How to Install a Neutral Safety Switch
A neutral safety switch is a device built into the starter solenoid, and it prevents the car from starting when in gear. This device helps prevent accidents by making sure that someone isn’t on your vehicle before you attempt to start it. It’s an inexpensive part that can be installed at home with some basic tools. Luckily, this guide will show you how to install a neutral safety switch yourself!
You might also want to look up resources online where people have already done this procedure and posted their results, so you know what kind of information to be on the lookout for. There are many different ways that you can install this type of part, so we’ll go over some of the most popular methods with you today. Read on to know more!
Why Install a Neutral Safety Switch?
Fuel-injected vehicles are very efficient, but they can present one common problem false neutrals. Because of the way the fuel injection system is set up, it’s not uncommon for a rider to be stopped at a light or stuck in traffic with their motorcycle in gear and not be able to get the transmission into neutral.
When that happens, you’re stuck at a dead stop, and any sudden movement can cause the bike to lurch forward. This is not an ideal situation, especially in heavy traffic where it’s common for bikes around you to begin moving or revving their motors as if getting ready to move.
What Tools and Supplies You’ll Need?
- Flathead screwdriver
- 10mm socket or 10mm wrench
- Wire crimper/stripper
- Electrical tape
- Electrical wire
Step by Step Guide: How to Install a Neutral Safety Switch
Step 1:
Turn off the ignition and remove the key from your ignition to prevent accidental starts. Also, turn off all power switches you will be working on, such as interior, exterior lights, and radio.
Step 2:
Disconnect your battery. If the vehicle is to be worked on for more than an hour, go ahead and disconnect the negative terminal and bring it inside, so you don’t accidentally short out anything. Cover up the exposed ends of the wire with electrical tape just as a precautionary step.
Step 3:
Find your fuse box. It’s typically located under the steering wheel or somewhere pretty easy to get to on the vehicle’s driver side (for American cars). Pull out your 10mm socket or wrench and take out all fuses except for the one your car uses for your hazard lights (the round, orange fuses).
You will then need to reset the fuse box by turning on all of the power switches that you turned off earlier. The hazards tell your car to use your neutral safety switch, so it can’t be installed without them.
Step 4:
Wrap the exposed ends of the wire with your electrical tape. This will prevent any sparks that could come from the wire while you are working on it in your engine bay.
Step 5:
At this point, some people recommend disconnecting your battery again because it is easier to work on while you have no power running to your car at all. You will need a 10mm socket or wrench and remove the negative terminal again and set it aside.
Step 6:
Find your neutral safety switch. It’s typically located somewhere near the shifter, under your dashboard; on many older cars, you would find it on top of the transmission, where it meets up with the transmission tunnel. If you’re not sure where it is, go ahead and look at your car’s manual. Some switches are easier to find than others, but generally, they will be near your shifter.
Step 7:
To remove the old switch, you will need to know whether or not you have a two-post or three-post switch. If you do not, don’t worry about it just yet, you can still install the switch with no problems. The difference is that one post on your old mechanism is attached solidly to your transmission while another attaches directly to the shifter.
Step 8:
Most vehicles have two-post switches, so you will need to remove your old switch by unscrewing the nuts on each of these posts. Next, take out any washers, if there are any, and screw on your new neutral safety switch directly.
Replace the hardware that was there before by screwing on your new switch. Depending on the model, you may need to use a flathead screwdriver, or you will not be able to tighten it correctly.
Step 9:
If you have a three-post type of mechanism, remove the nut on one side and slide off the mechanism. Then, put your new neutral safety switch onto the transmission the same way you took off your old one, slide on your washer and tighten it. For two-post switches, do not worry about this because it is already replaced.
Step 10:
Go ahead and reconnect the battery or if you are working without power to your car, ensure that the round orange fuses are in place. Finally, turn on all of your power switches and go ahead and start up your car. If your neutral safety switch is properly installed, all of the lights on your dash will come on and illuminate without any issues.
Step 11:
If they do come on, go ahead and pop your trunk to see if power is running to the light bulb. If there is power flowing through it, you’re done! If not, don’t worry about it just yet. Instead, go ahead and listen to your car while you turn the key from the on position to the start position.
If you hear your starter engaging, but nothing else happens, recheck the fuses and make sure they didn’t come out during installation. If you still do not hear anything, it may be time to check the wiring on the switch itself.
Some Tips and Suggestions:
Here we have mentioned some tips and advice on how to install a neutral safety switch.
1. If you are not familiar with automotive wiring and electricity in general, it is best to have someone experienced in this area help you.
2. Even if you can install this switch yourself, we recommend that you talk to a mechanic or someone else that has experience doing automotive wiring to give advice on the location of the switch and how your wiring should be routed.
3. Before you start, disconnect your battery to don’t accidentally short anything or cause any sparks while working on the wiring under the dash. This is especially important if you are not comfortable doing this kind of work.
4. Since there are three different switches, replacing them with one another will not work correctly. Make sure that you have the correct switch for your car.
5. When you are replacing the switch, make sure your car isn’t running. Also, make sure that no one is in the car when you do this.
6. Before you begin, remember to disconnect your battery or at least pull the negative terminal off of it so that no one accidentally turns the car on while you are working under there.
7. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this job yourself, take it somewhere and have it done instead. Either way, make sure you turn the key in the ignition to the “off” position before you disconnect anything.
Things to Consider When Installing a Neutral Safety Switch:
1. If you are not experienced with automotive wiring, consider hiring a professional. It is very possible that someone with little to no experience can perform the job, but it depends greatly on the vehicle and its previous modifications.
2. The installation should not require any modification to the harness or other components in the car if done properly. However, if it does, you’re looking at a custom install and may encounter issues down the line.
3. The switch should only be used for one function: controlling the starter motor (and no other device). Check that any other switches in your vehicle do not control it. If there’s a chance the other components are switched/controlled by this switch, consider either removing the switch or rerouting it to prevent this.
4. The location of the switch will play a large part in how easy it is to install and troubleshoot afterwords. A good place on most cars (pickups excluded) is under the dash on the kick panel, preferably near the brake pedal. It should be free of obstructions and easily accessible.
5. The switch must have a small enough current draw to operate the starter, but not so small that it causes issues with other devices in the car (sometimes they come on too early; sometimes they don’t go off at all).
6. Some vehicles require an additional relay for proper operation of ECU after the vehicle has started.
Conclusion:
You should now know how to install a neutral safety switch. Make sure you follow these steps when installing the new switch in your home. These tips will help make this process much easier and ensure that everything is done correctly for the safe operation of all electrical devices in the house.
Be prepared with tools, knowledge, and patience before starting it may take some time but it’s worth doing right! We hope that these instructions have been helpful for your project! If you are still unsure about how to proceed with installing a new safety switch or need help finding one, contact us today.
