Hey guys,

I need some help.

The brake light on my dash comes on and off at random times, but mostly stays on. I just fixed a leak on the switch that's attached to the proportioning valve below the master cylinder by changing out it's o-ring. It doesn't leak anymore, but now the brake light is on 90% of the time. Sometimes, after I've been driving for a while, it goes out. Sometimes, when I push the brake pedal in, it goes out. Othertimes, when I push the brake pedal in, it dims... So I'm confused. Possible Vacuum leak somewhere? I checked all the lines going to the master cylinder and they look ok...but I know that doens't necessarily mean anything. On an 84 T/A is the thing sensitive enough to sense when the pads are really low and need to be changed? Or am I looking at a completely different type of problem? Any ideas?

 

If you had a leak, it probably leaked both ways. IOW, you probably got allot of air in the system. Did you thoroughly bleed the system after fixing the leak? The BRAKE light is also operated by a switch in the console when you pull the handle up. Make sure the handle is all the way down.

 

The handle is all the way down and I bled all four wheels. It is possible that I missed some air in the system....but why then would the light go out when I press the brake?

 

Unplug the wire from its switch, and see if it quits. If it keeps doing it, unplug the wire from the combo valve and see if it quits.

Don't worry about "why" it only does it when you hit the brakes; zero in on "what" is doing it, instead.

Much easier to fix something if you know for sure you're working on the right thing.

 

Which switch first...the proportioning valve switch or the ebrake?...never mind, I suppose it really doesn't matter. Only problem with gettting to the e-brake switch is that I can't take my center console off. THe ebrake handle doesn't go high enough for me to get the center console out even if I take the dashpad off.

 

You shouldn't have to remove the console completely to unplug the switch. It's pretty close to the floor. If you still need to get the handle higher, loosen or unhook the emergency brake cables at the "equalizer". The equalizer is the thing that pulls on both cables. I have a 90 and you don't loosen a nut or anything, you just pull on the equalizer to make slack in the e-brake cables. There seems to be a self tensioning spring of some kind further "upstream".

 

check your fluid level if the light is going on and off with the pedal.

 

Alright, well, after checking both switches with no such luck and re-bleeding the brakes and double checking the pads to make sure there wasn't any undue wear I finally took it in. They're telling me I need a new proportioning valve. I don't suppose any of you guys know where I can pick one up for a 84 T/A?