Date: Wed, 11 May 2005 19:03:07 -0700
Reply-To: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: What did I do to make my brake light come on?
In-Reply-To: <BAY106-DAV238BF02D4F2B0DA2ABA0D7DB110@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
You did not mention the year of your Vanagon. In 1985 VW added a brake
fluid level sensor in the fluid reservoir. If the fluid is too low the
light will stay on. Prior years did not have this, they only had a
master cylinder pressure differential arrangement that would light the
brake warning light if one circuit of the dual circuit master cylinder
was bad, possibly due to low fluid level, but only when the brakes were
applied.
Another possibility on all years is the parking brake switch. If you
don't fully release the parking brake the light will stay on. If the
wires to the switch get bumped off the light will stay on. If the switch
goes bad the light will stay on. Remove the cover over the parking brake
handle and look at the switch to see what is going on there.
Mark
Ed wrote:
>OK, I thought I was having a good day getting things done on the Vanagon, but when I was done, I had a problem I didn't have before- the brake light comes on and stays on.
>
>Here is what I did before this happened: When I replaced the power steering rack last month, I didn't quite it centered, and didn't take it for an alignment. I was going to replace the tires soon anyway. So today I took the tie rods off, centered the steering, and aligned it by eye until I go tomorror to get an alignment. Then I installed the "hot start relay" to see if it helps my starting problems. I replaced the distributor cap and rotor. Now the stupid thing- as I drove off to see if everything was o.k., I heard quite a clunking sound. Back in the driveway, I discovered that I never tighnened the lug bolts after getting it off the jackstands. Took care of that and seemed o.k.
>
>But after all this was done, I noticed that the brake light stays on. The fluid is fine and I don't see any leaks. I compared it to my Quantum to see when the light in that comes on and goes off. I thoght it was supposed to come on when you turned the key to the first postion and go off a few seconds after starting, but in the Quantum it doesn't come on until car is started, then goes off after a few seconds. In the Vanagon it comes on upon starting the van, then stays on.
>
>One good thing- I had a problem with stalling upon start-up if the gas pedal wasn't kept down for a minute or two. That seems to be fine, now.
>
>I'm going to go check the Bentley and Haynes, but I'm just pretty tired from working on it, so I wanted to see if anyone had any great suggestions first. (I also washed and waxed it after I did everything else.)
>
>Thanks for any suggestions.
>Ed in CT
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