brake problems

[midnightGL]

When I first bought the SHO. the brakelgihts did not work, the brakes worked great tho. anyways, I changed the stoplight switch and the brakelight fuse. brakelights work!! then the fuse pops a few days later and after replacing it, the parking brake warning light is now on. but the parking brake is definitely not engaged and the brake lights work fine and that second fuse hasnt popped. also the brakes are mushy now as I drive more the brake pedal firms up and are normal again. but that damn light is still on. I notice one night, when I turn on the brights, the parking brake warning light goes away and illuminates when brights are turned off again. WTF??? and now the next chapter...I fell asleep in my car on my lunch break with the radio on. battery is drained when I wake. after I jump it, the brake pedal is once again mushy, but not just mushy, I have to put it all the way to the floor and then the brakes lock up and I pull hard to one side. WTF is going on I ask myself!! the brake pedal is now doing the firming up thing and braking is returning to normal, and as always that fuggin parking light warning light is ON!!

I am thinking maybe the brake booster is going out? the fluid is full, so its not a lack of fluid. The guy I talked to at AutoZone seems to think air has gotten in thru a leak in the brake lines somewhere.

anyone have any ideas, the brakes are returing to normal modulation the more I drive it, but that fuggin light is ****** me off and I dont want any more future problems.

I need an excuse to upgrade brakes anyhow thumbs_u

<small>[ August 25, 2002, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: midnightGL ]</small>

 

[Mike Kopstain]

It's definetly air, a leaking caliper, or something similar causing your problems Eric. I just did the 96+ upgrade and I couldn't get the system to maintain pressure until I bled the brakes. Just grab an 11mm wrench or socket and remove the bleeder screw. Have someone press the pedal very slowly, but steady until fuid starts coming out of the hole and as fluid is coming out put the screw back in. Just do that for each wheel and get find out what is causing the problem.

I was warned 3 months ago by my mechanic that my front caliper was leaking and I figured that I would just wait and take care of it later. Well one gouged rotor, 1 leaking caliper, and 3 frozen slider pins later I was forced to fix the problem. So just make sure that you fix the problem and not only the symptom.

 

[sdpatt]

There is an electrical problem causing the fuse blowing, light ON/OFF situation. Please get it checked.

 

[midnightGL]

thanks for the replies guys. I thought it may be electrical on the light seeing how flipping on the high beams makes it shut off. the fuse isnt blowing anymore though.

bleed the lines, ha, my GF wont know any better...
"new cross drilled rotors, wait maybe SHOstoppers is what it needs honey. Do you want me to get in an accident?" haha! thumbs_u

<small>[ August 26, 2002, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: midnightGL ]</small>

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Yes honey I DO need these 17" Cobra rims otherwise the brakes won't fit.

 

[Bluto]

When I recently bought my 94 ATX the brakes would heat up bad. Even when cold they were mushy. I checked the brake fluid and it was almost black. I used a suction gun and removed what I could of the old black fluid, and replaced it.

Then after a week I did it again. The brake fluid was apparently boiled causing poor braking. I should do a real flush, but I took the lazy way out for now. I'm going to do the 96 upgrade and flush it then.

Also if you bleed your brakes, have the wheels on the ground. It will bleed much easier.
I found that when jacked up you trip the ABS actuator and it reduces/cuts off the flow of brake fluid to the rear brakes.
-Bluto

This is all just my ASSumntions created from my short SHO maintenabce experience.