Weird Electrical Gremlins!!

MTU 50 · 04-21-2001, 02:26 PM

When I bought my car 2 years ago the original owner told me that the check engine light comes on from time to time. He brought it to the dealer twice and they hooked it to a code scanner, but did not get any codes back. He said it didn't seem to affect the cars performance so he lived with it.

Up until this april, the check engine light did the same thing for me. It would usually come on when I accelerated past 1/4 throttle and turn off when I took my foot off the gas. Again the car seemed to drive fine and I didn't notice anything unusual.

Now comes the weird part. I took my car out of its 5-month storage in late march and the check engine light does not come on at all. Instead the parking brake light comes on when I accelerate and goes off when I get out of the gas. The parking brake is all the way down and I assume it is disengaged. I am not getting bad fuel mileage or anything.

WTF? First the check engine light pops on with no codes showing up, and now it switches to the parking brake light. Any idea whats going on?

Thanks

------------------
1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs

Unit 5302 · 04-21-2001, 02:31 PM

Yeah, you're low on brake fluid.

It's the master cylinder that's making your brake light come on, not your parking break.

As for the check engine light, I wouldn't be at all suprised if the HEGO sensor was faulty.

MTU 50 · 04-21-2001, 02:53 PM

Unit: Yeah I figured it wasn't the parking brake, but it's still weird that the parking brake light does the exact same thing that the check engine light used to do.

Why does it only register when I accelerate? Is it because the brake fluid is being flung back and the sensor is reading it as low and then when the cars velocity stabilizes it reads it as normal again?

BTW. What is a HEGO sensor? The check engine light does not come on at all anymore.

------------------
1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs

04-21-2001, 02:26 PM	#1
MTU 50 GOT TORQUE ???? Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: New Hudson, Michigan, USA Posts: 689	Weird Electrical Gremlins!! When I bought my car 2 years ago the original owner told me that the check engine light comes on from time to time. He brought it to the dealer twice and they hooked it to a code scanner, but did not get any codes back. He said it didn't seem to affect the cars performance so he lived with it. Up until this april, the check engine light did the same thing for me. It would usually come on when I accelerated past 1/4 throttle and turn off when I took my foot off the gas. Again the car seemed to drive fine and I didn't notice anything unusual. Now comes the weird part. I took my car out of its 5-month storage in late march and the check engine light does not come on at all. Instead the parking brake light comes on when I accelerate and goes off when I get out of the gas. The parking brake is all the way down and I assume it is disengaged. I am not getting bad fuel mileage or anything. WTF? First the check engine light pops on with no codes showing up, and now it switches to the parking brake light. Any idea whats going on? Thanks ------------------ 1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs

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04-21-2001, 02:31 PM	#2
Unit 5302 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 5,246	Yeah, you're low on brake fluid. It's the master cylinder that's making your brake light come on, not your parking break. As for the check engine light, I wouldn't be at all suprised if the HEGO sensor was faulty.

04-21-2001, 02:53 PM	#3
MTU 50 GOT TORQUE ???? Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: New Hudson, Michigan, USA Posts: 689	Unit: Yeah I figured it wasn't the parking brake, but it's still weird that the parking brake light does the exact same thing that the check engine light used to do. Why does it only register when I accelerate? Is it because the brake fluid is being flung back and the sensor is reading it as low and then when the cars velocity stabilizes it reads it as normal again? BTW. What is a HEGO sensor? The check engine light does not come on at all anymore. ------------------ 1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs