brake warning light between tach/speedo coming on: any assistance?

[nickleinonen]

well, because of the snow on the ground, i've been playing around in the snow, and now for the 3rd or 4th time now, that brake warning light that is between the tach and speedo has come on. when you hit the brakes the light goes out. it comes on with accelaration [loud pedal to the floor] with lots of wheelslip in the white stuff with all 4 tires.



i think it is due to tire speed differential and the abs system doesn't like it. but the light does go out when the brakes are pressed.



it doesn't really bother me, and i don't feel it is a safety issue, but i'd like to know for sure what the cause is if i can [and i will not go to the dealer for this... why would anyone though... ]

 

[XcumminsX]

I have heard it was because snow covers the sensor and it sets off the light.



Anyone wanna help me out here?



Nick

 

[rbattelle]

Nick, do you mean the ABS light? Or the parking brake light?



If it's the parking brake light, I'd bet it is some snow or ice getting in there and making a connection between the sensor contacts.

 

[nickleinonen]

i am not for sure which brake light it was, but in that triangular area between the tach & speedo on the bottom side, it is the top most light. if it is snow or something making the connection, why would it go out when you touch the service brakes?



just looked in the service manual, on page 8J-7 it is item #18 so it is the brake indicator. that service manual has nothing about diagnosing eh... sucks. .

 

[rbattelle]

Yeah, that's what I would call the parking brake indicator. It's just a guess, but maybe the cold weather is making the switch stick and when you apply the service brakes it dislodges it. I haven`t looked at the part in the service manual yet...



I wonder if that light comes on for brake problems, instead of just the parking brake being on? Have you checked the brake fluid in the reservoir?

 

[Glen]

That light also comes on when there are brake problems. My ABS system had an intermittent for a few thousand miles; both brake and ABS lights were on.

 

[rbattelle]

It might have set a code... did you already check that, Nick?

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Mine kept coming on one night when I was bored and went out and went hog wild blasting around in the snow. It was major fun getting the truck way sideways and flooring it in 3rd or 4th gear and seeing how far you could launch the snow. When I got home my rear wheels were so packed with snow only a bit of the center cap was showing through

Oo.

 

[nickleinonen]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

Mine kept coming on one night when I was bored and went out and went hog wild blasting around in the snow. It was major fun getting the truck way sideways and flooring it in 3rd or 4th gear and seeing how far you could launch the snow. When I got home my rear wheels were so packed with snow only a bit of the center cap was showing through

Oo.

that's about what i've been doing. fun isn't it :-laf



no i have not checked for codes yet [as i do not know how to do that... ]

 

[rbattelle]

Originally posted by nickleinonen

that's about what i've been doing. fun isn't it :-laf



no i have not checked for codes yet [as i do not know how to do that... ]

I think you cycle the key on and off 3 times. Leave it on at the 3rd time, and the odometer will show the codes.