Need help w/parking brake.

[91 SHOplus]

Hey gang,

My parking brake light is almost always on, (Ironically, except when the brake is actualy on ) and I noticed alot of slack in the cable, drooping below the body of the car by a few inches when the brake is disengaged.

Sorry to sound like a noob, but how the heck do you adjust the parking brake cable? The pass side cable is obvious enough with the nut on the threaded shaft, but what about the driver side?

 

[SHO92]

The cable hanging shouldn't make a difference since the foot lever is what makes the light come on and off. Make sure your Master Cylinder is full, especially since you said the light goes off when you step on the brakes.

 

[AutoSHO]

As Bill said, check the master cylinder fluid level. It will display the E-Brake warning light if you are low on fluid.

If your cables are hanging, they are probably seized further back. I would not recommend trying to adjust them, thye should tension themselves.

 

[UnsungZero]

there are two nuts attached to the parking brak cable located under the car near the left rear tire.


only problem is you probably wont be able to turn those nuts with out breaking something

(i know from experience)

i had the exact same problem...i just unhooked the electrical connector above the ebrake pedal

and chances are you probably have a frozen cable.

you can get all 3 of em for about 35 bucks plus shipping from rockauto.com

 

[MelectroK]

Pull the brake relase and pull the pedal tightly up by hand.

 

[snowwind1990]

pull the parking brake cable....no

there may be a problem there........reach under the dash and pull the spring plate up by hand..

I concur: check the fluid level for the brake fluid.

 

[Diamond Jim]

I'm willing to bet that the rubber shoe that contacts the parking brake switch has deteriorated. It has happened on ALL of my SHO's

 

[fuhSHO]

mine too

 

[JaySHOguy]

Kevin, I replaced all of my parking brake cables last year on the '89 because they were frozen. Well, one of them worked, but barely. I had the same symptoms as you... hanging lines and the brake light. The brake light came on because the foot pedal was not coming back up all the way, due to the rusted cables.

I'd replace them. My e-brake worked like a charm afterwards.