JLA
Member
D40 STX550 120,000klm.
Went to the tip today, just about to reverse in my trailer and found the gear selector was stuck in Park. I was able to use the manual unlock. Arrived home and checked this forum, I found a few faults the same, three were the Park switch and one I think was the brake fuse. I expected to find a blown fuse caused by a trailer fault but not so.
I checked the brake fuse - ok, but also noticed the brake lights were not working. Checked the brake light switch, the contacts were all open regardless of the switch position. Applied a light spray of WD40 with no change. Dismantled the switch, cleaned contacts, works fine. Will replace both the brake and the cruise switches tomorrow.
I had not considered before how dangerous the sudden failure of the switch is. I had just come down the Mapleton range with a full load of old sleepers in a four wheel braked trailer. If that switch had of failed a bit earlier, when I was going down the range, I would have been toast. That range often has accidents especially when damp. Without that switch working I have zero trailer braking.
These switches seem to be the same style for all Navaras, I would suggest if you are towing anything, especially a van, that both these switches get replaced to a preventive maintenance schedule. 100,000klm may be too far apart. It probably depends on luck and how often you press the brake pedals. I’ll be replacing mine every 80,000 in the future.
note: there are two switches on the brake pedal, one for the brake light (white connector, four wires) and one for the cruise control (orange connector, two wires). The switch assemblies just twist 45deg to remove, and press an indent to unplug. Easy job. In an emergency the brake switch could be repaired on the side of the road by carefully dismantling it and cleaning the contacts, but obviously it won’t last. It at least confirms where the problem is. Don’t forget to depress the brake pedal before installing the switch.
I found this informative YouTube url of emergency repairing the switch:
You can click on watch it on YouTube.
Went to the tip today, just about to reverse in my trailer and found the gear selector was stuck in Park. I was able to use the manual unlock. Arrived home and checked this forum, I found a few faults the same, three were the Park switch and one I think was the brake fuse. I expected to find a blown fuse caused by a trailer fault but not so.
I checked the brake fuse - ok, but also noticed the brake lights were not working. Checked the brake light switch, the contacts were all open regardless of the switch position. Applied a light spray of WD40 with no change. Dismantled the switch, cleaned contacts, works fine. Will replace both the brake and the cruise switches tomorrow.
I had not considered before how dangerous the sudden failure of the switch is. I had just come down the Mapleton range with a full load of old sleepers in a four wheel braked trailer. If that switch had of failed a bit earlier, when I was going down the range, I would have been toast. That range often has accidents especially when damp. Without that switch working I have zero trailer braking.
These switches seem to be the same style for all Navaras, I would suggest if you are towing anything, especially a van, that both these switches get replaced to a preventive maintenance schedule. 100,000klm may be too far apart. It probably depends on luck and how often you press the brake pedals. I’ll be replacing mine every 80,000 in the future.
note: there are two switches on the brake pedal, one for the brake light (white connector, four wires) and one for the cruise control (orange connector, two wires). The switch assemblies just twist 45deg to remove, and press an indent to unplug. Easy job. In an emergency the brake switch could be repaired on the side of the road by carefully dismantling it and cleaning the contacts, but obviously it won’t last. It at least confirms where the problem is. Don’t forget to depress the brake pedal before installing the switch.
I found this informative YouTube url of emergency repairing the switch:
You can click on watch it on YouTube.
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