[dobejazz]

My 1996 Toyota Celica has a safety deal that the clutch needs to be depressed in order for the car to start. For the last few years it's been temperamental but always starts eventually. Today however it took about 20 minutes of trying before it would start (as soon as my husband was getting in the other car to come get me it started).
I asked the dealer about it last year and they said they could try and diagnose it for 95.00 but couldn't guarantee they would find something since it only happens once in a while.

Is anyone familiar with this kind of system? is it a switch or part I can get replaced?
Thanks for any info!

 

[VWD]

Kelli , Are you saying the engine don't crank over sometimes. That is an interlock You can bypass,

 

[dobejazz]

Thats Correct Vince the car won't turn over or anything. Eventually If I push in the clutch alot I can get it to start. Is it easy to by-pass?

 

[VWD]

Just waiting to see if that is what you are talking about. It is for safety and can be replace at a small fee. By just to get a car home by pass it

 

[VWD]

On the pedal you will find a switch with a plug in , I'm not sure how many wires it will have , one will be hot and then one that one to one of the other wires. May only have the two wires to begin with . Not hard at all

 

[dobejazz]

Ahh OK is it an easy part to replace? somewhere around here I have the chiltons manual on the car and what exactly is the part called?

 

[VWD]

I'm trying to think of the actual name, not jigger magiger. Clutch safety or lock out switch.

 

[dobejazz]

Thanks Vince. Sorry for the stupid questions, but does it get replaced at the clutch pedal? or do I need to find (maybe easier to buy another one) Chiltons manual?

 

[VWD]

If it the switch at the pedal You can adust them sometimes and if not just replace it, If You have a mech around You have it made. I think you and your hubby can do it. no problem, By pass it first and that will let you know thats it.

 

[Doug1]

Should be a switch on the pedal imilat to the brake light switch, std eqip sonce the early 90s or before, easy to do a jumper to bypass, its one of the first mods done on 4WD vehicles, hopethis helps

 

[dobejazz]

OK Thanks! I'll let you know what we find

 

[dobejazz]

Thanks to you to Doug!

 

[VWD]

Between Doug and I and duct tape You'll be rolling in no time.

 

[dobejazz]

George is going to look at it tomorrow It's just a pain because it doesn't do it all the time

 

[Junkzoo]

Yup, provided it's just a simple two wire switch that makes when you depress the clutch pedal , oughta be a ez replacement part, dunno if it's tied with anything else on the car, making it a problem to jumper out,,,b4 you either take it in, or try to replace the sw., if you can get to it easily,,try removing it, and see if you can get to , and clean the contacts,,,,prob not, since it'll prob be a sealed unit, but mebbe if you get it out, and exercize the switch, you might get more life outa it,,,
Ditto on making sure adjustment is ok, some auto makers use a silly lil simple pressure fit type holder/socket for the sw., it just mighta gotten loose/sloppy in the holder,(GM brake light/cruise control deactivate switches used to be good for that),if you can get under the dash n see it, see if you can check out and make sure it gets depressed enuf while the pedal gets pushed down,,,
It's bet the tips on the switch are prob cruddy a lil over time, and since you prob can't get to the tip themselves, mebbe a lil shot of WD-40 , might allow better contact/wipe of the tips. Avoid most electrical contact cleaners, a lot of them now will freeze the plastic on a switch.,and some /mostimes will crack the plastic into a zillion pieces,,,The stuff we get at work does this, really FUBAR's anything made of plastic,,,

 

[dobejazz]

Wow you guys are great The dealer wanted 95.00 to look and then parts and labor IF they found the problem ! I'm gonna print this for my husband now that we know where to look I'm sure he can fix it

 

[skeety]

how'd this pan out?

Man this site is GREAT! hahaha

 

[Loverotties]

Yep,You mite just need to readjust it to stick out farther or a cleaning of the switch.If you need to replace it a good auto store like NAPA(they make beter then stock electrical parts)will carry the switch and would be cheeper then getting it at dealership.

 

[dobejazz]

We didn't get to look at it yesterday but It started this morning with no trouble