Parking Brake Light On

connorwhite.online

connorwhite.online

Active Member
Okay so long story short, I'm a knucklehead and forgot to drop my jack and let the van start rolling. I stopped within 5 feet, and pulled the jack from where it was positioned under the main engine crossmember. Luckily it looked like the jack hadn't shifted or caused any damage, but now my parking brake light won't shut off. I'm not certain if the parking brake is actually deployed because the brake shoes are worn all the way to the metal (they already were, I was halfway done with a 4 wheel brake job). It's possible there's some slight resistance happening, but I'm not certain if that could additionally be the brake caliper not fully retracting. My mechanic is booked out 3 weeks in advance which is ridiculous, but they have a Delica tech. Hoping I can find an answer before then.
 
The parking brake switch that controls the light is under the parking brake handle. You can disconnect the switch from there and then test it for continuity to verify that the switch is bad.
 
There's a thread in the FAQ which covers the brake warning light but TL;DR:

The brake warning light can be illuminated by any of 3 things:

-Handbrake lever is lifted (there's a switch under the handle)
-Low fluid level (float switch in the fluid reservoir )
-No vacuum at the brake booster (Diesel only, vacuum switch on the booster itself) or a faulty vacuum switch.

To diagnose the fault, unplug each of the switches until the light goes out.

The vacuum line that runs the brake booster comes from the alternator and runs along the inside of the engine bay. Is it possible the jack has damaged or disconnected the vacuum line? If there's really no vacuum at the booster the pedal will be *super* hard to press.
 
I'm not at home right now, but later I'll unplug/plug the parking switch and see if the light comes back on. The brake fluid reservoir is full but I'll double check any connections around the crossmember. As for the vacuum lines, the brake pedal is as usual, but I'm hoping that the woodblock I had between the jack and crossmember didn't pierce or crimp anything underneath the engine. I have a huge, pre-existent oil leak making it hard to inspect, but I'll trace that vacuum line. Thanks for the help as always ;)
 
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