ABS Light, car shakes while braking

ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing that pops in my mind beyond of what you have listed is perhaps the electrical harness attached to the brake switch. Perhaps the harness itself is damaged or you have an exposed wire, loose ground wire somewhere. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a brake lights not working inspection to help you diagnose this issue.

ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle does utilize a lot of the same sensors for these systems. Are there any other codes that are coming up when this code appears? If so you will want to take these into consideration when processing the repair and making a diagnosis. The module may be bad, and replacing it should fix the problem. The lights should turn off once the main computer recognizes the new module and the sensors sync up. If you believe the sensors need to be cleaned you may do so. Do as minimal as possible to make sure you are not damaging the sensor or disrupting the wiring inside. A bad connection would make the lights stay on. With so many lights that are effected by the module being illuminated, the module is likely bad or does not have a connection. Check the connection first and then resort to replacing the unit. For more help with these electrical tests, contact our service department.

ANSWER : The first thing to do is to repair third brake light and replace the brake light fuse and then see if the third brake lights work and the lower lights start working? If only the 3rd brake light starts working then you may need a further checks on the turn signal flasher or switch could be bad.

ANSWER : I would suggest trying to disconnect and reconnect the wiring to the rear lights. I have seen these older Toyota vehicles rear lighting short out on the lights themselves due to the way the light circuit was made on the lamp housing. Look at the housing circuit on the light to see if one is touching another, and that could tell you why it is malfunctioning. There could also be a problem with the brake light switch. If you are not comfortable dealing with wires, I recommend getting in touch with a certified mechanic who can look at your brake light issue for you to see what’s going on.

ANSWER : It is possible that you could be having an issue with your powertrain control module. This is somewhat of a common problem on many GM vehicles. I would recommend having your vehicle inspected by the dealership to determine if the powertrain control module is functioning properly. If not, a reflash of the powertrain control module may resolve the issue but often times it must be replaced.

ANSWER : Batteries can die due to faults in the charging system so ideally a suspected "faulty" battery should be load tested before a decision is made to condemn it. The only exception to this rule is if the battery is already clearly "old" (greater than 5 years) but even then once you put a new battery in, as a replacement for a "dead" battery, you have to comprehensively check out the charging system. Diagnostic Trouble Code P0460 will result in disruption of the dashboard fuel gauge’s ability to accurately report your tank’s fuel levels. The fuel gauge readings may be erratic, or read somewhere off scale. Vehicles equipped with a low fuel warning light feature may also suffer from erratic low fuel warnings in the event of a code P0460. Unless the P0460 code has been reported alongside other trouble code, all of the vehicle’s essential systems should otherwise function normally. I would recommend that you request a check engine light diagnostic to first resolve the fault causing the P0460 code to set. The check gas cap light warning light could be due a faulty gas cap and/or small leaks in the EVAP system.

ANSWER : Hello and thank you for your question. Check your alternator for voltage at low idle and when the engine is at 3,000 rpm. It sounds like the alternator is not producing enough voltage at a low rpm. The battery light will come on when the alternator stops charging correctly (13.5 -14.7 volts), plus on some models, the brake light will come on indicating that there is no change in voltage.

For the issue you’ve described, I recommend replacing the alternator. If you need assistance with diagnosing the warning lights and servicing the alternator, then seek out a technician, as one from YourMechanic, that can assist you with your vehicle at your home or office.

ANSWER : Hello. If the brake pedal is going to the floor then that means that it is not building pressure. If the brake system has been fully bled and there is no air in it then most of the time it is a bad master cylinder or it can be caused by a bad ABS module. If the brake fluid was low and if air got into the system then the only way to properly bleed it is with a scan tool that would allow you to open and close the valves in the ABS unit. Air gets trapped in these easily if the brake fluid gets low. This can also explain why the brakes are locking up. I would usually use my scan tool to bleed the system out first before going any further. I would also scan the brake control module to see what it is reading as a fault. If there is no air in the system and if there is no prominent code then I would replace the master cylinder first. If you want to check out why your brakes are locking up, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair this.