Brake Idiot Light

[Guest PontiacDude210]

My 1990 Reatta had the "Brake" light come on shortly after I bought it. The seller had put new brake lines on it. I replaced the pads and freed up the rear calibers. I cleared the codes, light is still there. When I clear b-codes, it says not clear, then clear flashes for a second and the brake light goes away, then not clear comes back. I pull the release, the parking brake seems to be not set. Ideas? Thanks!

[padgett]

EBCM (brake computer) is seperate from other units and clears differently. That said if you are getting the red BRAKE light and not the yellow ABS light, I'd check the parking brake switch first - is the only thing that will give a red light without the yellow one and has nothing to do with the ABS. Just accidently hitting the pedal may have been enough to trigger the light.

[Guest PontiacDude210]

It's just the red light. So... could the switch be broken?

[Barney Eaton]

Unplug the connector at the parking brake. If the problem goes away, then the parking brake switch has a problem.

If the red BRAKE light is still on then you have another brake problem and the most likely problem is lack of pressure, that could be a bad accumulator, bad pressure switch, bad pump motor, or bad pump relay.

[NCReatta]

Could be low on fluid too. but if everything has been replaced with the lines and calipers, I doubt it.

[Guest PontiacDude210]

My concern is that the previous owner did a crappy job replacing the brake lines. That was kind of evidenced where he zip-tied a line to the parking brake cable. I dread bleeding brake fluid, but is this a possible cause for the issue? I can hear some sort of pump run when I turn the car on, making noise under the hood.

*I've rerouted the line around it as best as I could without clipping it and buying new lines...

[Ronnie]

Are the brake lines leaking. If not they probably aren't the cause of the red light being on. However, If you have any doubts about the brake line replacement being done correctly you should take the car to a reliable mechanic for inspection. Making connections in brake lines without doing it correctly can get you killed!

Air could have gotten in to the brake system when the lines were changed. There is no reason to fear bleeding the brakes. Normally it's an easy job unless you have rusted bleeders on the calipers. Instructions for bleeding and flushing the brake system are on my website.

How To Flush & Bleed Brakes - Reatta Owners Journal

What you hear running is the brake pump. That is normal when you first start the car after it has been sitting for a while. It should stop after about 15 seconds and the red brake light should go off. If it continues to run constantly that could be the reason the red brake light is on.

[Barney Eaton]

There are several places online that will help you diagnose the problem. www.reattaowner.com and www.reatta.net both have info.

I do not think your brake lines are the problem (that is setting the red BRAKE light) the Teves manual from GM shows only 4 things that turn on the light.

(1) the ignition swithc is in the bulb test position

(2) the parking brake switch is closed

(3) hydraulic accumulator pressure is below 1,500 psi

(4) the brake resevoir fluid level is low.

1, 2, & 4 are easy to eliminate......that leaves low accumulator pressure.

See note from yesterday.

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

You can make check out what the BCM is seeing by learning how to use the diagnostics function. By going into the BCM Input mode and look at BI18 (brake pressure, BI21 (brake fluid level), and BI22 (parking brake switch).

This will tell you why the BCM is turning the red light on so you can concentrate in the correct area.

How to get there is on page 8D-8 in the FSM.

Troubleshooting this problem is on page 8D-2-92/93 of the FSM.

To keep light off they all should be HI. The one that reports LO is the one causing the red light to turn on.