Honda-Tech - Honda Forum Discussion - Brake lights stay on...how I fixed them

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- Honda CRX / EF Civic (1988 - 1991) (https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-crx-ef-civic-1988-1991-3/)

- - Brake lights stay on...how I fixed them (https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-crx-ef-civic-1988-1991-3/brake-lights-stay-how-i-fixed-them-2254546/)

Brake lights stay on...how I fixed them

Alright so the other night I got home and get out of my CRX only to see the brake lights were on. I thought I left the lights on so I checked and sure enought they were turned off...I thought WTH?!

It was already night time and with no garage to work on I didn't want to fumble with it so I just loosened and disconnected the battery to save it until morning.

Next day after researching I found some threads saying it was the brake light switch that was bad and to change that out. I called for the brake light switch (non cruise control) and found 3 prices: Kragens ($29), Napa ($20), and Pep Boys ($18)

I was almost ready to go get it but decided to look at it one more time to check if it was indeed the switch that was bad by manually toggeling the switch.

With the help of a friend I went out and I pushed in the little button plunger on the switch and my friend let me know the brake lights were turned off. So right away I knew the switch was good.

I felt around the brake pedal part itself and felt a hole so I took a picture of it instead of crawling all underneath:
https://img232.imageshack.us/img232/...scn1676bm3.jpg

A little more futher investigating around my foot area and I found these broken bits of plastic on my carpet.
https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/...scn1661wk5.jpg

So I called the local Honda dealership for this and they told me it was a "Pedal Stopper Pad, P/N 46505-SA5-000" and it cost a whopping $3.28 (sure beats paying $20+):
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/...scn1663rw1.jpg
https://img509.imageshack.us/img509/839/dscn1662if9.jpg
https://img222.imageshack.us/img222/139/dscn1666ew9.jpg

Here's the old broken one next to the new one:
https://img232.imageshack.us/img232/...scn1669hd5.jpg

I took some more pictures of the brake pedal/switch area:
Here you can clearly see the hole for the missing pedal stopper pad:
https://img175.imageshack.us/img175/...cn1679cvb7.jpg

Missing the brake pedal stopper pad produced a gap to the brake light switch plunger:
https://img175.imageshack.us/img175/...scn1678mf9.jpg

So all that was left was to pop it back in which took all of 2 seconds:
https://img175.imageshack.us/img175/...scn1680fo7.jpg

Here you can see the the brake light switch plunger being pushed all the way in by the stopper pad...this fixed it right up for me!
https://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8471/dscn1681bp5.jpg

Modified by 97SS at 12:06 PM 3/19/2008

Modified by 97SS at 12:21 PM 3/19/2008

good write up.

yep number one issues with EF's that little part. I ordered on from majestic honda and 5 came in a pack.

They sit in the top draw of my tool box.

Thanks rbwdriven, I didn't find any good threads on this other than "just replace your brake light switch" so I took plenty of pics to post this to help others out. It's a totaly easy and cheap fix!

I called my closest Honda dealership but they didn't have any of these and would have to order it. So I called the next dealership over and they had one in stock so I went to get it since I didn't want to be driving around with my lights on all the time and having to disconnect my battery everytime I stopped.

You wouldn't be willing to sell/ship me one of the ones you got in your 5 pack would you? I will probably need another one of those since while under my pedals I noticed this other pad looking like it might be ready to break since it is 20 years old and probably more brittle than a old person's hip bone!
https://img368.imageshack.us/img368/...scn1675dk9.jpg

I had this happen on my crx too and it didn't take long for me to find it. I noticed the "blue crayon" in my floormat and that tipped me off. Blue crayon? WTF?

Anyways I ended up making mine out of a bolt head ground down with a nut on the back, good to know they sell new ones at the dealer!

Re: (peanut butter)

Yeah the 'crayon' looking pieces gave me an idea but the night it happened the interior doom light is way too weak to light up the foot area so I didn't see it until the next morning.

I heard some pennies (I'd say about 2 of them) duct taped to it is a good temporary fix too but I didn't want to struggle trying to wrap the tape around the brake pedal in that awkward angle to view it.

Most of the pictures I took I just positioned my camera and snapped away without actually getting my head underneath the pedals.

more info. (in the FAQ, under brakes)
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/2094313

i jb welded a penny onto mine haha. still holding strong though after 3 years.

Re: (GroundZer0 336)

i glued a penny on mine hahaha the thing we do https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emwink.gif

Re: (89GSRHATCH)

dam i saved $3.02 by using the glued penny... lol... i tried that and it worked fine for me but i didn't know which side to glue.. heads or tails? lol

Re: Brake lights stay on...how I fixed them (97SS)

thank you for the help..i do however have a few questions..i indeed found the broken stopper pedal plastic piece part..and i was wondering..its plastic..if i get another one and replace it..how does that make the lights go off..i mean all it does is juzz there..and the brake switch..i notice that there is a white piece sticking out..well on mine..i dont see that piece..and the stopper pedal piece..can i get it at carquest or does it have to be from honda??

I had the exact same thing happen to me on my wife's '84 Accord. That silly little $3 part caused me a huge headache until I figured it out.

Re: (-NA-aLL-thE-wAy-)

THANK YOU for making this detailed write up, this problem has been puzzling me all week!!