[BruceY]

On my 1990 2500 Suburban has been sitting more than driving due to gas prices and not realy needing it. Anyhow I went to move it a few days ago. I started it right up, released the parking brake in order to move it. I noticed the idicator light (for the parking brake) went from bright to dim and will not go out completly. The pedal is fully released. The truck shows NO effects of a dragging brake not fully releasing. I believe it's electrical but where to look?
:?:

 

[nemopoppins]

Since you mention that, I'd like to mention that my seatbelt light doesn't go out and I always wear my seatbelt. Does anyone know if that is a related problem?

 

[jack77]

The electrical switch for the parking brake indicator is on the parking brake pedal, check to see if it is bent or broken. the other switch that can illuminate that light is the pressure differential switch located on the combination valve that is bolted to the front crossmember. it is a one wire grounding switch that should light the light if there is a pressure difference ( blown brake line, leaking wheel cylinder, etc). the wire can rub thru or be chewed on by varmints and ground itself to the frame. as the combo valve gets older it can stick in the bore also, so sometimes just a hard stomp on the brake pedal is all that is needed to recenter the valve. As far as the seat belt light, I would check the wires where the belt latch bolts to the floor. over time the constant moving and flexing can break the wires. Only the driver belt should operate the indicator on your '99.

 

[ChevyFan]

chewed on by varmints and ground itself to the frame.

Sorry, I had to laugh at that, I just got an image of a gopher or something snacking on some wires.

 

[nemopoppins]

I remember reading several years ago about some sort of banking catastrophe that was brought on by squirrels nibbling on computer wires somewhere in South America, or something like that.
Thanks for the advice, Jack77.

 

[BruceY]

Jack, Thank You for the places to look. Does it being only a 2 wheel drive make any difference on the front crossmember valve? Also no moisture from fluid is seen........Again Thank You Sir Bruce

 

[technojunkie]

Regarding varmints -

My last car ('92 Taurus wagon) had some unusual occupants in the engine at one time....

I discovered acorns in the air cleaner box after I bought it, and would occasionally discover more acorns on and around the engine that must have shook out of somewhere! It never affected the reliability of the car, but how long were they there?

I know they must have gotten in there with the previous owners, since my neighborhood is new enough that there aren't any trees big enough for squirrels to be interested!

Every time I'd find more bits, I just had to chuckle imagining a squirrel thinking he'd hit the jackpot finding such a great place to hide his stash!

Tim the technojunkie

 

[jack77]

I have foound all kinds of problems caused by mice and chipmunks, even had a porcupine chew the fuel lines and the cores out of a radiator. I have found dead mice behind hubcaps and in blower motors. The blower makes one heck of a vibrational noise when it is that far out of balance! The engine cover that hides the top of your engine is a great place to find nests. The hood insulation makes great bedding and it is warm when the mouse goes to bed at night. I heard a customer say once that they had had a groundhog in the fan shroud sleeping and when he started the engine, groundhog pieces scattered all over the engine compartment before destroying the fan and waterpump!

 

[ChevyFan]

When I was a kid, my dad pulled a beefy 350 out of a wrecked Corvette and put it into our Chevy station wagon. That engine would be so hot that the cats would love to go sleep on the engine block in the winter.

Until one day, he came home and then had to leave again fairly soon. Well, a white cat named snowball jumped on the engine block to warm himself. When that engine started up, the cat didn't know what to do, except jump into the fan. What a mess.

 

[ChevyFan]

Anyhow, sorry to get off topic. You're going to have to have someone check for a short somewhere in your wiring. Sorry, that's about my least favorite thing to do.

 

[BruceY]

UPDATE

I popped open my hood today after spending 5 hrs cutting the grass. I first looked into the air cleaner for signs of little critters and saw NONE. It was as clean as when GM put it together. I searched the rest of the engine campartment, in the quarter panels, under the frame, firewall, and rear underneath of the car but ABSOLUTLY NO SIGNS OF CHEWED WIRES. No wheel cylinder, or master cylinder leakage. Nothing looked out of the ordinary in any place I looked.
I also (with a flashlight and mirror) checked on the parking brake mechanisum. What I think is the switch, located at the top, white nylon with a brown srtiped wire coming off of it, That looked OK. I tried to wiggle this wire and switch to see if it was loose but it was not. Giggiling the wire had no effect on the illuminated indicator dash light.
The car moves and stops normaly. No pulling to either side.
I'm at a loss what to try next other than take it to a dealer or garage for whats causing this.

 

[84fiero123]

RE: UPDATE

take a test light, my favorite tool, and check the switch to make sure the switch is not defective.

when you hook the light to the switch move the switch manualy to make sure that it is working properly.

 

[jack77]

RE: UPDATE

the switch you looked at sounds like the right one. were the contacts making contact? when the pedal is returned all the way, the contacts should not be touching the pedal assembly, but rather just sticking out in to the open. The combination valve would still be in the same place regardless of 2 or 4 wheel drive, try unplugging the connector for the valve to see if the light goes out, if it does you have found the problem, either the switch is bad or the valve is off center internally which should be stopping brake fluid from getting to one end of the burb or the other.