Brake pedal stoppers are small plastic or rubber pads that are located near the brake pedal assembly. The brake pedal arm sits on the pedal stopper when the brake pedal isn’t depressed, providing a platform for the brake pedal arm. This part might seem small and insignificant, but brake pedal stopper pads can actually affect your vehicle if they get lost or worn out. Sometimes the stopper is on the pedal and sometimes it’s on the stop lamp switch bracket.
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Pro Tip: Not every vehicle has a brake pedal stopper such as the one described in this article.
What Do Brake Pedal Stoppers Do?
What is a brake pedal stopper? The brake pedal stopper is a button-shaped piece of rubber that stops the brake pedal’s movement. Aside from providing a cushion for the brake pedal, the stopper also engages the brake pedal position sensor, which is essentially a button pressed by the brake pedal stopper.
The stopper determines the brake pedal’s position when it isn’t engaged and can also dampen any noise created by the pedal once it is released. This is important because you wouldn’t want a brake pedal that persistently makes a noise when disengaged.
What Happens When The Brake Pedal Stopper Breaks or Fails?
Over time, the brake pedal stopper can become brittle because it’s typically made of rubber. The stopper is much like a screw with a flat portion and a longer protruding end. When the stopper’s rubber material becomes brittle, the protruding end can crack and separate, causing the entire stopper to fall off.
When the stopper falls off or gets damaged, the brake pedal position sensor’s button can fully extend, causing the sensor to read the brake pedal’s position as engaged.
If the sensor reads the pedal’s position as engaged, it’ll cause the cruise control to deactivate. The cruise control won’t work as long as you have this issue because cruise control is designed to deactivate once the brake pedal is pressed.
A damaged or lost brake pedal stopper is also going to keep your brake lights on.
Tips on How to Replace Your Brake Pedal Stopper
Brake pedal stoppers will only require about 10 minutes to install. You’ll only need a flathead screwdriver to do the repair. Brake pedal stopper replacements are also quite cheap.
Depress the Brake Pedal
If your old brake pedal stopper is still in its old location, depress the brake pedal slightly to create some clearance between the stopper and sensor. You won’t be able to remove the stopper if it isn’t depressed because it’ll be resting on the sensor. You can use a weighted object like a brick to do this.
Use a Flathead Screwdriver
Once pressed, you can remove the old pedal stopper by using a flathead screwdriver. The pedal stopper is simply pushed into a hole, like a push pin. You’ll just need to wedge the screwdriver head onto the side and the stopper should pop out of its hole.
Install the new one by pushing the protruding end into the hole. The stopper should squeeze right in and be held in place. Assuming the stopper has allowed the sensor to press the button appropriately, your cruise control should work properly again.
Get Your Brake Pedals Delivered Quickly
Failing to replace brake pedal stoppers in time can lead to major issues with brake pedals, preventing you from stopping or slowing down safely until you replace the faulty parts. Luckily, CarParts.com can help you get your car running again by delivering replacement brake pedals straight to your door.
At CarParts.com, our on-hand parts are ready for shipping from one of our strategically located distribution centers. You can get your new parts in as fast as two business days if you live in the continental US and submit your order before noon ET. Locating the right brake pedals for your car is a breeze with our intuitive website. Browse our parts catalog for the right products by plugging the details into the vehicle selector. Any questions about our brake pedals, such as their price tags and fit? Our friendly customer service team is always at your disposal.
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