Brake Lights wont turn off! (1 Viewer)

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Here's why I love this forum. Stopped for baklava on the way home last night, and when I came out I thought I'd left my lights on. Turns out, I hadn't, but instead my brake lights were on. As I hopped in to drive home I googled "FJ80 brake lights won't turn off" and was served this thread.

Based on the "simplest explanation first" principle (Occam's razor, call it what you will) I assumed the 80 also had a switch that engaged with the brake pedal. First I yanked the floor mat back, in case that was interfering, but that didn't work. Pulled into a gas station near home (so I could back up to the building and see my brake lights clearly), got out my flashlight, and immediately saw this thing on the floor mat...

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It's the soft plastic pad that's supposed to contact the brake light switch - at least I assumed. I Looked up under and saw where it goes - between the brake pedal and the refrigerator-door-style intermittent switch that closes the circuit when physically released. Upper right in the image, silver switch body, gold threads & nuts holding the switch to the switch bracket, and the black plastic switch button that's supposed to make contact with the round tab on the brake pedal. A quick test confirmed that putting this thing back in place

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When I got home, since the tab was broken off the wee plastic disk, I used some thick, strong, flexible glue (E9000 from the Missus craft drawer, if you're curious) on the back of the disk, placed it with some tweezers, and let pressure from the brake pedal hold it in place. This morning it works fine, and will hold long enough for me to buy or make a new plastic pad.

Thanks all!
 
I just replaced my neighbor's brake stop switch on her car (Toyota). It was the exact same thing, $15 from the parts store and all is good again.

Note, if you have cruise control, the Toyota switch is about $26 or so.
 
Can anyone explain to me how you're supposed to get the cushion in place? I just attempted to and somehow lost the damn thing!

You have to do much of this by feel. Brake light trivia Pic of the rubber cushion in this thread. With one hand push down hard on the brake pedal to gain clearance between the pedal arm and switch. Insert the stem of the cushion into the small hole on the pedal arm. With needle nose pliers come up behind the pedal arm and grab the short section of the stem that is passed through the hole and pull on the stem. It'll pop into place.
 
You have to do much of this by feel. Brake light trivia Pic of the rubber cushion in this thread. With one hand push down hard on the brake pedal to gain clearance between the pedal arm and switch. Insert the stem of the cushion into the small hole on the pedal arm. With needle nose pliers come up behind the pedal arm and grab the short section of the stem that is passed through the hole and pull on the stem. It'll pop into place.
@Godwin thanks so much for your help! I finally got her in there BUT my brake lights continue to stay on. The only way I can get them off is by pulling the fuse. Dumbfounded.
 
I've got the opposite problem as my brake lights aren't working. I checked the fuse and bulbs when are good. I'm missing the rubber pad that should engage the switch, so my brake lights should actually be ON all the time as the turn off switch never engages but just the opposite is happening. I pushed the switch in to see if the brakelights came on and nothing.

Now I suspect the actual switch is bad? Anyone have a part number for that on an 89 FJ62? Any other thoughts on why the brake lights won't work? Thanks!
 
Same problem on my 40

Hey guys, I found this thread while researching my problem. My '70 FJ40 is kind of doing the same thing. When I release the brake pedal sometimes the brake light goes out right away, sometimes it goes out after a couple seconds (I hear a pop coming from around the stoplight switch), and sometimes it never goes out. Could this be the same problem as Worldspan had on the 60?

Or maybe the 60 and 40 are completely different, I don't know.

I cant' get out to look at it until tomorrow, so I was just trying to get some ideas tonight. Thanks for the help.

Brian
I just put one of those little felt pieces that goes on the bottom of a chair leg in there. problem solved
 
Good suggestions so far - one more to consider - there is a small round rubber pad on the brake pedal arm. This pad is what the brake light switch pin strikes against. Over time the pad wears down, and becomes thinner. Eventually it gets thin enough that the switch pin isn't pushed back far enough, and brake light stays on. It's a 50 cent piece, but drove me nuts for weeks trying to figure it out. Actually, if you have lots of miles on your truck, just replace this little piece of rubber for piece of mind if nothing else.
Where do I buy this piece? I need one for my 62
 
Where do I buy this piece? I need one for my 62

Here is the part number: 9054106008

Any Toyota dealership should be able to order if not in stock. It cast about $2.50. They keep them in stock, because they were used in over 100 models.
 
This old thread just keeps on giving. Had the brake light staying on randomly from time to time over the past two years. Replaced the return spring on the brake pedal and that fixed it for a while, but it was just masking the true problem... The little $2.71 part after tax from the dealer. As mentioned part number 90541-06008. Picture of the 33-year old piece next to new one is below. Note the donut like shape of the old one. If yours looks like a donut, it's time to replace it. I was able to do a trail fix by turning the cushion slightly to have the pin hit in a different spot. This worked until I could scrape up the $2.71 :). A flat-head screwdriver to pry the old one out, and needle-nosed pliers to gently pull it into to place once it was in the hole, and problem solved. Took less than five minutes, and now I don't have to worry about my battery being dead in the morning.

Thanks MUD, once again...
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