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Date:         Sat, 3 Jul 2010 14:29:31 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: That's it, I've had it. (Driving with brake on)
Comments: To: "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

it's there in the wiring diagram somewhere. I would just make it so there are just two requirements for an extra big warning light to be on ....ignition is on, and parking brake is on.

and..sure, good use for a key buzzer, I always remove those things , since I might have the key in the ignition for hours while working on the car, and I don't want the buzzer going off every time I open the door.

and if you going with an extra big bright warning light.. it's already wired for that ...just take the signal from the brake warning light existing wiring.

though that is actually an electronic circuit there, behind that light. I've had to change out a bad one ... it came on at the wrong time or wouldn't , something like that.

or, you could just train yourself ... 'every time I go to go. I check the parking brake.' .. same as you might already do with headlight switch .. every time you turn the engine off, you check light switch off.

maybe you need a big mechanical red flag that will hang down right in front of your view out the windshield... ! lol.

here's one I've done a few times with an auto trans Vanagon .. they really don't sound or feel much different at 55 mph whether in 2nd or 3rd, even at 60 mph ... a few times I've been going down the road at 60... .. one time I was talking to my passenger and out of the corner of my eye I'm seeing the tach at 4,800 rpm ...in the back of my mind I'm thinking ..'that's odd....then Oh Shoot ! I'm in 2nd.

so I always wanted a warning about that one. I have a red cockpit led aimed right at my shifter, ( I did anyway, don't drive an auto trans now ) so you can see it easily at night .. so I can tell at a glance what gear it's in. The stock illumination doesn't seem to work so well to me, in the shift console there.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 12:31 PM Subject: That's it, I've had it. (Driving with brake on)

> This is the third time I've forgotten to take off the parking brake > before driving. It's not like the brakes are so monstrous that I'll > notice on the first quarter-mile downhill away from the house, and my > sitting position places the steering wheel right between the dash Brake > light and my eyesballs. > > I'm gonna rig some alarm to sound when the Brake warning light is on and > the transmission is in gear. > > Mellow Yellow has an automatic transmission, and the starter won't turn > if the van is not in Park, so there's some wire that connects to a > switch on the shift linkage or something. I can't find that wire in > Bentleys. > > -- > Rocky J Squirrel > 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") > 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) > Bend, OR > KG6RCR


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