Hi, everyone! I haven't owned a Honda since 2005. I recently picked up a '95 Civic EX sedan. The car is a 5-speed. 180k, and relatively clean for the age and mileage. Been working perfectly for the last week. Here's what I encountered today.

Drove it to the grocery store. Got groceries, returned to the parking lot. Tried to start it, nothing. No crank, no clicks, no nothing. I DO have power to my accessories. Thought maybe the starter. After quick Google search, thinking starter OR maybe clutch switch mechanism? A buddy met me, we pushed the car and pop-started it in first gear. Drove it home.

BUT...

Parked it and shut if off. Came back out about ten minutes later and my brake lights were illuminated! Hopped in and tapped the brake pedal multiple times thinking something was stuck. Brake lights stay on.

Way too weird that both issues developed at at the same time. Are they related? Do I need a starter AND a brake light switch?

I work for a Toyota dealer and my technician buddy is going to come over with a test light tomorrow to see what's getting power and what isn't. But if anyone has any insight, by all means, shed some light.

Thanks! Don't beat me up too badly, I come from Volkswagen and BMW forums and I'm by no means a technician myself.

Thanks!

 

Maybe take a good flashlight & look at the brake & clutch pedal linkage "inside the car" & make sure they are not hanging up on anything ... or possibly a broken clutch switch. That switch has a rubber boot on top of it that usually falls off when the switch fails/breaks & no longer sends the connection to the starter.

 

Did you even test the clutch switch at all? Check the start cut relay when your buddy gets there.

 

Rubber stoppers on both the clutch and brake pedals probably deteriorated. That they both happened at nearly the same time is a fluke. Replacements from the dealer appear to be nylon now.

 

As mentioned, CIS or brake switch problem, [or pin stoppers for switches].

Test starting... https://honda-tech.com/forums/tech-m...mp%5d-2961164/

For brakes just check the switch/pin stopper. 94

 

Would someone explain how the brake stopper plug being missing would put the brake lights on solid?

I thought the lights only came on when the pin was depressed on the brake pedal and without the stopper.... The pin would not be able to be depressed aka no brake lights ever.

Am I confusing things?

 

Brake switch is held off by pin stop, if pin stop is not there, switch will stay on....
Honda Automotive Parts 94

 

Oh wait, the image just formulated in my head....

The push pin is mounted the opposite as the clutch setup. When you depress the brake pedal you are letting the pin out not pushing it in.

No stopper means the pin is always out.

I get it, thank you.

 

Most brake switches work that way, "on at rest", I think only a few Fords have brake switches that are off at rest, or need to be "pressed" to turn on. 94

 

Brake switch - open circuit until the pedal releases the pin, completing the circuit for activating the brake lights.

Clutch switch - open circuit until the pedal engages the pin, completing the circuit for the starter.



As you can see the switches are mounted the same way. One just operates as a normally closed position and the other operates as a normally open position.

 

Poor wording on my part. Mounted so they operate oppositely. Brake is below the fulcrum so depressed normally, clutch is above the fulcrum so not depressed normally.

Still mounted oppositely. :p

 

LOL the switches work oppositely of one another but you get it.

 

For the clutch switch I used a paper clip to jump the connector as a temporary fix as I was on a 4000 mile road trip at the time. You just have to be careful as you can start the car without pressing the clutch.

 

Dude, you were correct! All three stoppers had broken. We jumped the wire to the clutch switch so I can start it and drive it into work. Will get fixed next week.

Thanks again!

 

If you go to the dealer the search term they use in their system is "pad stopper".