Brake light still on
#1
Brake light still on
I did some brake work and can't get the light to go off. I bled the brakes but am now worried I didn't do it enough. The brakes work just fine but it still drives me nuts. I need it to be safe.
#7
If it is the dash light, first be sure you didn't accidentally touch the e-brake. The light will come on if the e-brake is not fully released (or if it's sticking or if the switch is cruddy). You can temporarily disconnect the brown wire from the switch on the e-brake pedal. If the light goes out, you've found the problem.
Assuming the e-brake switch isn't the cause, the other most likely cause is the differential pressure switch. All cars built since 1967 have separate front and back brake systems so that a leak in one doesn't cause a complete loss of braking. Follow the brake lines where they come out of the master cylinder down to the frame. There will be a brass or cast iron fitting where both lines go in and three other lines come out. If you have disc brakes, this is also the proportioning valve. There should be a single brown wire going to it as well.
Temporarily disconnect this wire. If the light goes off, this is the problem. (if not, you have a short someplace that's unrelated to the brakes). The differential pressure valve is a spool valve that is normally centered in the housing. If you loose pressure on one half of the brake system (which can happen when you bleed the brakes) the spool moves to one end of the housing, triggering the BRAKE light. Usually it comes back when you've finished bleeding, but it can get stuck due to crud in the valve. Which end of the car was the last one you bled? Crack a bleeder at the other end of the car while pressing on the brake pedal and the light should go out.
#9
I read in another forum that the proportion valve can be bypassed. Wouldn't that hurt the brakes? The fella said his brakes stopped overheating. My ABS seems to have stopped working because my front brakes locked up a few times. No big deal but when that happened I automatically thought of the ABS.
#10
I read in another forum that the proportion valve can be bypassed. Wouldn't that hurt the brakes? The fella said his brakes stopped overheating. My ABS seems to have stopped working because my front brakes locked up a few times. No big deal but when that happened I automatically thought of the ABS.
The only way to bypass the proportioning valve is to disconnect the lines and reroute them. There is a pushbutton on the valve that temporarily disables the residual pressure valve while you bleed the brakes.
#13
I can't seem to find the button unless it is on the very top. I'll see if there is anything I cane remove to get it out of the way. Thanks. I'll let you know. Plus I need to make this the only thread for this dilemma. I don't know how I got two going unless I answered to someone else's question. I'll have to go back and look.
#14
I can't seem to find the button unless it is on the very top. I'll see if there is anything I cane remove to get it out of the way. Thanks. I'll let you know. Plus I need to make this the only thread for this dilemma. I don't know how I got two going unless I answered to someone else's question. I'll have to go back and look.
#15
On top there is a white plastic ...bolt?...going into the valve and it has a wire coming out of the top. Around that plastic thing is a 1/2 inch black metal band that is free spinning but will not come off. I think it is to protect the plastic part. I tried to pry it with needle nose but it won't budge without braking. Now, on the bottom there is a bolt with a soft center that depresses very slightly. That is probably rubber but it doesn't seem like a switch. If it is a switch, how long does it have to be depressed? Held in?
#17
On top there is a white plastic ...bolt?...going into the valve and it has a wire coming out of the top. Around that plastic thing is a 1/2 inch black metal band that is free spinning but will not come off. I think it is to protect the plastic part. I tried to pry it with needle nose but it won't budge without braking. Now, on the bottom there is a bolt with a soft center that depresses very slightly. That is probably rubber but it doesn't seem like a switch. If it is a switch, how long does it have to be depressed? Held in?
The soft rubber item is the cover for the button. It does not move very far. That needs to be pressed in while bleeding the brakes.
#19
Haha I have this same problem on my 85. The easiest solution is to come up with clever beats and lyrics to the tone of the beeping dash alarm. I'm thinking of releasing an album by the end of the year.
#21
My idiot light beeps at me (like when you leave the lights on and open the door) for a good minute every morning, and my problem is with the metering block. Sometimes It's impossible to bleed the rear driver's side brake.
I'm not sure if dash alarm for the brake light is a 1985 only thing but if you have no beep, It's probably just your ebrake wire, and if your ebrake works fine, I'd just cut the wire to it (in an easily spliceable spot) and see what happens. I'm pretty sure that the dash alarms go off for OIL/Choke and Temp on an 84 though, Trying to remember.... I demo derby'd mine when I was 19 yrs old.
I'm not sure if dash alarm for the brake light is a 1985 only thing but if you have no beep, It's probably just your ebrake wire, and if your ebrake works fine, I'd just cut the wire to it (in an easily spliceable spot) and see what happens. I'm pretty sure that the dash alarms go off for OIL/Choke and Temp on an 84 though, Trying to remember.... I demo derby'd mine when I was 19 yrs old.
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