I need to replace the safety switch on my 1995 S10 w/ a 5 speed manual tranny. It doesn’t seem to want to come out. Looking at the new one, I would guess that it MAYBE fits in sort of like the holes on a wall hanger. You know, sort of a pear shaped hole that a screw or something fits into and slides down to make it stay. Am I right? And if so, how hard is it to get out/replace? I don’t really want to destroy the old one, but that is looking more and more like how its going to happen. Any help would be appreciated.
Who will drive the truck. I just jump those switches… I don’t need no stinking safety switches.
I’m with Rod Knox. You do not need a clutch safety switch, not at all. Just pull apart its electrical connector and short the terminals. You’re good to go.
Yep, I had the same problem on my 1998 Civic. On a vehicle that old, I’d just bypass the clutch safety switch. Of course this means you will need to warn every mechanic who does work on your truck and anyone else who drives it about the bypassed switch.
I bypassed mine too. But it should really be replaced for the safety reason. One day a little kid in the car might turn the key, and you don’t want the car to move or catch fire. On my early 90’s Corolla, this gadget just screws in and out as I recall, installing it is like threading a bolt through a nut. OP – does the new one have a threaded shaft? That’s a clue you just screw it in and out of that hole in the bracket. Measure where the old one is positioned before removing it.
No threaded anything. Just the plug and some plastic tabs on the back of the switch. Which is why I think that maybe it slides up or down off the mounting bracket. If I hadn’t already bought the darned thing, I might just have bypassed it. Probably would have been much easier. As a side note, would it be possible to push start the truck? You know, pop the clutch as it’s rolling down a hill. I’m not sure how the switch would stop it, but then again…
Yes, you can push start your truck even though it has a defective clutch switch (or with no switch at all). The switch merely completes an electrical path from the ignition switch to the starting circuitry. You don’t need to activate this circuit for a push start.
If you unplug the switch and insert a paper clip across the two connectors on the harness and tape the bare metal , switch will be by passed and the starter will function whether the pedal is up or down. But maybe some people need the switch. A wrecker can tow the truck to a shop that can install the switch.
Yes, you should be able to push start the truck with a broken clutch safety switch. When mine broke, I had the car towed to the shop because I didn’t think to try push-starting it. The tow truck driver, when pulling my car off the flat bed tow truck, popped the clutch and it started right up. The tow truck driver assumed I needed a new starter. I am glad I didn’t rely on his trouble shooting skills.
Thanks everyone, for all your help. Will probably just push start it and drive it to the shop to get it replaced.
Rod… Recently tried to jump out my neutral switch. I guess I tied the wrong wires together on my switch and now I think I blew a fuse or something. Not to sure. I own a Chevy s10 and I just want to jump this switch because it continues to go out and I want fix any problems I caused by connecting the wrong wires together. Can you help me?
Are you working on a manual transmission or automatic?
If it has a clutch, it must be a manual.
…and the original question was posted almost a year ago.
Four years ago.
I replied the above post thinking it was made within 24hrs and I see no indication of whether the OP was dealing with a manual or automatic. Is senility overtaking me gentlemen?
It’s manual. The switch has a brown wire with a white line. A purple wire with a white line. And two solid purples.
There was some confusion in calling it a neutral [safety] switch, which is usually on an auto transmission. The switch in question here is called a Clutch Pedal Position switch, which is actually two switches in one. One is as a safety for the starter circuit, requiring the clutch pedal to be depressed to start the engine. The second is a cruise control cutoff, where pressing the clutch pedal disengages cruise.
If the desire is to jump the starter safety part, the wires are the purple/white and the purple that is next to it in the connector (directly next to, not diagonally). If the connector has letter labels at the terminals, they would be terminals A & C (see pic below, looking into end of plug). BTW, this is for a 2000. @Kingjuliantaylor didn’t give the year of his S10 but the plug is probably the same
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Man man I really appreciate you. Ima college student and not being able to use my truck is hell. Thank you.