bonbliss

i have an 88 and the parking brake has never worked since i have had it and is very old and disconnected. is there any other reason that the light in the dashboard would go on besides the parking brake? would a problem with the normal brakes set it off? i do seem to be having some grinding sounds when i brake...

Fasterer

Does is say parking brake?? Does the light come on while braking?? You shouldn't be driving that car till problem is solved.

Bruce Witherspoon

Check to see if the park brake handle is up because there is no tension on the cable. The light should go out if you unplug the switch at the park brake.

bonbliss

thank you so much for your responses...

the light stays on all the time now...it does not matter if i am using my regular brakes or not. and regarding the parking brake..can you tell me where i might find the switch to unplug it..???

thanks..

hill

(i do seem to be having some grinding sounds when i brake...) i would check the brake fluid it is more than likely low the grinding sound is not a good thing the pads might be shot and if so the brake fluid will be low

AGENT 86

Check out the switch behind the cover over park brake. Mine shifted resulting in the brake light being on without the brake being applied.

CentralCoaster

Easy way to the parking brake ground signal wire is to remove the seat and the plastic cover.


It sounds more like a problem in your brake system. It means your front or rears have low hydraulic pressure. That light came on mine and a few days later the brake pedal went to the floor. That was a big scare. I overnighted a new master cylinder and put it in the next day. The pressure switch at the master cylinder can trip it. I think if you unplug that, the light would go out if that is in fact the problem.

Don't take that light lightly.

John A. Marker

Sometimes this light will go on (at least in older GM cars/trucks) if the pressure in the brake lines between the front and rear were out of balance. This was cured by bleeding the brakes. Often the light went out as soon as you started to bleed the brake system. It takes two to handle this.....one to apply pressure and YELL when the light goes out. The other to open and close the bleeder valve.

bonbliss

i thank all for your replies...

i messed with the e brake and the light went off...

thanks again...much appreciation...