Have a 99 3500. I believe the switch located on the clutch pedal isn't working well. I have to work it up and down, and push it to the floor to get it to start sometimes.


Can I just bypass this by splicing the wires together? I understand it's there for safety. I'm just tired of trying to push it through the floor to get it to start.


thanks,
dave

 

Why not try lubing it, I find they stick or better yet just change the switch, if you are dead against those suggestions you could wire in a "momentary" push button switch, push and hold to start, once released it goes back to the clutch switch protection.

 

Splicing the wires together will work, but you loose cruise control.

 

Thanks. . I was wondering about what it would do to the cruise control.

I can't remember, is it a pain to remove and lube/clean/and or replace? I replaced my slave/master cylinder a long time ago and I think I have to remove the master from the firewall in order to remove the switch

 

my 02 didn't loose cruise. its been bypassed now for about 5 years. but I guess other years you will lose cruise?

There is a green connector. Follow wires from the clutch switch to it, unplug the switch and either use a jumper wire, or the OE jumper from an automatic truck or cut the connector off and splice the two wires together.

easy to get to. i didn't have to remove anything to get to it. just be laying upside down and bend and contorded.

 

The clutch switch is so simplistic its almost silly. Climb under the dash and unhook the switch connector. I found getting to that connector was kinda like a Chinese puzzle too, which is much easier done if you pop the large wire junction loose and pull that bundle down a bit and then pry the switch connector Christmas tree retainer loose so you can access the whole connector.

Once the switch is disconnected, all you have to do is pull back the large flat white lock on the switch housing and remove the whole assembly from the clutch pedal shaft. With the switch in your hand you can see that there's nothing complex about it. All it does is slide down the plastic section which causes the wire ends to jump across at the bottom of the movement. Spray some cleaner in there and wipe everything up with a paper towel or rag. Then put it back and it may work perfect. If not then you know how simple they are to remove and you can pick one up at the local parts store.

 

Just for grins, was your truck originally an Auto?

The reason I say that is on Greenie, if you are running cruise and push either the brake or the clutch, it disengages the cruise.

I thought they all did to protect the engine.

 

nope.
born a MAN-ual in Mexico. not Trans-gendered truck
no offense to those who swapped parts.

at times I think about putting in a auto due to 2 knee surg's from the Marines. and of course its the clutch side leg.

the only reason i did the bypass was due to a boo boo I did on the wires. I had a bad emerg-park pedal. where it mounted to the fire what it cracked the body and would not allow you to push the pedal with out doing more damage. I took off the pedal and bracket to be looked at. they wanted way to much to weld the cracked panel like 800$ and the dealership was the only people that would mess with it. everyone else said they did not due to the location of it. stupid. but I damaged a wire on the clutch bypass switch during this. So I just did a bypass wire. sorry long story and not very short.

 

My 2000 got to doing the same thing. I went to Lowes and got a plastic spacer 1/4 or 3/8 thick 7/8 dia. I cut a slot in it so it would go over shaft and glued it (with silicone) to the master cylinder between the firewall and switch. Works great and only cost me $1.