So Fix it

You can adjust the parking brake on your 1995 Ford Mustang right from your driveway or garage. Doing so will save you time and money. You can test whether or not your parking brake needs an adjustment by positioning it downhill and trying to hold the vehicle in place using only the parking brake. If it doesnt hold and the Mustang starts to slip, you need to adjust it. The good news is that it takes only one simple tool that you probably already have at home.

Instructions

1

Find the center console cover and remove it by pressing the release levers on the sides and pulling up on it. This is located between the front passengers seat and the drivers seat.

2

Lift up the parking brake handle four clicks.

3

Find the adjuster nut at the end of the cable rod. Loosen the nut with the pliers but take care that the nut doesnt fall off.

4

Lower the parking brake lever all the way. Turn the nut with the pliers until it is very close to the parking brake handle.

5

Lift up the parking brake handle to its highest position, then lower it all the way to the lowest position. Do this four times. This will set the brake adjustment.

6

Put the center console cover back in place.

7

Test the parking brake adjustment by positioning the vehicle on a downward facing slope and try to hold the Mustang in place using only the parking brake. If it holds the vehicle in place, then you have done the adjustment correctly.

The Dodge Ram is Chryslers series of full-size pickup trucks that has been in production since 1981. The number in the series indicates the rated carrying capacity of the truck, such that a Ram 1500 is a 3/4 ton pickup. The 2005 Dodge Ram has an antilock braking system, or ABS, like most late-model vehicles. The brake controller, or hydraulic control unit -- HCU -- contains a microprocessor that calculates the amount of force that the brakes apply to each wheel in an emergency stop.

Instructions

1

Use a socket wrench to remove the housing for the left front turn signal. Disconnect the panel under the housing. Unplug the horns electrical connector and remove the access cover for the horn.

2

Disconnect the mounting bolts on the reservoir for the windshield washer fluid with a socket wrench. Detach the hose and electrical connector from the pump for the windshield washer. Remove the reservoir from the vehicles engine compartment.

3

Remove the battery and the power distribution center from the vehicle with a socket wrench. Disconnect the mount for the battery and power distribution center, and remove the mount from the vehicle. Detach the wiring harness from the HCU. Remove the fittings for the brake lines, and detach the brake lines from the HCU.

4

Disconnect both mounting bolts for the HCU with a socket wrench. Tilt the HCU up, and pull it from its bracket.

5

Install the new HCU to its mounting bracket, and torque the mounting bolts to 11 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Attach the HCU brake lines, tighten the fittings to 115 inch-pounds. Connect the electrical wiring harness to the HCU.

6

Install the windshield washer reservoir. Attach the electrical connector and hose for the reservoir. Fasten the reservoirs mounting screws with a socket wrench.

7

Replace the mount for the battery and power distribution center with a socket wrench. Install the battery and power distribution center. Attach the horns electrical connector, and replace the access cover for the horn. Install the left front turn signals panel and housing.

The Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a sport utility vehicle that was a trim level of the Blazer from 1999 to 2001. General Motors made the Trailblazer a separate model in 2002 until the end of its production in the United States during 2008. All 2006 Trailblazers have an anti-lock braking system controlled by a microprocessor known as a brake controller, or Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM). This device adjusts the braking force to each wheel during emergencies to prevent the wheels from locking.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative terminal of the battery with a socket wrench to prevent the discharge of electricity when you remove the EBCM. Clean the area around the EBCM in the engine compartment on the driver side of the engine. This will keep the braking components from becoming contaminated.

2

Detach the connectors for the electrical wiring on the EBCM. Disconnect the four mounting screws on the EBCM with a T 25-Torx tool, and discard the screws. Pull the EBCM gently to remove it from the Brake Pressure Modulator Valve (BPMV).

3

Clean the mounting surfaces on the BPMV with a clean shop towel to avoid contaminating the new EBCM. Fasten the new EBCM to the BPMV with a T-25 Torx tool, using new mounting screws. Tighten the mounting screws to 39 inch-pounds, working in an X-pattern. Attach the electrical connectors to the EBCM.

4

Connect a scan tool to the vehicles data link connector which is under the instrument panel to the left of the steering wheel. Perform the tire size calibration function according to the scan tools instructions, and disconnect the scan tool. Connect the cable to the negative terminal on the battery using a socket wrench.

Its time to adjust your 1995 Toyota pickup parking brake when it doesnt hold your vehicle in park. This is especially apparent when you are parked facing downhill. On older model trucks such as those built in 1995 this is a periodic adjustment you should make to ensure that the parking brake functions properly. It requires only a few tools that most backyard mechanics have on hand.

Instructions

1

Release and lower the hand brake down as far as it will go.

2

Find the center console cover that houses the parking brake lever. This can be found between the drivers seat and the front passengers seat. Find two screws on either side of the cover and remove them with a screwdriver. Lift off the center console cover.

3

Look for two nuts attached to two rods that are poking out of a metal plate. Tighten the nuts carefully. Check the parking brake to see how many clicks it moves up. Keep tightening the nuts until you have adjusted the parking so that it clicks three times when you pull up on it.

4

Put the center console cover back in place. Put the screws in and tighten them with the screwdriver.

The BMW 328 is a perennial favorite of car review sites such as Edmunds, which says the vehicles look, ride and handling are "unmatched by most cars at any price." The brake lights in a 2009 BMW 328 are an important safety feature that alert other drivers when you are ready to stop. These lights should be checked regularly to ensure proper performance. Replacing your 328s brake lights is an easy job that doesnt require any special tools or experience.

Instructions

1

Turn off your BMW 328 and set the parking brake. Ensure the light selector switch is in the "Off" position.

2

Open the trunk using the interior switch or key-fob remote.

3

Use a screwdriver to gently remove the plastic plugs that secure the trim piece to the light assembly. Remove the trim and set it aside.

4

Twist the bulb assembly counterclockwise to release it from the light assembly.

5

Remove the bulb by pushing it into into the holder and rotating the bulb counterclockwise. Insert the new bulb by placing it in the holder and turning it clockwise.

6

Replace the bulb assembly back into the vehicle and reattach the trim.

The GMC Suburban was a large sport utility vehicle that General Motors rebranded as the GMC Yukon XL in 1999. It has an anti-lock braking system with a controller that reduces the braking force to a wheel that rotates more slowly than the other wheels. This keeps the wheels from locking under emergency conditions. You may need to install a new brake controller if the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning light comes on. The brake controller in a GMC Suburban is in the engine compartment, on the left side of the engine.

Instructions

1

Label the electrical connectors on the brake controller, then detach them from the brake controller. Label the brake lines on the brake controller, then disconnect the brake line fittings with a socket wrench. Detach the brake lines from the brake controller.

2

Disconnect the mounting bolts for the brake controller bracket with a socket wrench. Remove the brake controller and its bracket from the vehicle as an assembly. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the brake controller, and detach the brake controller from its bracket.

3

Attach the new brake controller to its bracket, and tighten the mounting bolts to 5 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Install the brake controller assembly to the vehicle, and tighten the mounting bolts to 33 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

4

Install the brake controller assembly to the vehicle, and tighten the mounting bolts to 33 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

5

Attach the brake lines to the brake controller, using the labels from step one as a guide. Tighten the brake line fittings to 16 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Connect the electrical connectors to the brake controller, using the labels from step one as a guide.

6

Bleed the brake controller valve to remove the air from the brake system. Bleed the entire braking system.

A Suburban is a sport utility vehicle that General Motors manufactures under its Chevrolet brand. The anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a standard feature on late-model Suburbans that allows the vehicle to stop more effectively in an emergency. A brake controller, or electronic brake control module (EBCM), reduces the braking force to a wheel when it rotates significantly more slowly than the other wheels. The installation procedure for the EBCM is generally the same for all Suburbans made from 1999 to 2005.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench to prevent an electrical discharge during the EBCM installation procedure. Raise the vehicle with a floor jack, and support it on jack stands.

2

Locate the Electronic Hydraulic Control Unit, or EHCU, under the vehicle on the drivers side. It is bolted on the frame next to the drive shaft. The EHCU is an assembly of the EBCM, the brake pressure modulator valve (BPMV) and a mounting bracket. The mounting bracket attaches to the frame of the vehicle, the BPMV attaches to the mounting bracket and the EBCM attaches to the top of the BPMV. The EHCU is generally a black cube about 3 inches on a side with connections for the brake lines and the ABS pump motor when it is fully assembled. Wash the area around the EHCU with a shop rag to avoid contamination of the EBCM.

3

Detach the electrical connector from the EBCM. The EBCM is a thin, black, rectangular box mounted atop the BPMV. Remove the fittings for the brake lines with a socket wrench and disconnect the brake lines from the BPMV. The BPMV is the component under the EBCM that has connections for the brake lines and attaches to the EHCU mounting bracket. Remove the mounting bolts for the EHCU bracket with a socket wrench and disconnect the bracket from the vehicle.

4

Disconnect the mounting bolts for the BPMV with a socket wrench and detach the BPMV from the EHCU. Disconnect the electrical connector for the ABS motor from the EBCM. Remove the mounting bolts for the EBCM, and detach the EBCM from the BPMV.

5

Clean the mounting surface on the BPMV with a clean shop cloth. Mount the new EBCM onto the BPMV, and fasten the EBCM with the retaining bolts that came with the EBCM. Tighten the retaining bolts to 39 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Attach the electrical connector for the ABS motor to the EBCM.

6

Install the BPMV to its bracket and tighten the mounting bolts to 80 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Connect the EHCU to the vehicle and tighten the EHCU bracket bolts to 18 foot-pounds. Attach the electrical wiring harness to the EBCM.

7

Attach the brake lines to the BPMV and tighten the fittings to 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Lower the vehicle, and connect the cable to the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Bleed the brake system.

Brake lights are an important safety feature on cars, trucks and other vehicles. Brakes lights that have stopped working need to be fixed as quickly as possible. Fortunately, most brake light problems are easy to diagnose and repair.

Bulb Problems

When one brake light stops working, the most common reason is that the bulb has burned out. Bulbs are inexpensive and easy to replace, though accessing them can be difficult on some vehicles. Some brake light housings must be removed from the outside, while others are accessed behind the trim inside the trunk of the car.

Blown Fuse

If all of a vehicles brake lights stop working at once, the most likely reason is a blown fuse. The owners manual for the vehicle will direct the car owner to the location of the fuse box. The manual will typically have a diagram of the fuse box (a diagram may also be included on the fuse box cover), allowing the car owner to quickly locate and replace the fuse for the brake lights.

Other Problems

Wiring may break or become loose, causing problems with the brake lights. A visual inspection of the brake wiring may show damaged areas that need repair. The brake lights may also fail if bulb sockets become too worn.

An anti-lock brake controller prevents the brakes from locking the wheels in an emergency stop. It accomplishes this by varying the braking force to each wheel during emergency stops or when skidding on a slippery surface. Anti-lock braking systems became standard on most Chevrolet vehicles by about 1991. The procedure for installing a brake controller is the same for many General Motors cars made from 1988 to 1996, such as the Lumina, Grand Prix, Cutlass Supreme and Regal.

Instructions

1

Turn the ignition switch off and move the front passenger seat forward as far as possible. You may also need to tip the passenger backrest forward to access the brake controller underneath the seat.

2

Remove the mounting bolts on the cover of the brake controller case with a socket wrench, and slide the controller from its case. Remove the connector position assurance (CPA) locking pins, and detach the electrical connector from the brake controller. Remove the brake controller from the vehicle.

3

Attach the electrical connectors to the new brake controller. Install the CPA locking pins to ensure a good electrical connection.

4

Place the new brake controller in its case, and replace the cover for the case. Install the mounting bolts for the cover, and tighten the retaining bolts by hand.

5

Return the front passenger seat to its original position.

You can adjust the parking brake on your 1992 to 1995 Honda Civic right from your home garage, saving you time and money. You only need a few simple tools that most backyard mechanics have on hand already. You can tell when it is time to adjust your parking brake when the Honda starts to slip when you are parked downhill and have engaged the parking brake.

Instructions

1

Look for the covers on the screws that hold the center console cover on top of the parking brake. Remove those covers using a Phillips screwdriver then remove the screws underneath.

2

Push the console cover back and up to lift it off of the parking brake.

3

Find the parking brake cable and the adjuster nut attached to it. Use a wrench to tighten the nut.

4

Put wheel chocks in front of and behind the front wheels of your vehicle. Put the jack under the rear end of the Honda and raise the vehicle up high enough to slide jack stands under the vehicle, next to both rear wheels. Lower the car onto the jack stands.

5

Verify your adjustment by lifting up on the parking brake until it clicks twice. Spin the rear wheels to make sure there is some resistance. Pull up four more clicks on the parking brake lever. When you try to spin the rear wheels, they shouldnt move at all.

6

Raise up the Honda using the jack, remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle to the ground. Remove the wheel chocks from behind the front wheels.

7

Place the center console back on and tighten the screws with the screwdriver. Put the covers back on top of the screws.

The 2004 Nissan Xterra is equipped with disc-type front brakes. This type of brake uses two pads pressing against a disc-shaped brake rotor to create friction, which stops the vehicle. If the brake pads become excessively worn and are not replaced, the rotor can be damaged. If this happens, you will need to remove the rotor and either have it repaired at a machine shop or replace it with a new one. To remove the rotor and bearing assembly, you will first need to remove the brake caliper. The procedure differs slightly on 4WD vehicles.

Instructions

1

Loosen the wheel lug nuts. Raise the front of the vehicle with a jack and support each side with a jack stand. Remove the lug nuts and take off the wheel.

2

Saturate the entire brake assembly with brake fluid and allow it to dry. This will remove the dangerous dust generated by the brake pads.

3

Remove the three bolts that attach the brake caliper. There are two bolts that face inward, and one that faces downward.

4

Rotate the caliper off the rotor and use a piece of wire to suspend it from the SUVs body. This prevents strain on the brake lines.

5

Remove the free running hub assembly on 4WD models by removing the six bolts that hold it in place. Pull it off the hub. This step does not apply to 2WD models.

6

Use a flat screwdriver to remove the lock washer from the center of the hub. For a few dollars, you can also obtain a special tool for removing the locking washer. The lock washer is only present on 4WD models.

7

Remove the wheel bearing locking nut from the center of the hub by turning it counterclockwise. On 2WD models, you can use a large pair of needle nose vice grips to remove it. On 4WD models, you will need the special removal tool. The tool is available from Nissan dealers or you can usually rent it at tool-rental agencies or auto-parts stores.

8

Pull the rotor and hub assembly off the axle. If it is stuck, use a rubber mallet to gently tap it around the edges.