I did a search but could not find my exact issue. I had my F355 parked on a slight incline and the parking brake is pretty weak so I really yanked on it. After a second or two of holding, it made a click and dropped back to the released position. After that, it seems to work OK but the parking brake idiot light in the gauge cluster now stays on even with it fully released back down. I'm guessing that I pulled it up too hard and somehow messed up the position sensor and perhaps more in the latching mechanism. Any ideas of what I need to do to dig into it? I did not have time to fully diagnose the issue after it happened as it was getting late on Sunday evening and the car had to go back onto the lift for the week.
I don’t think you returned it all the way down.’ Pull up a little and down as you hold the button, do this a few times and return it to fully down and the light may go out. This might help
Good suggestion and my first thought as well but I did pull it up and reset it several times, jiggle it, etc... and yet the light still stayed on. And I should have clarified that I am quite familiar with the (slightly quirky) behavior of the parking brake. I've had the car for a while and it isn't my first with a left side fly off hand brake.
Thanks! I will take a look next weekend when I get some time. Is the leather boot/cover relatively easy to get off? Any particular tricks there? I'd poke around in it now but it's up on the lift with another car below it and I can't mess around with the lift at night without waking our newborn in the nursery right next to the garage.
I believe it involves unhooking the engine lid release cable. Not so bad if someone has done this before on your car and cut a slot in the bracket which secures one end of the cable. Usually done with a dremel. https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/how-do-you-remove-a-355-parking-brake-boot.490481/ I couldn't find a sticky message thread for it (mentioned in that thread), but there is a picture of the mod here: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/f355-opening-handle-for-engine-hood.594235/ Another thread here on the handbrake switch... https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/how-do-i-adjust-the-handbrake-warning-light-sensor.594529/ Some have removed the seat to make the job easier http://www.clubscuderia.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?47190-F355-Handbrake-shroud-removal-anyone
