Parking Brake/Rear Antilock Lights

[91expogurl]

I've noticed for the past few months that two very annoying lights come on while I'm driving: the parking brake and the rear antilock lights. However, sometimes when I start the truck they'll come on and then when I'm driving they'll come on and off. My brakes don't seem to hang up at all. I was told this could be a sensor issue? Is this true? If not, can you tell me how I can fix this?

 

[camaro_guy_z28]

The parking brake light could mean your master cylinder resovoir is low, I've had this happen twice in the last month or so, the light would come on, and i would check the fluid level and sure enugh it was low, not empty but low,don't know where all the fluid is going cause i have no leak indications. As for the abs light I'm sure someone here could help you out, i have no idea. Good luck

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

The blinking/solid abs indicator while driving is generally an abs sensor at one of the wheels. The wires to the sensor can become frayed/cut causing the indicator lamp to illuminate. You'd need to check each one individually for a frayed wire (generally closer to the sensor).

B/c the light does not stay on all the time, i'd guess that the sensor is still attached, but the wiring is bad. If it were completely detached or cut, your light would be on all the time - from startup to shutdown.

If you cannot determine the cause by looking at the sensors, you'll need to take it to a mechanic with the scanner to read the abs codes.

NO, Autozone does not do this...

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Are they on at the same time, together? Or does each one activate intermittently? When the abs light is on, (i believe) the system shuts off but you're still left with power assisted brakes. To verify this, with you being in a winter climate now, when the ABS light is ON (and the coast is clear of other vehicles) try an emergency stop...to try to activate the abs (i.e. on ice, slush or light snow). See what happens. It may help you to narrow down the problem.

 

[91expogurl]

Usually the parking brake light will come on followed quickly by the abs light. My stepfather said he looked at the master cylinder and said it's fine and not low. He looked and found that I don't have individual sensors for each wheel, there's just one on the rear-end. So that'll be another project for the spring...as long as it doesn't cause anymore problems until then...

 

[Bronco638]

Sometimes the parking light will come on because the return spring on the brake lever isn't strong enough to contact the switch (to deactivate the dash light). Try pulling back on the brake lever to see if the light goes out. If so, then your brake lever return spring is weak and needs adjustment or replacing. It could also be the switch itself. Either one should be easy (and cheap) to fix.

Hope this helps - Dave.