I'm to the point of selling this thing. On the way to work the brake idiot light came on, went off upon braking, and randomly comes back. This is the same light that comes on when the e-brake is engaged. To add to it, the e-brake is also not engaging until it's pulled allllll the way back. The cas HAS NOT been driven with the e-brake up, ever, so all of this is pretty strange.
Help please...!
wanna talk about sweet?
my abs and brake light came on at the track cause i was gettin wheel hop soooo bad
however, they went away
good luck, the light thing could very well be a bad relay or somethin
and the brake itself could be adjusted to make it tighter
good luck man
Joe Schulte wrote:To add to it, the e-brake is also not engaging until it's pulled allllll the way back. The cas HAS NOT been driven with the e-brake up, ever, so all of this is pretty strange.
Your rear brakes are either worn out or they need adjustment. If the shoes are worn out it takes a lot more of an eBrake pull to get them to grab the drums.
Joe Schulte wrote:I'm to the point of selling this thing. On the way to work the brake idiot light came on, went off upon braking, and randomly comes back. This is the same light that comes on when the e-brake is engaged.
It could be an electrical problem, but the first thing you need to check is your brake fluid.
Jay
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I forgot to mention that I also have an ABS light on all the time, as both rear sensors are @!#$, however I hate ABS and have ignored it for a year now, so how that could be of relation I do not know.
Same thing happened to me. I took off the wheels and sprayed some brake cleaner. It works fine now. Try cleaning the drums and front brakes.
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Okay the brake light comes on for three reasons ONLY!
1. low brake fluid
2. e-brake is engaged
3. a brake line snapped, and grounded that thing in the master cylinder, which completes the circuit and turns on the light.
It goes off when you hit brakes, and comes back when they are not depressed is that correct?
I would first check the fluid level, check for leaks around the brake line connectors etc.
As for the e-brake not engaging till its pulled all the way, your shoes might need replacement in back, when you replace the shoes also remember to get a hardware kit, springs, hold down pins etc. I worked on brakes for a while and it isnt a good idea to resue the springs and such, usually one set of shoes and their lifetime is up to
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Thank you Rob for some valuable advice!
I just checked the brake fluid recently and it was good, I will however check it again right after I get done typing this. E-brake is not engaged!, as for the line, possible?
It's weird though because my e-brake has never had such engagement, half way up it use to hold just fine. I will get new drums, spring kit, and shoes soon also, as my car does have almost 60,000 miles on it now.
Joe Schulte wrote:Thank you Rob for some valuable advice!
I just checked the brake fluid recently and it was good, I will however check it again right after I get done typing this. E-brake is not engaged!, as for the line, possible?
It's weird though because my e-brake has never had such engagement, half way up it use to hold just fine. I will get new drums, spring kit, and shoes soon also, as my car does have almost 60,000 miles on it now.
With replacing drums that usually isnt nessecary at only 60k, places like NAPA use a micrometer and measure the wear of the inside of the drum.
GM sends out a spec sheet, if it below the spec they must be replaced, if its above they dont need to. So bring them to a nearby NAPA for a free measurement.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
I guess I over-reacted and didn't check the fluids as soon ago as I thought I may have..... it was at the mininum line, so I just ran to the gas station and the car was fine on the way home, so I assume that was my issue. The way it randomly came on made me think electical, but then again, how firm my car rides could set off any sensor!
So pads and a spring kit will solve my high e-brake engagement? This is a real safety concern to me now. I recall there's no adjustment on our cars, is that also true?
Thanks again Rob!
Joe Schulte wrote:I guess I over-reacted and didn't check the fluids as soon ago as I thought I may have..... it was at the mininum line, so I just ran to the gas station and the car was fine on the way home, so I assume that was my issue. The way it randomly came on made me think electical, but then again, how firm my car rides could set off any sensor!
So pads and a spring kit will solve my high e-brake engagement? This is a real safety concern to me now. I recall there's no adjustment on our cars, is that also true?
Thanks again Rob!
Well there are a few ways to adjust the e-brake..
For one they only adjust while going in reverse, so going forward and stopping they dont.
One way to adjust them to is to like 10-15mph in reverse and hit the brakes hard, do that a few times it might get them readjusted.
If that doesnt work there should be a plug on the back of the drums, usually black in color, removing the plug you should see a gear thing that you can turn right of left to adjust inwards or outwards, obviously you want to adjust it outwards so the shoes are closer to the drums, anyways thats if there is one, there most likely is, by the way to adjust it, you need a flathead screwdriver.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Good deal, thanks again man, I'll try that out tomorrow.
pop the center console and make sure the teal colored wire isn't getting a ground from a paper clip or some change. when you pull the e brake the wire grounds and the light goes on. however if it is the other red brake light (low fluid light) or the ABS then that's a whole different can of worms.
CAR GODS MADE THE 1.6 SOHC TO MAKE US 2.2 OHV GUYS FEEL BETTER.
I hope you didn't ADD brake fluid.
Brake fluid is NOT a consumed fluid, you do NOT need to add it unless you're compensating for a broken brake line or something like that where you're losing fluid.
I had the same problem, When I took off from a light harder than normal, the light would come on, and STAY ON until I slowed down.
I was going nuts... I couldn't figure it out...
I did my front brakes.... replaced my rotors and pads, and in the process, pushed the piston back into my caliper (part of doing brakes)
Pushing the piston into the caliper forced the fluid (which was LOW) back into my master cylinder.
Voila! It was now almost full again.
Pull your wheels and check your brakes bro.
Just because your master cylinder is full, doesn't mean your brakes are good.
When you do your brakes, make sure you take the cap OFF your master cylinder BEFORE pushing the piston back into the caliper.
And J-kub is also most likely correct about the problem with your e-brake.. like I said, check your pads and shoes man. I think you wasted $ on that bottle of brake fluid........................................... When you push the pistons into the calipers, that fluid will end up spilling into your engine bay, if possible, put a container under your master cylinder to catch any excess.
Good luck
I know it's JUST a Cavalier, and I'm sorry if I hurt your ego.
one time i drove my car with both lights coming on at once but it was because i had a leak and somthing was shorting out
who needs brakes....
just toss it in park doing like 60...........
Portage, MI
toss in in park at 60? no no no....tossing in park at like 100 would be funner
z24challenge wrote:I hope you didn't ADD brake fluid.
Brake fluid is NOT a consumed fluid, you do NOT need to add it unless you're compensating for a broken brake line or something like that where you're losing fluid.
I had the same problem, When I took off from a light harder than normal, the light would come on, and STAY ON until I slowed down.
I was going nuts... I couldn't figure it out...
I did my front brakes.... replaced my rotors and pads, and in the process, pushed the piston back into my caliper (part of doing brakes)
Pushing the piston into the caliper forced the fluid (which was LOW) back into my master cylinder.
Voila! It was now almost full again.
Pull your wheels and check your brakes bro.
Just because your master cylinder is full, doesn't mean your brakes are good.
When you do your brakes, make sure you take the cap OFF your master cylinder BEFORE pushing the piston back into the caliper.
And J-kub is also most likely correct about the problem with your e-brake.. like I said, check your pads and shoes man. I think you wasted $ on that bottle of brake fluid........................................... When you push the pistons into the calipers, that fluid will end up spilling into your engine bay, if possible, put a container under your master cylinder to catch any excess.
Good luck
Sorry I knew all of that, however I should have stressed I did and saved you the lecture. My brakes are
close to the end of their life, I know this, I know that's why my fluid was low, because the pistons are out further and therefore there is more fluid in the caliper. Oh, and brake fluid was $1.29 a bottle my cost, I needed 1/4 of a bottle, so no worries there, being I'll also be bleeding the system when I redo them. I just did brake's on my girlfriends car and it was rather obvious Wal-Mart (who used to do the oil changes) was just topping off the fluid, as quite a bit overflowed out of the reservoir.
Ryan, what is this "park" you speak of
?
