Balls. The truck threw a code.

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher) 01/08/2015 at 10:15 • Filed to: trouble codes

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Any ideas what "Service Brake System" might mean? It's still stopping just fine. I blame the cold.

Funktheduck > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:16

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Your rotors are about to explode if you don't take them out on a date soon. Spiteful women those rotors.

Party-vi > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:19

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Chevy?

Alfalfa > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:21

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Fluid/brake lines, maybe?

Probably cold's fault.

DoYouEvenShift > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:22

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Could be a million things. You need a scanner capable of reading the abs module. I do know its common for the abs module to go out on those. Not cheap.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:25

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Probably low brake fluid if you see the parking brake light coming on too. That said, on days that are ridiculously cold, I'll forgive a vehicle for having a brain fart and throwing a random code or doing something out of the ordinary.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:25

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Might be pad thickness sensors, might be your whole ABS system throwing a bitchfit - say, from ice crystals in your fluid.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:26

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Turn off and restart. Like you would if it was a computer issue—it probably is.

I've had mine throw check codes, it seems to be a sensor malfunction. If the computer doesn't get a signal from the sensor for certain amount of time it brings up the code. If it's gone when you turn the truck back on there is probably no issue.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:26

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Some cars automatically throw a code at the recommended service interval. Could be that. Alternatively, could be something with the ABS computer. Quick way to find that out is to try to lock up the wheels.

Alfalfa > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/08/2015 at 10:28

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This is obviously the best choice of action. Dorifto truck time.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:30

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ABS pump? Electronic controls?

Fluid level? Leaky hydraulics?

Needs brake pads?

Is there a way to get the error code that's been thrown? That would help point you in the right direction.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:31

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KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/08/2015 at 10:31

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GM is too cheap to put pad sensors in. That's a German thing.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Alfalfa 01/08/2015 at 10:33

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While drift-truck is obviously the answer, just slamming on the brakes on an empty road (easier if wet/snowy) should do it.

LS POWA! > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:42

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Its low brake fluid due to wear on the pads. Top it off. (With the correct fluid)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/08/2015 at 10:43

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The ones in a W123 totally suck, by the way:

Being able to replace them means convincing the little clip thing to work free of the lining and pop back into the notch in a new one. Since the part of the sensor that goes in the hole and the part that goes into the notch are not aligned, the sensor likes to bend, pop out of the notch, and/or refuse to go in the notch in the first place. Then the plastic clippy edges that guide it into the notch break. Then the probe end gets bent and binds in the lining...

Not a fan.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/08/2015 at 10:45

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The ones on the Lucas HP2 caliper on my S4 have the sensor embedded in the pad material, and make the pads twice as expensive.

So I shorted the circuit, and said *raspberry*.

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:49

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My dad has the same generation Silverado, I would start by checking your brake fluid level.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 01/08/2015 at 10:50

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Out of curiosity, how would low fluid cause the parking brake light to go on? I've only ever seen the sensor for the parking brake attacked to the parking brake lever.

shop-teacher > Funktheduck 01/08/2015 at 10:52

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Ha! Good to know.

jariten1781 > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:52

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Uncle had this. It turned out to be a bad ABS speed sensor I believe. Was intermittent for a year or something until he finally got it fixed. Never noticed any errant behavior.

shop-teacher > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/08/2015 at 10:53

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I'll try that. Our town has decided not to plow side streets, so there's not's of hard-pack to play on.

shop-teacher > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 01/08/2015 at 10:55

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Yeah, I'm hoping when it's not so freaking cold out, things will chill out. I'll check the brake fluid level when I go outside.

shop-teacher > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 01/08/2015 at 10:55

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My buddy did that with his airbag light on is '93 Crown Vic for several years.

shop-teacher > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/08/2015 at 10:56

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My guy in town said to bring it by in a couple of hours, and he'll pull the code for me. I was just wondering if anybody had any ideas.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/08/2015 at 10:57

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That was my first thought, but no dice. I restarted it four times while driving around doing errands.

shop-teacher > GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo 01/08/2015 at 10:58

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I will do that when I go back outside. Thanks!

shop-teacher > Party-vi 01/08/2015 at 10:58

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'06 GMC Sierra ... so yes :)

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 10:59

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It may as well say "General Brake Fault" because it doesn't indicate what has failed. About as helpful as the Windows 95 "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down"

My suspicion would center on the ABS controller, because that is on as well. Fluid level and leaks are easy to check, and you probably would have already caught them.

My guess is that the brakes will work without ABS for the time being, but you should be careful with them.

shop-teacher > DoYouEvenShift 01/08/2015 at 10:59

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My guy said to bring it by in a couple of hours, and he'll pull the code for me.

shop-teacher > jariten1781 01/08/2015 at 11:01

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Those are a common fault on these, I've had it, but when I had that, I also had the ABS kicking in at low speeds, when not necessary.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/08/2015 at 11:04

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It was on a Ford Ranger I drove for AAA, so it could be vehicle specific. They used it as an indicator that the trucks needed brakes...we never topped off brake fluid, and when the parking brake light wouldn't go off, they changed the pads. It was a pretty weird way of doing business.

Funktheduck > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 11:05

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This comment has gotten the most stars out of anything else I've written today. Clearly I need to just write funny stuff that doesn't necessarily make sense and stop trying to help people's problems.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 01/08/2015 at 11:07

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Hmm... Weird. I would be wondering why my brakes weren't off, not what I need to do to fix them.

tickitytickityTANK > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/08/2015 at 11:09

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GM's are notorious for eating wheel speedos. Considering its a higher wear component than the ABS pump or ECU I'd put my money there. Either way a code reader will point you in the right direction.

shop-teacher > Funktheduck 01/08/2015 at 11:09

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Yeah, I think that's obvious :)

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 11:21

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Is the parking brake light on because the brake is on, or is that part of the issue?

Did the ABS light come on at the same time, or has it been on for a while?

If it's the ABS, tape the light over and get on with life—my experience with that era GM ABS system was not good. It was much better when it quit altogether.

Brickman > Funktheduck 01/08/2015 at 11:23

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Same. Try to be smart and you are in the grey. Internet loves humor and dumbassery (is that a word?) :D

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 11:23

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Sounds like common early 2000's GM ABS issue—ours did the same for several months. Pull into a parking spot and try and stop and it wound come on. Then it quit entirely, best thing that could have happened.

Funktheduck > Brickman 01/08/2015 at 11:46

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It's the internet. Say a word often enough and it will be if it isn't.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/08/2015 at 11:58

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Yeah, that's what happened with my ABS sensors too. I found a dealer who was willing to replace them under my extended warranty, of course that was 50k miles ago, and the truck just turned 100k so .... yeah. This is just the warning lights/message, no symptoms, at least not yet.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/08/2015 at 12:00

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The parking brake is not on. Both lights came on at the same time.

Tstanisch > shop-teacher 01/08/2015 at 12:22

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Had that code once turns out it was the ABS sensor inside the wheel hub assembly. Had to get a new wheel bearing hub assembly.

Gonemad > shop-teacher 01/13/2015 at 14:03

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It's nice to see that one when you are doing 60mph or over.

And you see a red light.

Or a curve.

Or a deer.

troverman > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/13/2015 at 15:34

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W124 is the same sensor, but I always just bought new sensors with new pads. Pretty cheap.

shop-teacher > Gonemad 01/13/2015 at 22:20

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Fortunately I had no actual braking problems, but seeing that code was worrisome. Luckily the code went away after the truck sat for a couple hours.

Gonemad > shop-teacher 01/14/2015 at 05:12

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If it went away after a couple of hours, the cold theory is likely. I'd change the braking fluids, just in case. If it has water, the water turned into cold sludge, perhaps? Pumping the brakes would force the system to heat up and melt the ice inside. Just park the car and start cranking that pedal.

Check for puddles (dripping) as well. But then again, the fluid level would drop. Since most modern cars have sensors everywhere, it sensed the pumps were not delivering enough pressure on the system, who knows.

The rest of the system is worth a visit too. Calipers, pads, discs... or drums.