Ebroke light always on?

[Artemis Entreri]

Ok, so my emergency brake light is always on, it lights up brighter when im actually using the brake but its always on.

Actually, when I first turn the truck on and drive it takes a few minutes before it kicks on, but then stays on till I turnt the truck off.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[dremu]

Two possible causes.

One is that the switch on the lever is bunged. Given your description, I doubt it.

Second is that the combo valve is angry. Generally it will be angry about a pressure difference between the front and rear circuits, due to extremely low fluid or a leak.

You can reset the combo valve by pressing the sliding switch on it, which is covered by a rubber nipple ( ) The valve is on the back of the front crossmember and the slider is IIRC on the passenger side of it. You can follow the brake lines from the master cylinder down to it.

So, reset the thing and check the fluid level in the master. If the light comes back on after that, check the fluid level again; at that point I'd suspect a leaky wheel cylinder, caliper, or maybe hose.

One last thing: it stays on, not blinking, right? Blinking is totally different, as that's caused by your ABS.

-- A

 

[Artemis Entreri]

Hey thanks, I forgot I actually got around to posting this problem on here.

So I have to remove the rubber nipple to reset it or it will slide by pressing the nipple? Lol

Ill take a look at that, and no its not blinking, after driving a little bit it comes on and stays on till I turn the truck off.

 

[dhcomp]

Stupid answer, but have you tried to pull the ebrake pedal towards you while pulling the release? My return/release spring has gotten weak, and sometimes i have to "lift" the pedal to get the light to turn off.

 

[dremu]

Hey thanks, I forgot I actually got around to posting this problem on here.

So I have to remove the rubber nipple to reset it or it will slide by pressing the nipple? Lol

Ill take a look at that, and no its not blinking, after driving a little bit it comes on and stays on till I turn the truck off.

The nipple is a cover to keep crap out, meant to left there permanently, so you can press through it to reset the switch.

-- A

 

[Artemis Entreri]

Lol yea I tried pulling it towards me.

And ok, thanks Dremu

 

[dremu]

Stupid answer, but have you tried to pull the ebrake pedal towards you while pulling the release? My return/release spring has gotten weak, and sometimes i have to "lift" the pedal to get the light to turn off.

IIRC the switch is adjustable to fix this sort of thing.

But this one really sounds like a leak.

-- A

 

[dhcomp]

IIRC the switch is adjustable to fix this sort of thing.

But this one really sounds like a leak.

-- A

The switch may be adjustable, i haven' looked....but i think my return spring is weak. Might as well fix the problem, instead of adjusting the switch.

 

[AKbigsub]

It will have nothing to do with the parking brake. The key is that he said the light is always on and gets brighter when when he uses the parking brake. This will be a brake warning light indicating a fluid or hardware problem somewhere other than the parking brake. Do what was explained above and go from there.

 

[imiceman44]

It will have nothing to do with the parking brake. The key is that he said the light is always on and gets brighter when when he uses the parking brake. This will be a brake warning light indicating a fluid or hardware problem somewhere other than the parking brake. Do what was explained above and go from there.

Yeah I had the same problem on my 73, and I would bleed the brakes and it would go away until I hit a hard brake and then it will come back on, finally changed the prop valve and it fixed it.
First I would try bleeding the brakes after resetting it and see what happens.

 

[dhcomp]

Just FYI, i never do my own brake work, and had the issues you did when i went up to the snow.

Took it in for a complete flush/fill/bleed of teh system, and it was under $80.

For teh time and effort it would have taken me.....totally worth it.

 

[Artemis Entreri]

So I got under the truck just now, cant seem to find a valve or anything, I found on the cross member where the brake lines from the MC split, is that what youre talking about?

If so, I dont seem to see a rubber nipple or anything there that will move or anything of that sort.

 

[AKbigsub]

It should be on the cross-member that is right under the harmonic balancer and the "rubber nipple" is on the passenger side of the block IIRC and is more flat than a nipple.