’t working properly.

Can you get your car out of park using a spare key? If you can, this solenoid is fine. If you can’t, replacing this solenoid is a good idea, but not vital to the operation of your car given the main system is functional. Don’t worry too much about this one. Just something to note.

4. Neutral Safety Switch: This component is located on the left hand side of the shift level. It is rather large and white. IMHO, this is the problem 99.999999999% of the time when A. your car won’t come out of park and B. your key is stuck in the ignition. This component is responsible for insuring your car doesn’t miraculously come out of park once you shift into park and won’t allow you to take it out of park until you depress the brakes. See how all these components work together?

Is there an absence of P Light on your dash board. If you jiggle the shift lever while in drive does your green square fade in and out? Has your S (Superspeed) Light come on and off intermittently? Does this problem occur in temperature extremes? (really cold/hot weather)

The safety switch is easily corrodible and damaged given the location. Can you name any electronics you have had for 20 plus years that have had soda, mcdonalds grease, cig ashes and/or beer (not while driving.) spilled on them and survived this long and remained functional? Not a chance.

The key to your problem most likely involves this switch. Replace it, looks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/OES-Genuine-Ne.../dp/B001G7WRDE

manufacture no: W0133-1622805

*As a side note, while you have the cover off and are down there, make sure to inspect all the mechanical parts, check for wear and grease appropriately. It’s amazing how little the amount of crap has to be in there to wreck your day. So call your buddy, grandma, grab your wife, kids, gym bag or golf clubs and go out and f’ing celebrate. You fixed the problem and you will no longer have to idle in your work’s parking lot for 25 minutes before it goes into park and you can get the key out. Total job time: 25 minutes

You can PM if you need better install instructions.

-I am no mechanic, let alone a car saavy guy. I’m just a 24 year old science researcher with genuine curiosity on how things work and some free time to DIY it. It’s a very easy fix, so do it yourself. It’s fun, you feel like a man and you will learn something about yourself and cars. I owe a lot to this forum and am happy to make this my first chance at paying back for all I have been given. Goodluck.

Branden

Chance666

Can you tell me that how do I check the switch and where is it located.
I can use the bypass to get into gear, but need to resolve the problem.
Thanks....

Jerzey Rex

Disregard i didn't see you had a problem with the Brake lights also.

bsmeesta

Chance666, which switch are you talking about?

Cano1018

I clear codes and can't shift my 98 ek. Code stay clear. But if I press break pedal code comes back on.

Cano1018

Can someone help me . I have 98 civic dx not getting out of park. I change selinoid and break switch and nothing. I change tranny and nothing. I can clear code and it stays off but the minute I step on brake pedal the code comes on.

ndfamily

I had a similar issue - read a thread in here that said, believe it or not, to change the Horn Stop Fuse. Just did and I can now shift and my brake lights are back. However, while I now hear the horn "trying" to blow - there is no real sound. This was replaced new 2 years ago - any ideas?