(!)Parking light comes on when car shifts....

ErikG92SL2 · 09-30-2003, 02:13 AM

...What the hell!! today i was driving around and i decided i wanted to go a little faster, so i hit the perf. button and floored it. My RPM's rose to about 6000 then the car shifted to whichever was the next gear, but my (!)Parking light came on. The only way i could get it to go off was when i applied the parking brake and gave it 2-3 pumps. This is really strange i don't know what's going on here. it only did it twice though, and both times were somewhat rough shifts... Any ideas what's happening?

Oh, and also, is there a way to adjust my parking brake, it doesn't hold as well as it used to when i park on hills. I used to be able to put it on and the car wouldn't budge, now i put it on, and the car still rolls a little, but i hear the parking brake kinda slipping i guess you can call it.

Any and all help appreciated on both questions... Thanx!

Robert-sl2 · 09-30-2003, 06:19 AM

I would suspect the switch for the parking brake handle. Pumping the p-brake probably lostened up the parts inside that were contacting.

The parking brakes are adjustable. There is a nut down inside the center console @ the end of the cable that you tighten down to make it tighter. Easy job to do, just pull out the console and there it is. Someone mentioned it can be accessed by removing the rear ash tray (depending on model). I tried and could see it, but couldnt get a good angle to turn the nut so I ended up just removing the center console.

**Ssicarman** · 10-01-2003, 02:12 AM

I would start with adjusting the rear brake shoes (assumption is drum brakes) so that they are adjusted correctly. With this done I suspect that you'll find that the park brake holds the car and possibly the park brake light won't come on any more.

ErikG92SL2 · 10-01-2003, 02:16 AM

Ok today, it did it like a million times, it pretty much only came on when the RPMs went above 3500. I was thinking that maybe i have a short somewhere that instead of my SES light coming on, my parking brake light comes on. I was also thinking that the light was only coming on when the car went above 3500RPM's, so the first thing i did was check the tranny fluid.... Checked it, and found it was extremely low. I just added some, but didn't get around to check to see if that did anything. I'm going to do the paperclip trick and see if it reads any codes. If it says anything about low trannmision fluid... Bingo i solved the case, short somewhere in SES light and low transmission fluid.... We'll see!

**Ssicarman** · 10-01-2003, 02:37 AM

How's this thought. Check your brake fluid level. There is a low brake fluid warning built into the park brake light. check the fluid level, if low top up a BIT to see if the light goes out. If it does check your brakes because the front pads are likely worn out. If not that then you make a brake fluid leak somewhere.

ErikG92SL2 · 10-01-2003, 04:08 AM

cool, i'll try that. I read the codes, and got nothing... still havn't tried to see if it was the AT fluid level yet, but i'll try your suggestion Ssicarman.

ErikG92SL2 · 10-02-2003, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ssicarman

How's this thought. Check your brake fluid level. There is a low brake fluid warning built into the park brake light. check the fluid level, if low top up a BIT to see if the light goes out. If it does check your brakes because the front pads are likely worn out. If not that then you make a brake fluid leak somewhere.

That did the trick... Thanks. I'm gonna get some new brake pads after i get the car inspected, just so i don't have to worry about breaking something, lol.

**Ssicarman** · 10-02-2003, 05:04 AM

Glad that you found the problem.