Handbrake On = No Power

[Legacy89]

I got this problem the other day. Whenever i put the handbrake on it sucks all the power like it's a short somewhere. The lights go dim and the voltage drops. Anyone got this problem before?

Thoughts?

[anothernord]

Check the switch that gets depressed when you pull the handbrake. It must be shorting out the positive wire on the switch.

[ouch1011]

I believe that switch is just a switched ground. i.e. if it "shorted" out to ground, all it would do is turn the light on. I could be wrong, but that would be my guess since that is how most park brake switches are.

I'd suspect there may be another wire shorting against the park brake lever. Do you have an aftermarket stereo or anything like that? Might want to just pull out the console and have a look.

[Legacy89]

Pulled out the centerconsole and the parts of the dash the other day. could not fint any broken wires. But i sort of fixed this last night. I kind of need the Handbrake some of the time so i just cut the pink wire going to the handbrake. Will have another look at this when it gets warmer.

[nipper]

Do you have daytime running lights?
Thats the only oddness i can think of. They go out when you pull up the handbrake. Otherwise there is no real reason for this, we need to look someplace else.

The handbrake switch is just a ground.

How about a bad engine ground? Does it do the samething with the brake peda? What is your alt output?

[Legacy89]

Battery keeps 13.9V engine off. 14.4 with the engine running. I don't have DRL but i just hear and see the difference when i put it on. The fans slow down and work harder, the lights dim and eventually the battery will die and then the engine. It litteraly sucks all the power from the alternator and battery. But like i said, i cut the wire so i can use it so the car won't run away into a ditch or another car:P

[nipper]

I dont say this often, but I am stumped. Without the car in my driveway I dont know where to go next. I am assuming you cleaned all the batteyr terminals and contacts.


nipper

[Legacy89]

Terminals and contacts are clean. I cleaned the enginebay like 2 weeks ago.

[nipper]

Start yanking fuses is the best i can come up with. Though that big a current drain should blow something.

Have you done any electrical work on it recently?

[Legacy89]

Only the cd/dvdplayer and the Defa pack. The defa is only on the positive and negative terminal on the battery. And the cd/dvd is working like it should with the harness.