dmoney19

hi, so ive got a 91 4x4 and ive been reading about ppls ebrake light problems and such and ive tried filling up the res and taking out the screen but the light still wont go out. maybe the ebrake cable needs some adjusting? i have a haynes manual but the part i dont get is it says to loosen one nut on the intermediate adjuster and tighten the other then adjust the cable to the rite spot but it doesnt say what that is, how am i supposed to know how much slack is supposed to be in it. also i dunno if it makes any diff but i if i just press that little switch under the dash the light goes off, is something supposed to make contact with that switch and im missing it? thank you guys very much for your input.

Stuwy123

iTrader: (1)

Does your e-brake work? Parked on a slight hill, does it hold your truck when the transmission is in neutral?

The switch for the e-brake light is under the dash at the base of the e-brake where it mounts to the firewall. There's a little tab that hits this switch to turn off the light. I believe there's an adjuster nuts on there you can tighten to fix this.

If not, just put a piece of tape on the switch to hold it down.

iamsuperbleeder

sounds to me like you're not pushing the parking brake handle in far enough

4gen5thtime

I vote for the ebrake handle not being in all the way, or the cable is tightened a lil to much.

dmoney19

ok so i tightened the cable at the intermediate tensioner which made it brake itself work nicer but now if i press the under dash switch the light wont go off! could u guys elaborate on the handle not being in far enuf, are u saying it can be adjusted as well or r u laughing at me lol. ne ways im gonna go see if i can adjust that switch like u say, ill b back thx guys

dmoney19

ok i tried to adjust it but its just one nut and theres no adjusting it just holds the switch, also there doesnt seem to be a flap or anything that would make contact with the switch at all, any insight?

abecedarian

So nothing on the ebrake rod that would contact the switch?
If that's the case, it seems you've found the problem- there should be a piece of metal that pushes the switch closed when the ebrake handle is all the way in.
But, did you try pushing in on the switch plunger yourself and see if the light goes out?

dmoney19

thats what i was thinkin, but no the light doesnt go out ne more, it used to go out when i pressed it but i adjusted the cable and now it doesnt

dmoney19

the dumbest part is, this is the only thing holding me back from passing a vehicle inspection, if i dont get it fixed by tomorow then i gotta pay for another vi!

Stuwy123

iTrader: (1)

If you press the button at the base of the e-brake shaft (under the dash), the e-brake light should go off.
On the e-brake shaft, there should be a tab or bolt or something that contacts that button when the e-brake is ALL THE WAY IN, therefore turning off the e-brake light.

Check to see if the switch works with a multimeter. Click the link below to find out how.
http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b.../6combinat.pdf

desertcamper67

This doesn't add up. You adjusted the cable and now you/we are trying to get a light out. I agree you could have a bad switch down there at the end of your e-brake assy or a bad float/switch in the master cylinder reseviour.
If anything the tab that is supposed to push the switch in would be putting more downward force on the switch and handle would feel tighter.

Matt16

I think it could be the sensor itself, mines a little bit of a pain in the butt during the colder months and I know there's nothing wrong with the brakes.

By the way, are you the same DMoney from Flybc? I'm the guy that got that free tin aluminum that Tim transported back from the island.

abecedarian

okay. you've just lost all hope of respect.
You say in the same sentence that the light went out when you pressed the switch "before" but now that you've adjusted the cable the light doesn't go out when you press the switch.
Meh.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

As i said before in another thread, if its not the sensor in on the handle, its the sensor in the reservoir. Try unplugging the sensor in the reservoir and see if the light goes out. If it does, you know its the sensor in the Master Cylinder Reservoir

just call me smithy

ya thats what happend to me i was going nuts untill i unpluged my esnsor and the light went off, wnt to the local pickapart and found one for 5dollers

85yota4x4

okay well just like a few others have said is there is a little tab that pushes the ebrake button in. if your truck is like mine, and that metal tab is work down, then push your ebrake all the way in, then bring it out about one inch then push it all the way back in. doing this will straighten out the metal tab so it makes direct contact with the ebrake button.

dmoney19

okay 1. I am obviously missing the tab on the shaft, b/c ive checked and 100% it aint there 2. sry matt im not the dmoney ur thinkin of 3. im gonna unplug the resivoir plug thx for that info 4. im so sorry to dissapoint u abecadarian but im just telling u how it is, b4 adjusting my ebrake cable at the intermediate tensioner the light would simply go out with a simple press of the under dash button, and now for some weird reason it does not, thx for disrespecting me tho u must feel good inside to everyone thank you very much i apreciate it.

dmoney19

wanna hear something wierd? i unplugged both the resivoir switch and the ebrake switch and the light still stays on! wierd... I had a multimeter somewhere but i cant find it, would using just a test light let me know if the switches are no good? thx

turkeykiller365

on mine the light stays on unless i push it in. I think im gonna just live with the light being on unless it is a problem come inspection time, in which case i might just disable it.

dmoney19

ok what would cause the light to stay on even when the button is pressed and even when i disconnect the plug at the ebrake assy, and also the plug at the resivoir. Im not good with electronics but all i have is a test light and it wont light up for either of the plugs when the ignition is turned on. could it be possible that it could be something with the rear brake adjustment? Although i disconnected teh ebrake cable and the still didnt go off. i think im just gonna go buy a new plug or maybe one of each if theyre cheap enough, btw can i get them at the local parts store or do i have to go to the dealership?