Mercedes-Benz S550 Clutch Safety Switch Replacement at your home or office.

What is the Clutch Safety Switch all about?

A clutch safety switch is seen in vehicles with a manual transmission because it has a foot clutch that enables the vehicle to start. It is located either on the clutch pedal itself or on the clutch master’s push rod. When the driver presses down on the clutch with their foot, the safety switch closes, which allows power to run through the ignition to the starter relay and to the starter solenoid that starts the engine. The switch opens back up when the clutch is released.

On automatic transmissions, this part is called a neutral safety switch. Since the vehicle doesn’t have a clutch pedal, the component is located on the transmission linkage which is found on the transmission. The purpose of this part is to prevent the engine from starting when the transmission is in gear. The clutch safety switch has a secondary purpose to disable cruise control if the clutch fails while the cruise control is set. In most cases, failure of the clutch safety switch will prevent the engine from starting.

Most issues happen when the switch is open rather than when the clutch is being depressed. In an emergency, the two wires that are connected to the switch can be joined together, allowing the engine to start. However, this also allows the engine to crank in any gear and can be dangerous. It should only be done to move the vehicle to a safe location for repair. A clutch safety switch may also be called a clutch sensor or a clutch switch.