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Dash "BRAKE" light is on, won't go off....96 XJ

xjtrailrider

xjtrailrider

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Roanoke VA
Okay, I went wheelin' at Callalantee last weekend and on the 3 hour highway drive home my dash brake light came on. I beat on the Heep hard so I suspected a leak. I pulled off at the next exit and looked for signs of leakage. With no obvious leaks and a full reservoir, I drove on home suspecting a bad sensor at the proportioning valve.

After getting home I unplugged the sensor at the PV and the light is still on? I replaced the sensor with a spare one that I had on my 96 parts XJ, the light is still on? I then took out the center console and checked the switch on the e-brake lever. The switch is working there as well.

My reservoir is still topped off and I have excellent stopping power considering I'm running 35's on 4.88 gearing and stock brakes, it stops great!

What is it? Do I have a short/ground somewhere?

I'll take any advice, I have another wheelin trip planned for this coming Saturday and I want to get this fixed ASAP!

EDIT: I forgot to add that this XJ has ABS but has been disabled for 4 years and no issues, all wheel sensors are unplugged and the ABS unit is disabled.
 
Is it your parking brake light? The little button in the center console?
 
Its the red "brake" light in the idiot light cluster. It comes on if the e-brake is on or if the fluid is low or pressure is low.

I can't find any reason for the light to be on!!
 
The little button, under the center console, that trips the light when the handle is pulled up--they get out of adjustment or fail. Check the button.
 
xjtrailrider said:
I checked that as well
Click to expand...

Dang--getting old and missed that you did that in the original post.

Ok, you swapped the the switch on the combination valve--did you look down in there when you had the switch out? There is a valve that moves when a pressure differential occurs and that trips the switch. If the valve is stuck you can pull the switch and see if you can move it back over, we used to have to do that on Volvos when the brakes were serviced.

Also, did you pull the rear drums and lift the rubber cups on the wheel cylinders to check for dampness--there shouldn't be any.

Another also, check up under the dash and make sure there isn't any dampness off the MC push rod.

Good luck.
 
Ok, I have NO leaks in the brake system anywhere.

The switch at the e-brake lever is good

The pressure switch at the PV block is good

Fluid is topped off and has been for 3 months since I last filled it

I'm thinking a wiring issue. Could someone with a 96 FSM trace the wire from the e-brake switch (under the console) to see where it goes to under the dash and if there is a controller under there for these lights.

There is nothing in the OBD2 that communicates with this braking system that i can find and I do not have any codes.
 
What happens if you unplug the switch at the proportioning valve and at the parking brake handle?
 
Red brake light -low pedal caused by leak in front /rear hyd circuit
Red light + low pedal= pressure diff switch and valve actuated by system leak--all of which you checked out/corrected
Now to section 8W-. circuit F87--power from Ing switch >Brake warning lamp switch(gray wire /blk trace)>GY/WT out to connection/split to GY/BK to lamp and GY/BK thru 2 connections to park brake switch. All switch cases are to be grounded.

GY=gray, BK = black And fuse in position 17

Wayne
 
joe_peters said:
What happens if you unplug the switch at the proportioning valve and at the parking brake handle?
Click to expand...


The light is still on, tried that scenario


Wayne Sihler said:
Red brake light -low pedal caused by leak in front /rear hyd circuit
Red light + low pedal= pressure diff switch and valve actuated by system leak--all of which you checked out/corrected
Now to section 8W-. circuit F87--power from Ing switch >Brake warning lamp switch(gray wire /blk trace)>GY/WT out to connection/split to GY/BK to lamp and GY/BK thru 2 connections to park brake switch. All switch cases are to be grounded.

GY=gray, BK = black And fuse in position 17

Wayne
Click to expand...

I 'll check this out, thanks!
 
xjtrailrider said:
The light is still on, tried that scenario

 Ok, you must have a worn spot somewhere in your harness that is grounding and completing the circuit.
Click to expand...
 
Fixed it!!!!

It turns out the the wire going to the switch on the e-brake lever had come into contact with the seat belt bolt on the drivers side and wore through to ground. It was a easy fix, I just spliced in a new wire and now all is well.

Here are some pics

0813100843.jpg

0813100844.jpg
 
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