Electrical Issue?

[Punkfinder]

My rig is a 93 SE-V6. A couple days ago the ABS light and emergency brake indicator light started to stay on while my truck was running (as opposed to just flashing on when starting th engine).

 

Any ideas what this could be indicating?

 

Something serious or just some electrical malfunction?

 

(BTW, my ABS light has stayed on before for periods of time, usually after splashing through water, but always goes off eventually)

[Slick]

your alternator is on skid row. remove the alty and take it somewhere to be tested.

[Punkfinder]

I should have included this little piece of "piss-off" as well:

 

Often when I turn my lights on, the parking lights come on but the headlights don't. I have to turn the lights on and off several times/flick the high beams on&off to get the headlights to come on.

 

Any relation to my previous problem or totally different issue?

 

Thanks all!

[Slick]

I should have included this little piece of "piss-off" as well:

 

Often when I turn my lights on, the parking lights come on but the headlights don't. I have to turn the lights on and off several times/flick the high beams on&off to get the headlights to come on.

 

Any relation to my previous problem or totally different issue?

 

Thanks all!

prolly a non related issue. check inside the steering column, you could have a bad/broken wire, or a short.

[GrimGreg]

prolly a non related issue. check inside the steering column, you could have a bad/broken wire, or a short.

 

 

No, probably just dirty contacts on the light switch.

 

Simple fix:

Take off column cover and remove the 2 screws holding the light switch to the column, and disconnect the wires running to it. You'll notice one side has a semi transparent side on it with 4 little pegs, one on each corner. Pop the cover piece off those pegs and you will see 5 little brass colored blades, those are the contacts. If you look at an angle, you can see they have little tabs on the bottom that mate up with other tabs on the switch body. Slide some 100 or so grit sand paper in between those tabs and rub till they aren't black anymore. Test it to make sure you didn't bend a contact out, then reasseble everything.

[88pathoffroad]

Check your brake fluid. That's not just an e-brake light, it is the brake warning light.

[Simon]

I had that issue once when I replaced a caliper on my old truck....I had air in the lines, and had to bleed the entire system, including the proportioning valve, and then the lights went out.

[k9sar]

brake fluid and check your fusable link for the headlight issue (if it's not the switch)

[MaxRX7]

your alternator is on skid row. remove the alty and take it somewhere to be tested.

 

I'm curious about the correlation between the ABS lights and the alternator

[Simon]

Typically, when the Alty goes, you'll have a few dash lights pop up, one being the brake light, one being the battery light and sometimes, the ABS light.

[Punkfinder]

GrimGreg: You're solution fixed my headlight problem once and for all.

 

As for the E-Brake and ABS lights: My brake fluid was low; topping it up turned both indicators off.

 

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions!

 

(Glad it wasn't the Alty)

[GrimGreg]

GrimGreg: You're solution fixed my headlight problem once and for all.

 

As for the E-Brake and ABS lights: My brake fluid was low; topping it up turned both indicators off.

 

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions!

 

(Glad it wasn't the Alty)

 

Good to hear.

 

BTW, since you were low on fluid you ought to check your brake shoes and pads. As they wear more fluid stays in the pistons and wheel cylinders, causing the MC to go low. Also, if the fluid was dark, you might want to completely flush and refill the fluid (basically bleed each corner till fresh fluid flows).