the busted pencil and the odd brakes

I few months back I began having trouble with getting out of park and had to start using a pencil to bypass the shifter.

I read some threads and started checking it out.

I checked adjustment of the brake switch, it was fine.
The fuse was fine but I replaced it anyway.
I replaced all the tail light bulbs even though none were burnt out.
I ended up buy a new brake switch even though the original was fine.
I unplugged my trailer brake for giggles.

Nothing changed, still had to use a pencil to get out of park. I wasn't too worried about it as I had brake lights and this is my secondary vehicle.

Fast forward to last week. I started having some odd brakes.
When slowing to a stop the brake pedal sometimes would to drop just a scosh and the brakes would either want to work a little harder then act normal. Only does it every once in a while when the van is just about stopped.

Then I hooked up DAD which said I have these codes:

F1111 an ABS/ASR error
C15FA an ESP error
B1041 some CAN error with the instrument cluster and the traction control unit.
P2203 Y3/6n3 some transmission type error.
P2225 another transmission type error, possibly error 8?
P1630

Any suggestions before I take it to the dealership?

I admire your procrastination, but, unfortunately, the problem has apparently gotten worse or has become a solid fault. ... sounds like its time for a tech that knows the brake system ...

Good luck!

I know that you replaced the fuse , but does your third high-mounted brake light work correctly? (The one above the back doors). My 04 had a bare spot in the wire for the third brake light which blew the fuse that also powers the shifter release solenoid. (The top rear door latch mechanism had worn through the third brake light wire insulation). IIRC, the brake switch has 2 contacts, one for the bottom brake lights and one for the shifter release. this means that the bottom brake lights can work correctly, while the top light and shifter release don't operate. ( you can trace out this circuit with a volt meter and wiring diagram).

There has been some history of the TCM connector getting contaminated with transmission fluid. When that happens it can affect the TCM CAN communication. You show some CAN and transmission related codes. It may be worth checking that connector for oil contamination and cleaning things if a problem is found. Disconnect the battery negative before messing with the TCM connector.

I'm quite certain that if the ABS, ESP, or ASR is not happy the transmission will not unlock.

BGarrett said:

... IIRC, the brake switch has 2 contacts, one for the bottom brake lights and one for the shifter release. this means that the bottom brake lights can work correctly, while the top light and shifter release don't operate. ( you can trace out this circuit with a volt meter and wiring diagram).

Click to expand...

Good info about the wiring in the back door latch area. On the NAFTA 2004 - 2006 models I'm not so certain that the high brake light is on a separate contact from the tail light brake lamps though.







Good luck. vic

BGarrett said:

I know that you replaced the fuse , but does your third high-mounted brake light work correctly? (The one above the back doors). My 04 had a bare spot in the wire for the third brake light which blew the fuse that also powers the shifter release solenoid. (The top rear door latch mechanism had worn through the third brake light wire insulation). IIRC, the brake switch has 2 contacts, one for the bottom brake lights and one for the shifter release. this means that the bottom brake lights can work correctly, while the top light and shifter release don't operate. ( you can trace out this circuit with a volt meter and wiring diagram).

Click to expand...

Hey thanks for the reply

Yep, all the bulbs work. I had a Puch Maxi that had a similar circuit that if the taillight bulbs burnt out it would not run.

Aqua Puttana said:

There has been some history of the TCM connector getting contaminated with transmission fluid. When that happens it can affect the TCM CAN communication. You show some CAN and transmission related codes. It may be worth checking that connector for oil contamination and cleaning things if a problem is found. Disconnect the battery negative before messing with the TCM connector.

I'm quite certain that if the ABS, ESP, or ASR is not happy the transmission will not unlock.


Good info about the wiring in the back door latch area. On the NAFTA 2004 - 2006 models I'm not so certain that the high brake light is on a separate contact from the tail light brake lamps though.

Good luck. vic

Click to expand...

Hi Vic

Yeah all the tail lights work as they should and my TCM is free of oil contamination.

I'm leaning towards a wire being worn through the insulation and grounding out somewhere... but where?

I should add that:

The cruise control always works.
The ASR doesn't.
The ESP doesn't. Now the ESP is disconnected and has been for about 2 years but everything else has always worked fine. It's been disconnected because my van would kill power and apply the brakes during a left hand turn. It was a minor annoyance at first but eventually it started to tick me off, like when when making a left handed turn at an intersection and the van would just about come to a stop in front of oncoming traffic.

The ABS quit working, not sure when but it must have been in recently around the same time the brakes started acting up when coming to a stop. The brakes work well and the DAD claims all the wheel speed sensors are good. I have driven around while a friend watched the live data from the DAD and it seems legit.

Your brake problem sounds like one I had on my car. I chased that problem for ages since the ABS light wasn't coming on, here is what I tried:
- Inspect front discs and calipers, noted pistons rusty so rebuilt calipers with new pistons and seals. No difference
- Inspect rear discs and calipers, note significant rust scale around disc but calipers OK.
- Cleaned rust scale off with wire wheel on angle grinder. Slight improvement, or just psychological?
- Mounted the rear discs in my 3 jaw and re-faced them, also bored the hand brake drum clear of rust scale. Didn't get the discs quite level in the chuck when I turned them over so managed to face them to a taper, one side worse than the other. Definitely felt smoother to a point - the point where the thick end of the wedge locked the wheel.
- Made a proper arbour to ensure repeatability when I refaced the discs, and refaced them so parallel. Definite improvement but pedal was still going hard, then sagging causing me to apply them brakes harder than intended. Getting desperate!
- Then the ABS light came on and codes pointed at the front nearside sensor. Quick look under and the tone ring was rusted through and cracked. Other side very close to doing the same.
- Changed the tone rings on both front hubs (heated them up to expand them and let them shrink on as they cooled, which is just a few seconds on a cold steel driveshaft).

Has behaved perfectly ever since!

I reckon a tone ring is on it's way out, it is enough to confuse the the ABS module in responding when it when it shouldn't but not enough to make it think a sensor is down. Check the tone rings, or drive another 1000 miles until the ABS light comes on and tells you which sensor it thinks is out. Only happens at low speeds when it gets to analyse the pulses more closely, at higher speeds the number of pulses per second will hide the spurious pulses, at low speeds it will be more obvious.

Transmission I can't help with, stick shift only for me!

Good luck!

Thanks I'll check them out this weekend.