# 2005 Gem car parking brake sensor **URL:** \ **Category:** GEM Forum\ **Created:** [September 6, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666 "2012-09-06T18:03:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/1 "2012-09-06T18:03:39Z")
Hello Everyone, I have a 2005 e4 that the parking brake sensor light on the instrument panel does not light up ever. The switch at the parking brake seems to work correctly I think. However when I disconnect both the green wire and white wire from the parking brake switch I get no errors on the instrument panel (not sure if this would create an error code though). Not having a brake light on or a warning beep or tone while in drive is a real problem in causing the motor to over heat because you don’t realize you driving with the brake on. Thanks for your help guys, Brad ---
**Author:** ![GEMmechanic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@GEMmechanic](https://community.electricforum.com/u/GEMmechanic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/2 "2012-09-06T19:37:16Z")
You should not be able to drive with the parking brake applied. The switch you mentioned is an interlock that prevents the motor from receiving power when the parking brake is applied. To test the switch, drive the GEM normally and pull up on the parking brake handle while also applying the throttle. You should immediately hear the main contactor disengage, see the 04 error code, and the GEM comes to a stop. If not, the interlock switch needs adjustment or there is a wiring problem. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/3 "2012-09-06T20:02:00Z")
[QUOTE=GEMmechanic;12487]You should not be able to drive with the parking brake applied. The switch you mentioned is an interlock that prevents the motor from receiving power when the parking brake is applied. To test the switch, drive the GEM normally and pull up on the parking brake handle while also applying the throttle. You should immediately hear the main contactor disengage, see the 04 error code, and the GEM comes to a stop. If not, the interlock switch needs adjustment or there is a wiring problem. Daniel[/QUOTE] Hi Daniel, Thanks for your help! Yes, I can drive the car with the throttle pressed and the parking break up (engaged) at the same time. I think I have it figured out now. It’s a wiring problem. There should be 3 wires connected to the parking brake switch but I only have 2. The top wire is green, the middle wire is white, but the 3rd connector (at the very bottom of the switch) has no wire connected to it. Is there supposed to be a wire grounded to the chassis connected here at the bottom of the switch??? Brad ---
**Author:** ![GEMmechanic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@GEMmechanic](https://community.electricforum.com/u/GEMmechanic)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:36am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/4 "2012-09-10T08:36:48Z")
There should be three wires. The yellow / green wire goes to the normally open contact. The white / green wire goes to the normally closed contact. The green wire goes to ground. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 9:17am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/5 "2012-09-10T09:17:52Z")
[QUOTE=GEMmechanic;12497]There should be three wires. The yellow / green wire goes to the normally open contact. The white / green wire goes to the normally closed contact. The green wire goes to ground. Daniel[/QUOTE] Hi Daniel, There is no yellow/green wire at all. I even jacked up the car and looked underneath. There is only a green wire and a white/green wire coming out of the conduit running up to the parking brake. Currently (looking down at the parking brake and the switch) the green wire is connected to the top connector, and the green/wire is connected to the middle connector. So the missing yellow/green wire would connect to the 3rd connector on the parking brake switch (the bottom connector closest to the ground)? Thanks, Brad ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/6 "2012-09-22T06:35:00Z")
[QUOTE=gem4me;12499]Hi Daniel, There is no yellow/green wire at all. I even jacked up the car and looked underneath. There is only a green wire and a white/green wire coming out of the conduit running up to the parking brake. Currently (looking down at the parking brake and the switch) the green wire is connected to the top connector, and the green/wire is connected to the middle connector. So the missing yellow/green wire would connect to the 3rd connector on the parking brake switch (the bottom connector closest to the ground)? Thanks, Brad[/QUOTE] Well I bought the 2005 GEM service manual and there are only 2 wires for the 2005 parking brake switch (green and green/white). I even bought a new parking brake switch but it did not fix the problem of the car still driving with the parking brake on. I do get the solid beep when turning the car off without engaging the parking brake. Can anyone here help me??? ---
**Author:** ![eSGEMColo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/esgemcolo/32/714_2.png) [@eSGEMColo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/eSGEMColo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/7 "2012-09-22T07:48:31Z")
my '05 eS will drive with the parking break on… I can usually tell because I have much more foot brake presure than usual…had to replace the wheel cylinders after the first time after I didn’t catch it on a long ride… I now check it a few times as I drive… ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 10:00am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/8 "2012-09-22T10:00:30Z")
[QUOTE=eS GEM Colo;12649]my '05 eS will drive with the parking break on… I can usually tell because I have much more foot brake presure than usual…had to replace the wheel cylinders after the first time after I didn’t catch it on a long ride… I now check it a few times as I drive…[/QUOTE] I wonder if this is normal for the 2005 parking brakes? I can’t imagine it is though because the other year models won’t allow the drive mode at all with the parking brake engaged. Anyone else out there with a 2005 GEM car who can tell me if their parking brake can be engaged while they are driving too? thanks ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 6:32am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/9 "2012-10-06T06:32:44Z")
[QUOTE=gem4me;12651]I wonder if this is normal for the 2005 parking brakes? I can’t imagine it is though because the other year models won’t allow the drive mode at all with the parking brake engaged. Anyone else out there with a 2005 GEM car who can tell me if their parking brake can be engaged while they are driving too? thanks[/QUOTE] In looking at the 2005 GEM wiring diagram I see that the parking brake switch is wired to a relay. I wonder if the relay could be bad and if that"s why power to the motor doesn’t get cut off when driving with the pk brake on. Does anyone know if this relay is outside and separate from the T3 controller? thanks, Brad ---
**Author:** ![Gem\_e2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/gem_e2/32/1849_2.png) [@Gem\_e2](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Gem_e2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/10 "2012-10-06T14:14:28Z")
hi this is from 2008 ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/11 "2012-10-08T20:15:29Z")
[QUOTE=Gem e2;12860]hi this is from 2008[/QUOTE] Thanks Gem e2, So it looks like there is a separate relay outside of the T3 controller that could be bad. Now I just need to know where this relay is and how to test it??? Brad ---
**Author:** ![cartech1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@cartech1](https://community.electricforum.com/u/cartech1)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/12 "2014-01-31T14:49:08Z")
unfortunately, in 2005-2006 gem car models, the controller does not have the parking brake over ride function. your cart will still work while the lever is up. the only warning the switch does is by letting you know the lever is down while you turn the key off. the only fix is to upgrade the controller to a newer GE T-4 or up. this also requires a wire harness change. the amount of money needed for the swap is really not better than dealing with the issue. ---
**Author:** ![eSGEMColo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/esgemcolo/32/714_2.png) [@eSGEMColo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/eSGEMColo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/13 "2014-01-31T15:55:29Z")
thank you cartech1… I replaced my break handle per the recall and it still seems to either not totally disconnect or somehow ratchets up a tick or two… I try to remember to check it while driving Bob ---
**Author:** ![gem4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9dc877/32.png) [@gem4me](https://community.electricforum.com/u/gem4me)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2005-gem-car-parking-brake-sensor/2666/14 "2014-01-31T16:26:36Z")
> [@cartech1;19592](#): > > unfortunately, in 2005-2006 gem car models, the controller does not have the parking brake over ride function. your cart will still work while the lever is up. the only warning the switch does is by letting you know the lever is down while you turn the key off. the only fix is to upgrade the controller to a newer GE T-4 or up. this also requires a wire harness change. the amount of money needed for the swap is really not better than dealing with the issue. You don’t know how much I appreciate finally getting an answer about this!!! THANK YOU for your reply. I got lead down so many dead end “solutions” and wasted so much time and money trying to fix this. It’s nice to finally know that the PB over ride was never intended to work in the 2005! Yes, I agree that a new controller and wiring harness is not worth it. Brad