I am having nothing but problems with the brake switch on my XJ. I have the one that came with it and a new one that I purchased and I can get neither to work.

The lights work when the switch is bypassed, but no matter how I wire it up it won't pass electricity to the lights.

Is there a different type of switch that I can use? Any suggestions?

 

....this gd switch is what shorted out and started the fire that has caused me a veritable nightmare.

 

Maybe post some pics ..
Do you have abs? On my 90 xj PO. Deleted the abs system wound up taking it to the Jeep dealer because originally I was having problems with my brake light switch. Wound up having them replace the master cylinder and brake booster
And had them wire the switch $900 later what a nightmare never again.our xj breaks will never be perfect.

 

With the '88 non-ABS it is a simple circuit from an always hot channel in the fusebox to the switch. The brake pedal switch is merely supposed to complete the circuit when activated. Neither of the two switches that I have will complete the circuit.

I am gonna go out and do some checking with the multimeter....


(This is the cheesiest part ever though...the switch is designed terribly.. :/ )

 

 

I think mine had a wire for the transmission switch ? And I'm pretty sure they couldn't figure out how to hook it back up without the ABS

 

This system is too simple to mess up, yet it doesn't work... The whole issue is that the switch isn't switching when the pedal is depressed.

I just tested the switches and they do work when activated but the pedal arm connection to the master cylinder rod is not moving the switch properly...

Plus, it just sits there on the pedal arm with just the one bolt holding it in place so it can rotate up into the steering column area and short out....which is what happened to me and a fire ensued... No pinche bueno!

What I am hoping to do is retrofit some other type of switch onto it so I won't run the risk of a short in the future....

 

I had another xj catch fire through the oil soaked air filter
Took me a few days to go through all the electrical and then I finally figured out the only way it would start would be to disconnect the battery every time I wanted to start it. Nightmares

 

This looks like they added another switch to the system. The original is still there and another switch (white) above it. I might have to do something similar....

 

Here's a pic of my actual switch now after getting it back from the factory $900 later master cylinder brake booster plus wiring the stupid switch and they went ahead and didA couple of recalls

 

I think I have this issue solved. Brake lights are working now, but I had to do some J-rigging. It isn't any worse than what the stock deal was so it should hopefully last a while....

 

The white switch stops torque converter lockup, and might also be involved in stopping cruise control.

You might be missing something simple Crazy. I'm so big I could have nightmares over working on the thing! Maybe sleep on it, and in a new light it will just click.

Yes, 789, mods need to be done to fit the newer rod into a renix with the ABS booster swap. I gather you need to ream the hole bigger, then grind a flat on the end of the rod for the switch, likely not Crazy's problem since ABS was not offered in 88. (might be wrong there)

 

Good to hear brother just keep your eyes on the brake lights make sure they're working.

 

I spent a bit of time trying to see how it worked mechanically with a flashlight and I could see how it could work....and removing the steel cylinder spacer and the plastic bushings then allowed the master cylinder rod to push on the switch completing the circuit.

I used some zip ties and some electrical tape to fix the switch in place so it won't rotate up or down because I had to leave the main bolt a bit slack so the master cylinder rod would move independently of the pedal arm.

 

Thank god I have get to really get into one. When I swap my ABS to standard vacuum booster, likely I'll spend the ten minutes to remove the seat so I can get up in there. Me thinks if you need to remove parts and use tape and zip ties, something is wrong. ....Any chance it can go in upside down?