New Owner of Testarossa Question About PARK Light on Dashboard

I am a new owner of a 1990 Ferrari Testarossa. I cannot get the red PARK light on the dashboard to go out. Here is what I have tried.


1. Start car with seat belts fastened. Red PARK light stays on as the car idles. Car will move forward so emergency brake is not set, I hope.


2. Pulled up on the emergency brake handle to set the brake and then pushed the handle down parallel to the floor. Car would not move forward as expected.


3. According to the Owner’s Manual,”… to disengage pull hand lever all way up. Push the button at the handle and lower the lever while keeping the button pushed in.” I did this but the red PARK light stayed on. The emergency brake did release and I could move the car forward.


4. As a last resort, I pulled the lever up to set the emergency brake and then put the lever down parallel to the floor. While the lever was parallel to the floor, I pushed the button in and kept it in as I raised the handle until resistance was met. With the button still in I lowered the handle all the way down. The emergency brake did release and I could move the car forward. Red PARK light remained on.


Am I missing something here, or do I have a defective switch in the emergency handle? How do I get the red PARK light to turn off? Your comments are appreciated.

 

Yes, the "switch" is no where near as sophisticated as you are thinking it is. (IIRC) It's basically a bent metal piece holding a plunger switch that provides ground, or not, depending on whether the parking brake is set "on" (plunger switch not pressed = ground) or the parking brake mechanism is "off" (plunger switch pressed = not ground), and has nothing to do with the button on the end of the handle. Something is probably just mangled, bent, loose, or misadjusted or the plunger switch itself is broken -- you'll need to take a look at that (since you describe the physical action of the parking brake mechanism is working properly).

The switch 114318: https://www.ferrariparts.co.uk/part/search?SearchText=114318

The assembly showing the switch (item 4) and its flimsy bracket (item 5):
https://www.ferrariparts.co.uk/diagram/ferrari/testarossa-tr-90/040-hand-brake-control

 

Its very simple. if the brake shoes and the cable are not properly adjusted it may not go out. Get it set properly and it will. The light is on because the brake is still partially set. Proper setting requires the shoes still be good and no one has destroyed the inside of the rotors. The cars came from the factory improperly set and it still amazes me how few were made to work correctly.