ABS and BRAKE warning lights on.

[SSR9999]

Hi everyone,

Did a search and didn't find that many information on what's going on with my car.


This afternoon, as i took my car out, i noticed the ABS light and the red (parking) BRAKE light showing up on the Message Center. Every once in a while if i'm caught in the rain, the ABS light would light up when i'm driving in the rain and then go away. Even though it rained yesterday and the car wasn't driven, it'ss sunny and the ABS light came up. Not to mention, the (parking) BRAKE light made an appearance as well. I'm going to wait and see if it'll remain this way and for the rest of the weekend (since i don't like taking my car in to the dealership when it's close to the weekend). If the lights remain on, i guess i will be taking the car in. Car seems to drive fine. In the meantime, can anyone explain what's going on?

By the way, my car is a 2002 and has 39,416 miles.

Thank you!

 

[dave6666]

I don't have my wiring manuals in front of me so a little guessing here.

The e-brake switch is nothing but a mechanical switch that reports to the message center. The wire runs down the tranny tunnel underneath.

The ABS light likely comes out of the ABS module or maybe the PCM. I imagine the wires run under the car eh?

It screws up in the rain eh?

Check your wiring in the tranny tunnel and as it turns toward the D/S foot well and into the cockpit. Look for bad/worn harness and connectors.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Besides for the e-brake, the red light will also come on if the hydraulic block (what we commonly call the proportioning valve) senses that one end of the car does not build hydraulic pressure. Could you be low on brake fluid? (Front reservoir is for rear brakes, rear reservoir is for front brakes. )

 

[SSR9999]

Thank you so much for the informations. The explanations are very useful.

I also forgot to mention that when i start the car and release the handbrake, the red BRAKE light would go away, but after the car is moving would the red BRAKE light come back on.

Sam

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

So, how do the brakes perform? Does the red light come on when you apply the brakes?

 

[dave6666]

Besides for the e-brake, the red light will also come on if the hydraulic block (what we commonly call the proportioning valve) senses that one end of the car does not build hydraulic pressure. Could you be low on brake fluid? (Front reservoir is for rear brakes, rear reservoir is for front brakes. )

Good point Tom. As I've been motoring around in the GORGEOUS Texas winter I did notice that the red brake light in the message center does have 2 icons below it. I had in my reply keyed off the fact he said it was the e-brake. Sounds like I need to brush up on my magic training again...

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Good point Tom. As I've been motoring around in the GORGEOUS Texas winter I did notice that the red brake light in the message center does have 2 icons below it. I had in my reply keyed off the fact he said it was the e-brake. Sounds like I need to brush up on my magic training again...

Well, don't mistake magic for experience suffering through ****** cars. I'm guessing (and if it were my car, hoping) the rear brakes/front reservoir is low; front brakes do most of the work so over time it might sneak up on the driver.

 

[SSR9999]

So, how do the brakes perform? Does the red light come on when you apply the brakes?

Tom,

The brakes seem to perform normally, but i haven't done any hard braking so i couldn't tell whether the ABS was out of wack or not. The red light came on after the car had been driven for a bit and then just remained on.

I took the car out last night and both the ABS and red BRAKE lights are gone. I'm going to take the car in next week to have the dealer look at.

Thank you.

 

[dave6666]

Let us know what they find. No one learns anything here unless it runs full circle

 

[ViperGTS]

Check the cables in the engine bay right side (passenger) front.
Approx. where the belt is.

In the 2001/2002 cars the cables there may rub against the steel hose(s) and gets excoriated.

 

[SSR9999]

Let us know what they find. No one learns anything here unless it runs full circle

I certainly will let everyone know what they find. And, i agree, no one learns anything here unless it runs full circle.

Thanks.

 

[SSR9999]

Check the cables in the engine bay right side (passenger) front.
Approx. where the belt is.

In the 2001/2002 cars the cables there may rub against the steel hose(s) and gets excoriated.

Thank you for the added info. I did check the cables in the engine bay, although, i didn't check the cables on the right side, so thank you!

Again, as of now, all of the lights are gone.

 

[Fatboy 18]

Whats ABS

Gen 2, 2000 GTS

 

[fe4snake]

Check the cables in the engine bay right side (passenger) front.
Approx. where the belt is.

In the 2001/2002 cars the cables there may rub against the steel hose(s) and gets excoriated.

Thank you for the added info. I did check the cables in the engine bay, although, i didn't check the cables on the right side, so thank you!

Again, as of now, all of the lights are gone.

Take it to the Dealer or someone who specializes on ABS.

But, I will tell you that chances are that one or more of your wheel speed sensor for the ABS are malfunctioning and beacuase your parking brake light is going off too tells me there are more than one faulty sensor meaning there are multiple inputs and outputs going on.

One way to check real quick is to drive the vehicle up to 60 mph (make sure road is emty) and slam on the brake hard. If the tires lock up you are operating in safe mode and the ABS computor is not working and has gone into manual mode.

The dealer should be able to tell real quick with their OBDIII analyzer.

 

[C O D Y]

This is an OLD thread, but in case anyone has the same issue it would be worth checking the reverse light switch on the trans. If that switch goes out (which is pretty common) it will turn the ABS & BRAKE light on in the message center (dash) if you have a 2001 or 2002 Viper with ABS.