2002 Ford Ranger. Needed a complete brake overhaul, had that done.

As I was driving away from the shop, the instrument panel had no lights on, and I'm 99% sure the eBrake was not one. As I was going down the road, the Brake light came on the instrument cluster by itself. I pulled over, checked the brake fluid level in the reservoir (low fluid had caused the light to turn on in the past) and it was good. I pulled the emergency brake release handle, and even though the eBrake was not engaged, the light went off. I then drove a little bit, and then stopped at the side of the road. With the car in Drive, but not moving, I engaged the eBrake, but the light did NOT come on the instrument cluster. I let my foot off the brake and the truck did not move, so the eBrake WAS engaged, but no light. I pulled the eBrake release, the eBrake light turned off, took my foot off the brake, and the truck moved, as expected. I again depressed the brake, stopped the truck, engaged the eBrake, and again, no light on the dash, but the eBrake was engaged as the truck did not move when I took my foot off the brake.

I then sat in the truck while I made a 5 min phone call, and put the truck in park. I engaged the eBrake, this time the light DID come on. I pulled the release, the eBrake disengaged, and the light went off, like it should. I put the car in Drive, with my foot on the brake and the truck not moving I engaged the eBrake, and again this time the light DID come on, even though doing the same thing 5 min earlier did NOT make the light come on. I pulled the release, the eBrake disengaged, and the light went off

Any idea what is happening here? I would think an errant switch, but why would a bad switch suddenly turn the light on while driving? I will be inspecting the switch tomorrow just in case. During all of this, the brakes worked just fine so it doesn't seem to be an issue with the braking system but an electrical issue with the light on the dash

 

Yep, could be that switch. One of my trucks is doing something very simliar where its got a mind of its own. I need to replace my switch/sensor. Pain in the **** to get to and inspect.

I cant remmeber if that switch gets grounded and the light turns off or vice versa? Just test that.

Did they adjust the parking brake with the overhaul?

 

Yep, likely the EBrakePedal LimitSwitch on the drivers KickPanel.
Tends to get dirty\crusty\tweaked.
Clean\readjust\tighten & lubricate with a little vaseline as needed.

 

Thanks. Any pic of where it is located? I can clean it up with some IPA and grease it up with dielectric grease

 

 

Great, another contortionist job. I'm still recovering from the knots I has to twist myself into to tighten the shifter linkage bolts!

 

This is why midgets can get away with charging $200 per hour shop time.