Brakes Causing No Start?

90 SC

I have had a couple of no turn over issues. Lasts a couple of days then starts and runs like it missed me.

First time after it was running again I swapped in a used ignition switch.
Second time was a new switch.

PS I can't get under the hood while car is in garage.

Did it again on Tues.

Now am clued in, looking for something. Brake Pedal at run sinks a touch then to start it keeps sinking. Brake pedal has a vibration and I take, what is the motor werring in the engine bay.

Tonight being two days later I go out to give it a try. At start brake pedal holds. Smiling to myself I go to start get a couple of turns, pedal sinks, starter quits and werring begins.

Pissed I stomp on the brake pedal 4-5 times. Car starts right up.

What am I missing here. I see no reference in search that either the relay or pressure switch cuts out the ignition, which are the references I get for the pedal action/werring noise.

I've been lucky that it always happens in the garage, but its the decision to repair and repair what that is difficult as I live on a hill and will have to let the car roll out to repair.

Long winded I know, but has anybody got a reference point/priors, before I start randomly changing parts in the rain, sleet and snow.

If yours has to have the brake pedal pressed to start the car then the start lockout switch on the pedal may be bad. I'm not sure if all SC's with AODs had to have the pedal pressed to start the car or not but my old 35th did. It could be that your brakes are fine and only the switch on the pedal is bad. If that's not it, I'm not really sure.

Mike Puckett said:

If yours has to have the brake pedal pressed to start the car then the start lockout switch on the pedal may be bad. I'm not sure if all SC's with AODs had to have the pedal pressed to start the car or not but my old 35th did. It could be that your brakes are fine and only the switch on the pedal is bad. If that's not it, I'm not really sure.

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From what I know/heard only 1990s had to have the brake pedal pushed in to start.

If your rear brake lamps light up... your switch is OK. FWIW, it never hurts to replace it. The metal part that engages the switch flattens out over time. The pedal has to be pushed much furhter before the lights will come on. In city traffic, you don't want that to happen.

I was cheap on my 90 cougar and flattened out an old piece of copper and cut it just right so I could wedge it in. My brake lights were not coming on unless I stomped on it, this fixed that issue and maybe could fix yours.

Its frustrating , when its running I have nothing to check.

I'm concerned with where I'll be when it decides to act up. Twice lucky with car parked in garage. If I could figure out those days I'd pick up a lottery ticket on the way home.

Checked Ignition Info today and am going to see if there is a connection between the Stop Lamp Switch on brake pedal and Starter Interupt relay.

Maybe they should be talking on a regular basis and have had a domestic.

Paul

The relay for that is right next to the fuse panel towards the seat. I took the relay out and jumped the heavy red wires. It was getting annoying having to reach into the car when you where covered in dirt from working on the car just to start it.

Fraser