Need tips on swapping the clutch start switch

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Blah thats the thing, i know where it is. Easy to find. Just hard to reach with a wrench.



Yea went over that last time. My car is parked at a valet lot, and most lots in nyc are valet operated. Whats the risk if an idiot valet hits the button without clutch in and the switch is gone?

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Not a matter of "if" but when it would happen. The switch has been so common for so long that I couldn't even fault somebody that didn't know it was disconnected from starting the car in gear. Fine if you are the only person that drives it or get to talk to anybody that will before hand but not a great idea if people that do not know may be in the driver's seat.

What does it do on our cars? Is it still like the cars of old where they'll try to lurch forward when you try to start them. Or if your foot is on the brake will the engine will stall and the starter grind? I know on some vehicles (offroaders) with hefty transfer low range transfer cases the starters had enough torque to start the car in gear on inclines.....

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I have a real dislike of the pushbutton start. Anything that forces the operator to commit to running industrial strength machinery with no way to abort should come with a big cover surrounded by safety tape.



It should at least make you push once for ignition and hold a second time so you can let go instinctively if something feels wrong.

On all the recent cars I've driver you simply tap the start button in rapid succession and it turns off the ignition.

Also nothing can really go wrong if you didn't disable the clutch position switch, also if it's just continually cranking it will either time out or you can press it again to stop it or remove your foot off the clutch.


In Auto FRS/BRZ you cant even turn the key to off unless your in neutral or park, so if something went wrong while driving you'd have to go to neutral first.....

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

What does it do on our cars? Is it still like the cars of old where they'll try to lurch forward when you try to start them. Or if your foot is on the brake will the engine will stall and the starter grind? I know on some vehicles (offroaders) with hefty transfer low range transfer cases the starters had enough torque to start the car in gear on inclines.....

Oh, it'll absolutely lurch, and yes, it'll start the engine going uphill in first. Plenty of torque.

I know I'm overthinking it. Just bugs me the same way being forced to wear my seat belt used to. Pretty stupid, actually.

[PandaSPUR]

Quick useless update. I fingered the switch a bit (giggity) and got a bunch of grime off of the outside of it. Seems to have fixed it for now, shrug.

Did also pick up one of these little guys: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crescent...4CVS/205642160

4" should be short enough for me to get in there and break that nut when the switch finally dies.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Quick useless update. I fingered the switch a bit (giggity) and got a bunch of grime off of the outside of it. Seems to have fixed it for now, shrug.

Did also pick up one of these little guys: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crescent...4CVS/205642160

4" should be short enough for me to get in there and break that nut when the switch finally dies.

I bet it's the connector. That would also explain why replacing the switch didn't actually fix the problem.

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I bet it's the connector. That would also explain why replacing the switch didn't actually fix the problem.

Hm... I didn't even mess with the connector. I was literally just wiggling the button of the switch and pushing it in and out. Got some grit off of it that way, seems to have helped.

Last time this happened, it was definitely the switch. It got to the point where I'd have to sit there hitting the switch for a minute before the car would start. After the swap, it started flawlessly every time until now. The swap was done winter of 2016-2017 I think, so its been a bit over a year now.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Hm... I didn't even mess with the connector. I was literally just wiggling the button of the switch and pushing it in and out. Got some grit off of it that way, seems to have helped.

Last time this happened, it was definitely the switch. It got to the point where I'd have to sit there hitting the switch for a minute before the car would start. After the swap, it started flawlessly every time until now. The swap was done winter of 2016-2017 I think, so its been a bit over a year now.

Gotcha. There must be a reason your pedal cluster is eating switches because it's such a rare failure. I wonder if it isn't a problem with alignment, or adjustment.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Hm... I didn't even mess with the connector. I was literally just wiggling the button of the switch and pushing it in and out. Got some grit off of it that way, seems to have helped.

Last time this happened, it was definitely the switch. It got to the point where I'd have to sit there hitting the switch for a minute before the car would start. After the swap, it started flawlessly every time until now. The swap was done winter of 2016-2017 I think, so its been a bit over a year now.

Bubba suggests you just spray that switch with something like this and if that don't fix it … replace it, using that cute little wrench you bought ….


humfrz

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Gotcha. There must be a reason your pedal cluster is eating switches because it's such a rare failure. I wonder if it isn't a problem with alignment, or adjustment.

Thats what I'm wondering too. Maybe its because I lean on the clutch pedal too hard when going through stop and go traffic? Maybe its all the valets that touch my car, do they all just slam the pedal?

Its definitely weird considering my car only has 17k miles too

Originally Posted by humfrz

Bubba suggests you just spray that switch with something like this and if that don't fix it … replace it, using that cute little wrench you bought ….


humfrz

Thought about doing this too, but the space is so tight I'm afraid ill just miss, make a mess, and end up cleaning grease from various joints down there instead lol.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Thats what I'm wondering too. Maybe its because I lean on the clutch pedal too hard when going through stop and go traffic? Maybe its all the valets that touch my car, do they all just slam the pedal?

Its definitely weird considering my car only has 17k miles too



Thought about doing this too, but the space is so tight I'm afraid ill just miss, make a mess, and end up cleaning grease from various joints down there instead lol.

PandaSPUR, I'm ah feared you're starten to overthink this situation.

These new fangled spray cans have an adjustable barrel and a trigger, which makes them quite accurate …

If you're concerned about overspray, just back up your target with an old microfiber towel.

Remember, take a deep breath, exhale then slowly squeeze the trigger.

Good hunting!




humfrz

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Thats what I'm wondering too. Maybe its because I lean on the clutch pedal too hard when going through stop and go traffic? Maybe its all the valets that touch my car, do they all just slam the pedal?

Its definitely weird considering my car only has 17k miles too

You should be able to mash it to the floor all day long. The pedal lands against a hard stop which has a cheesy little rubber button attached. I wore through mine long ago and replaced it with an adhesive-backed felt pad.


The switch should be adjusted so that it closes just as the pedal hits the hard stop. This is the Toyota version of the manual.

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You should be able to mash it to the floor all day long. The pedal lands against a hard stop which has a cheesy little rubber button attached. I wore through mine long ago and replaced it with an adhesive-backed felt pad.


The switch should be adjusted so that it closes just as the pedal hits the hard stop. This is the Toyota version of the manual.

Good point. Hm, I'll double check the stopper too maybe mine needs replacing or got knocked off.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Good point. Hm, I'll double check the stopper too maybe mine needs replacing or got knocked off.

They're so thin it's ridiculous. You're good as long as you don't get a metal-to-metal clank when you bottom out the pedal.

[Coop]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGfKbbShpaM[/ame]

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

They're so thin it's ridiculous. You're good as long as you don't get a metal-to-metal clank when you bottom out the pedal.

Well I don't get that so I'm probably fine, will check anyway though. But this reminds me... while i was down there wiping off the switch, i did also pull/twist the whole metal platform that the switch was attached to. Pulled in the opposite direction that the clutch pedal would push when bottoming out. Maybe thats what actually fixed it for me (for now)? I wonder if I just lean too hard and heavy on it sometimes and bent something out of place by a bit. All it takes is one or two mm for that switch to not engage properly.

Originally Posted by Coop

I like how the skip over removing of the start switch and retightening of the replacement lol. The bottom switch (with the blue end) is just the clutch position sensor used for cruise control, that one is easy to get to.

Impressed they were able to get back there with just a normal wrench though, guess I just need to try harder.

EDIT: One of the comments mentioned disassembling then packing the switch with some dielectric grease. I've thought about that before as well, glad to see it apparently works.