Anyone know how to remove this type of connector from the brake light switch? I’ve tried just about everything at this point. Sheer force alone doesn’t work. There has to be some type of release mechanism I’m not seeing that allows it to disconnect.
Try pushing down on the green tab while pulling on the connector.
Tester
Which of the 3 tabs? I already tried pushing in all 3 while pulling on the grey part where the wires connect.
The middle one.
Press that tab down and pull on the connector.
Tester
Those electrical connectors can be very tricky. My guess, it’s the obvious green tab in the middle that you press down. You may need to use a tool with a tip a little smaller than the tab so you can depress it fully. If that’s the correct tab and it doesn’t easily pull apart then, sometimes you have to rock it back and forth in various directions. The two parts can get pretty stuck together over time so more drastic measures might be needed. Heating the outer connector a little with a hair dyer sometimes helps, as it expands the plastic, providing some clearance. Cooling the inner one with a ice cube, likewise. At times I’ve discovered the tab I’m pushing on isn’t the correct one too. I’ve sometimes had to use a mirror to inspect the underside of the connector to find the actual tab to press. If you decide to try prying it apart with a small screwdriver (I’m not advising this, but such a thing is not unheard of) be sure to disconnect the battery first as there may be hot wires in that connector. You don’t want to make a minor problem into a big one.
Also, it’s possible you have to press all three tabs. Maybe there’s a special tool for this.
I’m working on a 2003 caravan. All its connectors have a red slide locking the tab you’d normally press. The red slide should be carefully moved up away from the connection (should slide very easily when done right - I broke one thinking it should pivot outward, rather than sliding upwards). Once the red slide is moved outward, then you can press the tab fairly hard into the connector, and carefully pull the connector apart from its mate. When you are done fixing whatever it is connected to, just push the connector back in - the tab should click when it locks onto the mate. Then slide the red slide back down over the tab, which will prevent the tab from unlocking (even when intentionally pressed). I broke one, but realized it should slide, and it was much easier when done correctly. The connectors all seem to have the red lock, and it works easily, so if it does not come free fairly easily, I would look at it carefully so it doesn’t break (like I accidentally did). Perhaps the red tab is underneath in your picture.