My 97 Lumina makes a clicking sound similar to a solenoid sound when i'm braking to a stop. Usually it's about 3 clicks maybe a few seconds apart. Also the headlights and dashlights flicker when the clicking happens. The brakes seem to be working fine.

Does it have ABS?

Pull the front tires, USING PROPER AND SAFE LIFTING PRACTICES:Refer to Owners Manual, and see if your brake pads will move up and down in the carrier.

As far as the flickering dash light I would have the charging system tested.

Just some thoughts.

My '97 cycles the ABS valves on cold start..kind of a crunchy rapid solenoid-type sound that you hear as coming from the base of the steering column when heard inside the car...it's not that same sound is it?

I remember when my battery went bad last year, it threw me fits. I started off noticing the lights dimming when I stepped on the brake, but I really thought it was the alternator I'd installed a year before that was acting up.

To further confuse things, while the battery tested weak, the alternator showed on the tester to have a faulty diode...even though voltage output was normal.

Then one day it failed to start...I knew the battery was quite old, so I replaced it...and the faulty reading from the alternator and dimming lights when braking vanished too.

But I didn't have any clicking or anything.

You aren't having any other problems like odd turn signal behavior are you?

Thanks for the replies. Yes it does have ABS. The clicking sound comes from the base of the steering column, or that's as close as I can tell. I will pull the front wheels as soon as the ice melts off my driveway and check the pads. Haven't noticed any other electrical problems except the lights blinking as it comes to a stop.

It sure sounds like unwarranted ABS valve activation...that takes a lot of electrical power when it activates.

We've run across that before here on this forum, but I don't remember ever getting a concrete explanation.

You normally have a "Low Trac" blue light on the dash when the ABS comes alive, right?

I think the low trac light did come on. Aside from checking the brake pads and fluid level i'm not sure what to check for an abs problem.

Ugh.

Usually a malfunction with any mechanical part of the ABS system will light the ABS warning light, and cause the ABS to be inactive, the car then just operates as a non-ABS system until the problem is fixed.

When the ABS is firing up when there is no lockup occurring, and not lighting the ABS warning light (not the Low Trac light), I'd suspect the ABS computer module may be involved...not a good sign.

It's gonna need to be looked at, I'm afraid...

Thanks for the reply, I will have it checked out.

my brothers car did the same thing a few years back. he found a shop in louisville ky that had run in to this a few times. they took the ABS stuff apart and there was something damaged inside. they rebuilt it and it's never done it again. i'll try to get you some more details. the price was very reasonable too, alot less than a new ABS system.

Thanks, I live in Louisville Ky. also and would be interested in the mechanics name if I can't fix this myself.

he said he thought the shop was on preston hwy. but it's been a few years back so he's not sure. turns out the problem was a broken speed sensor ring on the axle, which was telling the ABS that the wheel was turning slower and making the car work against it's self, which in turn damaged the gears inside the ABS box. can't remember the price but it was reasonable. they fixed the ABS, and changed the axle. if i find anything else out i'll write in.

Thanks for the information. When this weather improves i'll pull the wheels and check it out.