Those kind of switches are much better off if you use a Silicone based Lube on them. WD40 attracts dirt and gets gummy as it ages, both of which make those switches work worse. Try using the small red straw on a can of silicone lube to flush them out. A sharp pick or small pocket knife usually works good to get the switch lined up with the opening so it will pop out again.
Thanks, so I didn't read this until just now, but I already drowned it in penetrating oil I found in the garage, waited several hours, and now they are popping up and down without any resistance even when I push them all the way down (no longer getting stuck). I'll follow up with a silicone lube for long-term functionality. Luckily, it seems that the oil in that mechanism doesn't get on whatever contacts there are and doesn't mess anything up, at least short term. Not sure what exactly got inside it to make it gummy.
I had also briefly looked up the part # for replacement, and it seems you get it as part of a wiring harness, couldn't find separate part, and that was going to be like $200. So luckily just oiling worked. The bulbs I also replaced a while back with
these LEDs that you can use in a few spots on the car, and they are nice and bright and match the pure white of all the other lights I already replaced with LED as well. Just looks more modern that way to me over the warm light. Even replaced the underhood incandescent with LED, I believe
with this one (was a while back). Only thing I couldn't figure out I think were the rear brake lights, so I left those incandescent.
So everything nice and bright and back to normal! Thx!
