Parking Brake Light Stays on and C0244

jmonica

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2013
384
Hamburg, NJ
Hi Guys. So my dynamic list of chronic Envoy problems continues. The latest chapter in my saga began tonight and as a result has caused me to have to re-prioritize the list and beg for your help, instead of fumbling through it as I normally would.

Problem: The parking brake light stays on. My questions are in bold below, as are the eight trouble codes I get, but please note that two of the codes appear twice and I am not asking to address the O2 related codes. Just the parking brake problem/codes Thank You

It's the coldest night so far this year (25F) and as anyone who lives in cold weather knows, things start to act up when it gets cold.

Thinking it might just be stuck, I attempted to free it up by pulling the brake lever.

I just kept jerking my lever.(🥴) Yanking it up and then down, up and down and on my final jerk, it felt like the cable broke and as a result, there's no resistance and no ratcheting sound. It's a limp / dead lever now.
Strangely, as I was pulling it, the light would go off when the lever was pulled about 2/3 of the way, but would come back on when I released it or pulled the lever to its highest point.

I have 8 trouble codes. Please note that my OBDII reader does NOT save codes, so it's blank every time I plug it in. I mention that because I don't understand then why I have two codes that repeat when I scan.

I have six P codes in total and two of those codes appear twice.
Here's what comes up and in this order > P0140, P0137, P0138, P0455, P0137 and P0455. So code P0137 shows up twice in the list of codes scanned and P0455 shows up twice.

I also have codes C0455 & C0244

I still need to drive the vehicle. I test drove it about 20 miles tonight. I heard a little squeaking at first which went away quickly. When I got to my destination, I checked the rear wheels and the caliper to see if anything felt hot, it didn't.

The brakes feel normal, but I feel like at least one and maybe both of the parking brakes are slightly hanging-up just a little bit. I might be imagining it, but I feel like when I let off the gas, the vehicle slows down just tiny bit faster than normal due to the PB dragging. If that's happening it's very minor though.

So my diagnosis is this... I think something in the Parking Brake system was hung up, the cable broke and now the P Brake(s) are still slightly engaged. It's only a minor or slight rubbing though because they didn't work very well [due to lack of adjustment] prior to the cable braking. For the record, the parking brake pads are fairly new. I replaced the shoes on both sides at some point in 2022.

I think I need to: Check the cable from the lever inside and all the way back to the rear end and see where it's broken... ok who cares?

But... my concern is that the "always on" brake light could be an indication of another part of the braking system having failed and could lead to me losing all braking ability.
1. Do you think that's a possibility?

2. If the cable is snapped, is there any problem with adjusting the P brakes so that they don't make any contact (whether I adjust or remove the cable tension or adjust the shoes or something along those lines) and then continuing to drive the vehicle for now and then addressing the broken cable issue when the weather warms up?

3. So ahead of crawling underneath it tomorrow, does anyone have any thoughts?


Side note: When I removed the fuel tank last month, I noticed that the PB cable where it splits off to two wheels, that [bracket] or whatever you call it was extremely rusty. I started to remove the rust and was going to fix it, but it's bad and it all needs to be replaced at this point, so I left it. I don't care if the P Brake works right now.
I installed two new calipers and rotors (and pads of course) in the front last month as well as the rear pads. The rear calipers were fine.


Thanks so much for your help. I hope that everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving and gets to spend it with their families.
 
Last edited:

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Is you ABS and/or Stabilitrak lights on too? That code points to this:

C0244 Chevrolet Code - Pulse Width Modulated Delivered Torque

What are the Possible Causes of the Code C0244 Chevrolet?

  • Faulty Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM)
  • Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) harness is open or shorted
  • Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) circuit poor electrical connection
  • Faulty Powertrain Control Module (PCM)


It might not be your parking brake. Sometimes when there is a major failure of the EBCM, it may light the brake warning light because the EBCM is dead and unable to light the ABS light. To verify the parking brake switch, you could check which wire according the wiring schematics and see if it's sending a signal (IIRC, ground) to the BCM but I have a feeling that's not your problem.

As for the parking brake, probably playing with it has made the system adjust itself after it has rubbed off the rust inside the drum in the rotor. That could also be the cause of the squeaking and rubbing. Check out this very old thread that explains how to adjust it at the drum and on the internal lever at the pull lever.


I would pull the rotors off, clean the rust off the inside drums, adjust the star wheels as explained and then the cable at the lever.
 
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jmonica

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2013
384
Hamburg, NJ
Is you ABS and/or Stabilitrak lights on too? That code points to this:




It might not be your parking brake. Sometimes when there is a major failure of the EBCM, it may light the brake warning light because the EBCM is dead and unable to light the ABS light. To verify the parking brake switch, you could check which wire according the wiring schematics and see if it's sending a signal (IIRC, ground) to the BCM but I have a feeling that's not your problem.

As for the parking brake, probably playing with it has made the system adjust itself after it has rubbed off the rust inside the drum in the rotor. That could also be the cause of the squeaking and rubbing. Check out this very old thread that explains how to adjust it at the drum and on the internal lever at the pull lever.


I would pull the rotors off, clean the rust off the inside drums, adjust the star wheels as explained and then the cable at the lever.
HI. Yes, my stablitrak light is on as well but the problem is that it is always on. Well its either on or it turns on as soon as I start moving and turn the steering wheel.
So with that said I guess I need to check the EBCM because I also had another msg pop up on the DIC stating that stability control was disabled.

Ugg I'm so confused. I need to pull the wheels off, check, clean and adjust everything as you instructed. Reset the CEL, drive it and check the codes and watch the dash. With all of the amber lights, the brake light and the multiple messages that popped up, it was a lot goign on while trying to drive.
Plus the CE light is always on (O2 sensor codes), the check stabilitrac message always comes up when I start moving (and stays until I clear it) and so the amber traction light is always on and for the Cherry on top, I have at least one (maybe 4) wheel speed sensors bad and so I get the Traction control active flashing message, when i take off from a light and sometimes when I make I turn.

So I have to try to now decipher what's new versus what's been happening for 6 months. I'm getting overwhelmed.
Maybe I cant assume the eternal Check Stabilitrac message maybe isn't the Steering wheel position sensor?

I know it sounds like the car is barely road worthy, but honestly even with all of these messages and codes, it still drives fine, stops fine etc. Ever since I replaced the front Control Arm brackets, and front calipers, it actually feels good.

I just need to dig into the rear brakes and check everything and see what's going on.

Unrelated I think but other current problems include...
-Can't open my rear hatch.
-Only two of the reatr defroster lines on teh window still work.
-The blower fan inside the cab sounds like a tea kettle blowing steam when I turn it on.
-My left High beam doesn't work unless I hold the stick in momentary position.
-Randomly the security light flashes and I have to wait one to three 10 minute cycles to start the engine.
- The rear end oil seal leaks (Yoke end).
-The end seal on the transfer case leaks.
-Occasionally I get a "Tighten gas cap" msg. but only every couple of weeks after removing and fixing the fuel tank, new cap, etc.

I have other problems as well, but currently worried about the brakes have a catastrophic failure first.

Thank You Moose!!!!!
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
The parking brake and ABS/Stab problems are unrelated. Tackle one and then the other.

Well, you certainly have a laundry list of issues. Here's how the ABS and Stab work. If the ABS has an issue, it will automatically disable Stab and light both lights. The Stab light on alone is always the SWPS as that does not affect the ABS.

Just to confirm, it's the RED brake warning light that's on and not the AMBER ABS light that's on? If you have one or more wheel speed sensors out, that would turn on both the ABS and Stab lights. How did you determine that you have a speed sensor out? You didn't indicate that you have a code(s) for them. What kind of scanner are you using?

Is it when you start moving the truck or just the steering wheel that turns on the Stab light? ABS activating coming to a stop is usually a bad front wheel hub or sensor. Never heard of it doing that or activating Stab taking off from a stop though. While driving, turn the ignition key to START and let go again to RUN (it won't engage the starter). Do the lights reset and do they come back?

Just so we don't mix the issues, if you want, start a thread for each of the other issues you listed. The rear defogger issue is already being discussed:
Rear defogger has me stumped
 
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jmonica

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2013
384
Hamburg, NJ
The parking brake and ABS/Stab problems are unrelated. Tackle one and then the other.

Well, you certainly have a laundry list of issues. Here's how the ABS and Stab work. If the ABS has an issue, it will automatically disable Stab and light both lights. The Stab light on alone is always the SWPS as that does not affect the ABS.

Just to confirm, it's the RED brake warning light that's on and not the AMBER ABS light that's on? If you have one or more wheel speed sensors out, that would turn on both the ABS and Stab lights. How did you determine that you have a speed sensor out? You didn't indicate that you have a code(s) for them. What kind of scanner are you using?

Is it when you start moving the truck or just the steering wheel that turns on the Stab light? ABS activating coming to a stop is usually a bad front wheel hub or sensor. Never heard of it doing that or activating Stab taking off from a stop though. While driving, turn the ignition key to START and let go again to RUN (it won't engage the starter). Do the lights reset and do they come back?

Just so we don't mix the issues, if you want, start a thread for each of the other issues you listed. The rear defogger issue is already being discussed:
Rear defogger has me stumped
Thank You Mooseman. So I was unable to get the vehicle into the garage today, but what I did was this...
I drove to the store and received a message on the DIC stating that the braking system needed attention. That's a first.

I heard squeaking so the PB shoes are engaged / rubbing.

On the way home, the RED parking brake light went out.

So to clear my head and get a better understanding on the situation, I cleared all of the codes when the Red brake light went out.

I stopped, turned off car. Then restarted and drove home.

Now I only have the Service Stabilitrac light (as always). The ABS light has not come on. It comes on when I first start the car and then goes away as if things with ABS are normal.

I did have a bad hub and had the ABS problem that you spoke about. The ABS would activate when stopping. Very embrassing.

The reason I think the Traction Control Active message that displays sometimes when I take off from a stop or sometimes when rounding a slow corner is the Sensors is because I had that problem once before and replacing the wheel speed sensors stopped it from happening.

My code reader is just a cheapo Craftsman model. I wish a had one of those Tech 2 (I think that's what its called), units.

So currently...
-No Red Parking brake light stuck on.
-Amber Stabilitrac light is on or comes on as always when I start turning the SW.
- No Check engine light is on.
- The last drive home this evening I didn't get any Brake System messages.
-After resetting codes and driving home, I currently have C0455 and C0244. NO other codes yet.
-The parking brake is still hung up.

I really hope I can get into the garage tomorrow and pull the rear wheels off.

Like you said I just need to tackle these problems one at a time or everything that is contributing to each problem one at a time.

Thank You again Moose! You are THE best man.

Jim
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I heard squeaking so the PB shoes are engaged / rubbing.
I had that problem and once I replaced the rear parking brake shoes and adjusted them properly with the star wheels, it was gone. They were worn at the bottom of the shoes. Check that the clip at the bottom holds the shoes properly and bend it back in if necessary. What I do is adjust the star wheel, put the rotor on, turn the rotor to feel/hear any rubbing, repeat until you get a slight rub. Then with the rotor on, pull the handle to reset/center the shoes and recheck. Lather, rinse repeat.

That is still strange that you're getting the red brake light but is possible if you have an intermittent issue with the ABS and also activating the red brake light and DIC message. A possibility is the EBCM is having an intermittent internal failure. Doesn't sound like it's a problem with a wheel sensor. With the ignition on, try tapping it with a fist or rubber mallet and see if it comes back on. Open the connectors and check for green crusties.
 
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coolasice

Member
Oct 27, 2013
1,019
Northern Maine
Brake Warning Indicator
The instrument panel cluster (IPC) illuminates the brake warning indicator when the following occurs:
The body control module (BCM) detects that the park brake is engaged. The IPC receives a serial data message from the BCM requesting illumination. The brake warning indicator flashes at a rate of approximately twice per second when the park brake is engaged.
The electronic brake control module (EBCM) detects a low brake fluid condition or a base brake pressure differential and sends a serial data message to the IPC requesting illumination.
The IPC performs the bulb check.
The EBCM detects an ABS-disabling malfunction which also disables dynamic rear proportioning (DRP) and sends a serial data message to the IPC requesting illumination.
 

jmonica

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2013
384
Hamburg, NJ
Hey guys. I thought I'd report back on the status and what corrected the problem. To summarize, I pulled the parking brake lever to release it and the red parking brake light stayed on. I pulled ot and released it a few tones hoping sonethingvwas just stuck and on the final pull, the cable broke and lever lost all tension.

I thought the light stayed on because the PB was still engaged. Nope. I don't know if one problem caused the other or it was just coincidence, but after checking, the cable from the lever to the other two cables did break, but it wasn't causing the brake light to stay on.
Anyway, I made sure to back off the on adjusters so it's not riding the brake. I was getting code p0244 faulty electronic brake control module. I don't see a lot of posts about the ECBM failing so started looking into other causes. I unplugged the brake module under the car and cleaned contacts. Then noticed that the two frame mounted ground wires were both severely rusted. I couldn't get either one off to clean so I drilled new holes, inserted dsone nutserts and created two new grounds and that appears to have fixed the problem. I don't think it was cleaning the contacts that helped because they were very clean and showed no signs of being dirty.
 

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