Parking brake cable disconnected

ANSWER : The brake pedal is working to stop the vehicle, but there may be air in the controller unit causing the ABS brakes to not function. I recommend bleeding the brake system from the farthest location from the master cylinder to the master cylinder including the ABS unit. If the brakes are still spongy after a full bleed, then the controller will need to be replaced. If you need further assistance with your brake pedal being spongy, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : You should install the brake cable before installing the brake caliper. You may have to turn in the caliper again to get it back over the rotor when installing it. If you want to have this done for you, a technician from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to correctly install the parking cable (and caliper) for you – just let them know that you already have the parts.

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 : 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 : Hi there. Is the parking brake engaged? Does the vehicle move freely if the parking brake is disengaged? If the vehicle moves freely with the parking brake off and the warning continues then it sounds like there could be a fault in the parking brake switch circuit. This could be a fault with the switch itself, internally or physically, or a wire harness concern. Short of acquiring a digital volt ohm meter (digital meter) and disassembling your console where the parking brake handle is located, an appropriate scan tool may show you data for the switch to see if it is sending an on/off signal and may assist with diagnosis. The switch either provides a ground when engaged or no ground when not engaged; engaged will turn on the parking brake warning. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts.

ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. You need to check the brake switch install adjustment. You may have the switch adjusted too tight and it is holding the the brake pedal partly down. This will cause the brake master cylinder to not release the brakes when you let off the pedal. Readjust the switch away from the pedal until you feel some free play again in the pedal. This should fix the problem. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.

ANSWER : It’s possible to have someone alter the brake pedal or adapt a brake pedal from a different vehicle. You may call around to some customization shops to see if anyone is interested in taking on the project. But first, I would try reaching out to the selling dealer with your concern – especially since it is a new model. Good luck.

ANSWER : If the parking brake warning light is on and yet the parking brake is disengaged, that typically means that the switch is stuck. If the warning light yo are seeing though relates to the brakes generally, that could mean the fluid level in the master cylinder is low (low fluid level warning light). The brake system is unrelated to and separate from the "engine". Even if you took all the brakes off the car, the engine would still start. Consequently, the no start problem you are having arises as pure coincidence unless somehow the mechanic worked on parts of the car other than the brake system, such as the engine.

A possibility is you have a weak battery. Consider that a strong possibility if your battery is 4 years old or older. Prior to performing diagnostics be sure you have a fully charged battery that passes a load test. Then, confirm that the engine immobilizer system (security system) is not activated thus preventing the car from starting. To temporarily override the immobilizer system, see these instructions. With a fully charged battery and the immobilizer system off, if the starter motor does not operate at that point, either there is no power to the starter motor, hence the starter circuit would have to be diagnosed, or the starter itself is bad and it would be replaced. On the other hand, if you do have a fully charged battery that is powering a starter motor that is turning the engine over rapidly, at sufficient RPM, but the engine does not catch and run, that means that there is an ignition, fuel, air induction, or mechanical fault in the engine that will have to be repaired. Be sure there is adequate fuel in the fuel tank and that the fuel is not old. Check for adequate fuel pressure (does the in-tank fuel pump whirr momentarily at the instant you turn the key to the "on" position?; if not, you have a dead fuel pump), injector operation, and a spark at the spark plugs. If the simple checks I have outlined above do not result in the car starting the recommended service to request is a no start diagnostic during which the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.