Neutral safety or stoplight switch?

[losibrah]

Here I go again....1993 ATX 3.2. I cant push the shifter button in, and I have no break lights. Now, the button has been a running problem, but I haven't got around to looking at it since it hasnt posed a problem and tires were more important. Now the break lights don't work. Well, sometimes they do if I push in on the switches posted at the top of the break pedal. It doesnt' seem to be an electrical problem as the mechanical action "seems" to be what ultimately engages the break lights. My question is which one is more than likely the faulty part? Also, from the looks of them on a few sites, both the Neutral safety switch and the stoplight switch seem to both be together in the weird assembly atop the break pedal. Is that the deal or am I wrong? Any help appriciated! Thanks!

 

[the bone]

The neutral safety switch is not on the brake peddle. It would not know what gear the transmission is in. The switch on the brake peddle is probably so you can take the car out of park you need to press on the brake first. As for the brake light it may be a simple adjustment of the switch or it may be sticking. It's been in there a while. However I have never seen them stick just a guess

 

[luigisho]

The only Ford neutral safety switch I ever changed was on a F-250 van and that module was on the side of the tranny and that is geared to move with the gear selector to 'know' what gear you are in. I assume that this is similar in ATX Tauruses. You may have a faulty BOO (brake on/off) switch at the pedal. The shifter button may be a different issue or related. Do you need to depress the brake to be able to push in the release button on the shifter? Never had to deal with that issue. I think I've seen it posted before though. Try a search...

 

[hawkeye18]

The NSS on the ATX SHO is located on top of the transmission where the shift lever meets with it. If you look under the throttle body you can see it.

The NSS is not the cause of your woes. That's the BOO switch (Brake On/Off) that sits on top of the brake pedal and won't let you shift out of park and doesn't give you brake lights.

For what it's worth, if you turn the key to position I (III is start, II is ACC ON and 0 is locked), you can shift into drive - the shift interlock is disabled in that key position, and that's your backup. There's nothing that can be done for the brake lights except replacing the switch. You can get it at AAP for about $10 (PN: S6031P), and replacement really isn't too bad. Just follow the instructions and you'll be ok.

 

[Whydah91]

Brake switch died on mine at 150k, no brake lights at all, scarfed one at Advance, two minutes to replace, end of problem.

 

[losibrah]

Thanks fellas! Hawkeye, thats how I've been starting the thing, was putting it in position 1 to get the button to depress. BOO switch it is! I don't think it's totally toast because it only happens every now and again, but pigs around here don't issue warnings, even for an equipment violation, so I'm just gonna go ahead and replace the lil guy to be safe. I think I just got confused over the way some of the parts looked down there. I'm sooooo glad I can come on here and get it cleared up! When the forum search fails, the community is always here to support! Every model of car should have a support site like this....Thanks again!

 

[hawkeye18]

That's what we do here... but what you really need is a support group for being in Ohio.

 

[losibrah]

Lol! Yes we do!!!