Clutch Safety Switch-Cleaning & Adjust
 

The Clutch Safety Switch, is a safety feature to ensure a vehicle does not start unless the Clutch is push in. It helps prevent a vehicle from be starting and jumping forward, if the vehicle is in gear with the clutch out.

A bad Clutch Safety Switch can cause intermittent starting trouble. It is a very simple switch, and usually a cleaning and adjusting cures this problem.

*Symptoms usually includes turning the ignition but the engine DOES NOT TURN OVER. However, you have full power, battery, etc..

* You usually have to do a push the Clutch Pedal a couple times while turning the ignition in order to get the engine cranking.

**THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH A BAD/INTERFERENCE with your transponder KEY. This is where, you turn the ignition, and the engine cranks over fine, but wont fire up. For that, try removing the key, and cleaning it.**

You will need the following items.
14mm wrench
Electronic cleaner or Rubbing Alcohol & Q-tips
Small flat-head or knife

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1.) Start by locating the Safety Switch, it is located behind the clutch pedal. The one in-front of is the Cruise Control Switch for future reference.

2.) Disconnect the connection to the switch.

3.) Use a 14mm wrench to loosen the Lock Nut, behind the safety switch bracket. When it is loosen, you can rotate and back out the WHOLE switch.

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4.) The switch has 2 little clips on each side, insert a small flat-head or knife, and gently pry it open. BE CAREFUL, it breaks very easy!!

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5.) It opens up into 2 main pieces, and inside you will see the 4 contacts points in the switch. Clean the 4 points with electronic cleaner or rubbing alcohol.

6.)Now, make sure the 4 contact points, are lined up with each other. If they are misaligned and not touching, the switch will not work. You can bend the little ends very easily.

7.) Once done, reinstall the switch back in place. But do not tighten the switch back in we need to adjust it first! Make sure to clean the connector also.

*Adjusting the SWITCH*

8.) With the switch back in place, press the clutch pedal all the way down. Make sure the clutch pedal, is fully pushing in the Safety Clutch Switch. Once satisfied, tighten the 14mm locking nut, and your done!

I love you

This is great information, but I'm having a really difficult time performing step 2 and disconnecting the switch. I'm trying to be careful and not forceful with the clips, but I have about 2 square inches of space to work with and can't see much. Can you provide any pictures or description of how to perform this step?

Thanks!

Yeah its a very tight space. Make sure you have the seat all the way back and steering wheel adjusted up. Kinda have to lay on my back and look up at it.

But it should come out. The connector has a release you have to pinch together before you can pull it out if I remember correctly. Ill go check in a second.

I know this is an old POST, but +1 on the I LOVE YOU MAN.

didn't bother to clean the switch, but bought the replacement from Rockauto.com for $16 shipped, ordered on Friday, got here on tuesday. took out the old switch and replaced with new and the car start 10 out of 10 times instead of 1 out 10 times. I can now trust my baby again.

For anyone that has this problem in the future, the only thing this post was missing was the simple instruction to pinch the blue clip on the wire harness so it slides out easily. and the other instruction of turn the wrench clockwise to loosen

part number from Rockauto - 1S5768

I know old post but anyone know the color of the wires for this switch? There are 2 connectors and I seem to have unhooked both and forgot which one is which....

I know I fail at life...

+1 it's an old post but extremely helpful nonetheless.

I recently started having the same issues, car starting only after pushing the clutch 2-3 times. Then it became 7-10 times before my Z started... I took it to the shop and 2 mechanics agreed that it was a bad starter.

Thank God for this forum as I began researching on here and came across the clutch safety switch. I replaced it yesterday and my Z starts on the first time every time! Saved myself $300!

Glad you guys got it working. The clutch safety switch is common in majority of manual transmission vehicle. So this concept applies to other cars as well if you having a hard time starting.

If you guys need additional help or pics. Drop me a PM. I know thread is abit outdated now.

Glad this thread is still up! I just fixed the switch on my G37.

When I pulled the switch apart there was no spring force pressing the contacts together. I pulled one of the contacts out then bent the other one towards the center of the switch a bit. Then I pulled that one out, put the other in and did the same thing. The contacts looked clean, but wiped them with alcohol anyway. Starts every time now, thanks!

Had the same issue. Did not understand how the switch worked. Looking at it from the side gives a better idea of what you need to depress - the entire exposed blue rectangle.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....9cce05d202.jpg
Depress the ENTIRE blue bar/rectangle that runs across the switch

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....198f3ad2a3.jpg
Depress the ENTIRE blue bar/rectangle that runs across the switch

Hi All reviving an old thread. I'm having an issue with my 2004, swapped the battery since it was 10 years old but didn't help. The car just has a loud click when trying to start. Car has been sitting for several months on a battery tender. All lights and gauges work, stereo works, etc. I don't think its the NATS (key detection) issue since the red security light on the dash is not on when the key is in. No OBD2 codes. Checked the ignition fuse in the footwell and it looks good and also tried another.

I have tried holding in the clutch switch with my hand and starting the car but no luck. The pics in the original thread are not displayed anymore so not sure if I'm missing anything. Can anyone recommend how to test the clutch switch? Or am I looking at tearing it apart as well? Any help is appreciated.

My 2016 370Z coupe did all the above stated actions after a three-month "sit." Committed the cardinal sin and brought it to the dealer I who sold it, and the warranty (C.Sin #2). They told me that a loose battery cable caused the computer to burn for a $6000 tab. I didn't think I looked that stupid but I WAS at the dealers! Had it towed to my mechanic and he found the clutch switch and perfpormed the needed adjustment. Thanks to all of you who posted over the years for your help. I need to read more!

I want you to know that this thread. Almost a decade old.

saved me today. I drove from Austin to Dallas. Parked at the office dropped some stuff off and was going to my hotel. Guess what decided to finally refuse to work as I was going to leave the office.

luckily we had alcohol wiped on hand and I was able to finagle a solution by reading above.

thanks a TON buddy !

i tried all what you just said , ended up going to Napa and buying a $23 switch and just replaced it by watching a YouTube tutorial.

Hey anyone out there know where the fuse is for the clutch switch I blew it using a bypass

yes, under the hood behind the battery - fuse 89 - it is a 10amp mini fuse - red - that is the fuse that causes the car not to do anything when you turn the key or a bad clutch safety switch

Do you know the color of the wires in the harness that plug into the clutch safety switch? The reason I asked was that I unplugged it and hung it up underneath, then a couple of days later I crawled in there put in a new switch, and noticed 2 wire harnesses hanging unplugged - both with blue connectors. Is one wire green with a yellow line and the other grey with a red line?