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Stupid parking/E-brake light...

The Pumpkinator

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This electrical gremlin is absolutely driving me nuts! my parking brake light pops on at exactly 36mph on the speedometer and stays on till the ignition key is turned off, I messed with the cable and fiddled around with the switch at the base of the pedal and the damn light keeps turning on. A bumpy road and crap suspension doesn't seem to be the culprit, so what gives :confused: ,is this a simple faulty pedal switch or some crazy computer controlled issue?
 
fyi that also turns on for the low pressure switch on the brake proportioning valve if you start to loose pressure on a rear line like a blow out. :rolleyes:

check that system also.
 
Brake light prevails... I checked the contacts on the wire coming from the proportioning valve and they were clean, also checked the brake fluid level in the master cylinder and it was fine, I had this problem ever since I bought it from the PO so a blowout will probably be out of the question, anything else I could be missing?:dunno:
 
The prop/combo valve senses pressure differential between front circuit and rear. It won't have anything to do with a corroded wire, it will have to do with a bit of air in the rear lines, or front lines.

Try bleeding the rear brakes.

Rene
 
He says it happens at 36 mph, not touching the brake, right? Doesn't sound like a pressure problem to me, this is electrical. Something is completing the ground circuit to turn the light on. My guess is inside the speedo, something is completing the circuit.
 
You can get the RWAL error code by jumping the A & H terminal on the ALDL connector. There is a specific fault code for your problem. Once the truck reaches 36mph the brake light comes on. I forget but I think that's a code 10.

Here's something that I copied and paisted from another forum:

It sounds like the RWAL system is turning the dash brake light on.
RWAL stands for REAR WHEEL ANTILOCK. RWAL was standard equipment starting in 1988 on full size trucks.

1988 and newer trucks of that body style that do not have 4 wheel ABS have RWAL.

There are three brightness levels of the dash brake indicator light on RWAL equipped trucks.

Brightest – park brake
Medium – Combination valve (aka metering & proportioning valve)
Dim – RWAL System

Watch the light very closely and apply the parking brake. Did the light get brighter?

When the key is first turned on the RWAL module turns the dash brake indicator light on for 2 seconds, then it should go off.

You can unplug the wire on the Combination valve to see if it is the cause on the light coming on.

The RWAL system can store trouble codes, but it is only capable of storing one code at a time.

If the light is blinking the manual states you should still check the codes by turning the key on (engine not running) and put a jumper wire between terminal A and H of the ALDL. Count the brake light flashes.

You can retrieve RWAL codes without a scan tool.

If the instrument panel light is on, to retrieve RWAL codes connect a jumper wire between terminal H and terminal A of the ALDL connector with the key on (engine not running). Watch the dash brake lamp and count the blinks. Sometimes RWAL system send out a phantom blink before the code blinks start. It can take up to 20 seconds for the code to start coming out.

Checking the code with this method can set a false code 9. Checking for a code when no code is present sets a code 9, WHICH WILL DISABLE THE RWAL system.

Clearing codes
You can clear the code by removing the power to the RWAL module for 10 seconds. Multiple circuits send power to the RWAL module and the fuses may be labeled STOP/hazard and BRAKE. Removing a fuse labeled RWAL may not clear the code. GM information on which fuse/fuses to pull is not very reliable.

The 1993 manual states to remove the STOP/HAZARD fuse.
It sounds like the RWAL system is turning the dash brake light on.
RWAL stands for REAR WHEEL ANTILOCK. RWAL was standard equipment starting in 1988 on full size trucks.

1988 and newer trucks of that body style that do not have 4 wheel ABS have RWAL.

There are three brightness levels of the dash brake indicator light on RWAL equipped trucks.

Brightest – park brake
Medium – Combination valve (aka metering & proportioning valve)
Dim – RWAL System

Watch the light very closely and apply the parking brake. Did the light get brighter?

When the key is first turned on the RWAL module turns the dash brake indicator light on for 2 seconds, then it should go off.

You can unplug the wire on the Combination valve to see if it is the cause on the light coming on.

The RWAL system can store trouble codes, but it is only capable of storing one code at a time.

If the light is blinking the manual states you should still check the codes by turning the key on (engine not running) and put a jumper wire between terminal A and H of the ALDL. Count the brake light flashes.

You can retrieve RWAL codes without a scan tool.

If the instrument panel light is on, to retrieve RWAL codes connect a jumper wire between terminal H and terminal A of the ALDL connector with the key on (engine not running). Watch the dash brake lamp and count the blinks. Sometimes RWAL system send out a phantom blink before the code blinks start. It can take up to 20 seconds for the code to start coming out.

Checking the code with this method can set a false code 9. Checking for a code when no code is present sets a code 9, WHICH WILL DISABLE THE RWAL system.

Clearing codes
You can clear the code by removing the power to the RWAL module for 10 seconds. Multiple circuits send power to the RWAL module and the fuses may be labeled STOP/hazard and BRAKE. Removing a fuse labeled RWAL may not clear the code. GM information on which fuse/fuses to pull is not very reliable.

The 1993 manual states to remove the STOP/HAZARD fuse.
 
And this.... Also copied from another forum.


There is a good chance that the RWAL system is setting a code 10.

On Chevrolet trucks the code 10 is for the brake light switch circuit.

Beginning in August 1990, a software change was made in the ABS controller on all General Motors RWAL equipped vehicles. The change transforms codes 6, 9 and 10 into "soft" (non-latching) codes that only illuminate the warming light as long as the fault is present. If the fault is intermittent and no longer exists, the light will go out with the next ignition cycle.

For the reason in the paragraph above I don’t think you will find a trouble code without a scanner capable of reading RWAL brake codes. Few scanners can do this.

Code 10 – Brake lamp switch circuit. Check the adjustment of your brake light switch. This code can be set by “riding the brakes” but it can also be set be driving in heavy traffic when you have your foot on the brake for an extended distance. Basically the system is detecting the brake pedal being depressed when receiving a vehicle speed sensor signal above 35MPH for what it detects as being to long of a distance.

A failing brake light switch can cause the light to come on when the vehicle reaches 35 MPH.

As these trucks are getting older, this seems to be becoming a common problem. The brake lights can work the way they should, but the brake switch, having more then one set of contacts in it, can cause problems with the RWAL system.

Even if no code 10 is stored in the system, the brake switch can cause the RWAL system to turn the dash brake light on when the truck reaches 35 MPH.

If you want to do more testing, the power comes to the brake switch from the “ECM-IGN” fuse on the pink wire with a black tracer. It should exit the switch on the purple wire. The power should go through the switch when the Brake pedal is NOT pushed (a Normally closed switch) all the way back to terminal F of the 6 wire connector of the brake control module, which is the terminal at one end of the connector with a Purple wire to it. With the key on, and the brake pedal NOT pushed, there should be power there.

Brake Switch adjustment
Here is how the switch is adjusted:
On the curved side of the switch, which is pointing down and somewhat towards the front of the vehicle when installed, the end of a lever protrudes slightly out of a slot.
While holding the brake pedal down a little ways, slide the lever that protrudes from the slot toward the driver’s seat.
Let go of the lever, then return the brake pedal to its fully released position, and the switch should self adjust.

Brake Switch mounting – Installing:
The body of the brake switch should not move with the pedal at all. When you have the switch removed look at the side of the switch that would be towards the parking brake pedal if the switch were still installed. There is a protrusion on the switch that must slide into an opening where the switch mounts. Somewhat like a big square lug into a slot.
 
Again I take no credit for any of that above. It's just some info that I saved to help me with my brake light problem. In my case, I needed to change the brake module (black box) near the master cylinder. Good luck.
 
Thanks guys for the input :thumb: much appreciated! I will certainty go on to do some more troubleshooting....oh and yes this happens regardless if I touch the brakes or not at or before 36 mph
 
Check the brake light switch. It is mounted on a tab next to the brake pedal arm and is actuated when you release the brake pedal. Is your torque converter locking up at cruise speed? The same switch releases TCC lock-up when you press the brake pedal.

edit: just realized that this was described in detail a few posts above:
 
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Hey Matt, the square body trucks did not have RWAL until 1990 and I think it was optional that year but standard starting in 1991.
 
Yeah, I have a 1990 and the light came on 2 weeks or so after I bought the truck. I know its not e-brake cuz the light gets brighter. I checked for the push button on the prop. valve under the radiator, but no button is there... Brakes work perfectly fine. I prob. need to check the brake switch like people are saying.

my tq converter is locking up normally.
 
Are your rear brakes adjusted OK? If the rear brakes are not engaging (I don't know the term for the star adjuster screw), then the rear system does not build enough pressure when you press the brake pedal.
 
Are your rear brakes adjusted OK? If the rear brakes are not engaging (I don't know the term for the star adjuster screw), then the rear system does not build enough pressure when you press the brake pedal.

Goo thought. Although I feel like they are adjusted well, that would be a good thing to check.
 

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