you have to look at the original switch and get a part number, its the only way to find out if there are any cross references or availability of existing components.
What fails is the plastic. there is a pin on the top of the switch that rides in the groove of the plunger itself, and it is a latch/unlatch mechanism. Sometimes the pin breaks and disappears, or the plastic cracks and breaks so the pin just falls straight through in the lastched position causing it to unlatch.