Bit by a Nissan brake light switch.

[JTK]

For a week or three the darling bride complained about a no start issue with her 2019 Nissan Pathfinder. You'd go though your normal foot on the brake and press the start button, only to be met with the standard 'press brake and push start' reminder message on the dash. Oddly but thankfully, using the factory remote start on the FOBs would start it and you'd usually be good to go. Being short on time, patience and brain power on the first go around, I replaced the ~$6 button batteries in both FOBs and as far as I knew the problem went away.

Yesterday my wife frantically called me while I was at work saying the car won't start at all today and it never really stopped doing the same thing off/on since I replaced the FOB batteries!

I did some quick U-Toobing... Brake light switch maybe? I had asked the bride to see if her brake lights were illuminating when she mashed the brake pedal, but she was too worked up and had the brake pumped up solid from pumping it w/out the engine running.

I called every parts store I'd hit on my way home and no one had the switch in stock, but could get it at some point. It's late Friday afternoon now and the weather reports are not good..

The local Nissan dealer had one for me for a bargain price of $77.55 all-in. Ugh.. It's part number 25320-AX11A. A tiny piece of plastic with some springs and contacts in it.

Sure enough, the brake pedal switch was it. First thing I noticed when I got in it is you could not hear the gear shift release solenoid in the console click when you pressed the brake with the ignition on.

Very easy removal, adjustment and replacement of this pedal switch. You can disassemble and clean the switch contacts (which I did on the old one for a spare). I didn't want to try this w/out having a replacement on hand.

So happy it was an easy, cheap fix. The rig has about 83K miles on it. Pretty rough life she leads too.

 

[JHZR2]

Not very many miles for such a thing to fail.

I get the practice to have a foot on the brake. But in an AT vehicle, it’s another nanny gadget. Sometimes I want to reach in the car and turn it on (like the remote starter does).

 

[eljefino]

I grew up cranking engines with no other electrical loads. Having the brake lights on is anathema to that.

My GMT900 brake light switch went out and took the cruise control with it. It was a simple job to pry it apart and fix it.

 

[JTK]

My GMT900 brake light switch went out and took the cruise control with it. It was a simple job to pry it apart and fix it.

There is another switch mounted right about the brake switch on this Nissan. It looks the same, but a different color. I believe it's for the cruise control.

 

[supton]

Not very many miles for such a thing to fail.

I get the practice to have a foot on the brake. But in an AT vehicle, it’s another nanny gadget. Sometimes I want to reach in the car and turn it on (like the remote starter does).

Yep.

Growing up, one could also drop into drive without using the brake. Got used to that, never liked the brake-shift interlock that came out in the 90’s. Used to it now.

I make sure to hold my tongue watching my kids, good habits I know, but it kinda bugs me: first seatbelt, then brake, then start… my first cars, was never sure if it’d start and I’d have to get and fiddle with it. or clean off snow, or whatever.

 

[JTK]

Yep.

Growing up, one could also drop into drive without using the brake. Got used to that, never liked the brake-shift interlock that came out in the 90’s. Used to it now.

I make sure to hold my tongue watching my kids, good habits I know, but it kinda bugs me: first seatbelt, then brake, then start… my first cars, was never sure if it’d start and I’d have to get and fiddle with it. or clean off snow, or whatever.

Yeah, it does sound stupid, but it is a PITA on my 2022 Frontier in the winter when the truck is covered in snow, to have to climb in to mash the brake pedal in order to (push button) start the engine.

On my 2017 and 2019 Ram 1500, the brake wasn't needed to start the engine. Only to move the dial shifter if I recall correctly. Those trucks were not push button start.

Of course my Frontier issue could be somewhat mitigated with remote start, which it doesn't have, nor do I want it.

 

[michaelluscher]

I make sure to hold my tongue watching my kids, good habits I know, but it kinda bugs me: first seatbelt, then brake, then start… my first cars, was never sure if it’d start and I’d have to get and fiddle with it. or clean off snow, or whatever.

Be thankful
If too many people acted out, we'll be back to the 1974 seat belt starter interlock
Which I'm told, sucked
Interesting how you're younger kids are perfectly imitating, despite not having to use it

 

[97K15004WD]

Those buttons are a pain in the backside to replace. The switch fits into the bracket for the brake pedal, and the button fits on the pedal. Just getting into position to see it is tough to do. Then, you have to replace it - use only the Nissan OEM ones. They last a lot longer (voice of experience) and you don't have to do the work over.

The first clue I had was the daughter saying the brake lights wouldn't turn off. Then the battery went dead. Found bits of "tic tac" on the floorboard and wasn't sure what i was seeing. Turns out the "button" is a hard rubber and just falls apart.

Anyway, took forever to find the pn. So for those that might need one of the pn:

https://www.amazon.com/Nissan-Rubber-Stopper-46584-5P010/dp/B00TNL8NGU#customerReviews

Rubber Stopper 46584-5P010 | QuirkParts

46584-5P010 - Rubber Stopper

www.quirkparts.com

Brake Lights Stay On (Fixed) - Nissan Forum | Nissan Forums

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