backup lights and parking brake ?'s

I have a 2002 cavalier 5 spd. My backup lights are not coming on when I am in reverse. The fuse is still good. I also replaced the bulbs, so it is not bad bulbs. Is there a sensor that senses that the car is in reverse, and could it be bad? I am going to go out and check the wires right now, but I really dont think that is the problem.

Also, how do I adjust/tighten the parking brake? It needs it bad!

Thanks for any help!

First time posting on this forum by the way, Been reading here for a while though.

I have a '92 Cavalier and the parking brake light will intermittently turn on when driving, then turn back off when going up a hill or something. I was goind to try to tighten the parking brake to see if that helps, so I am interested in that info too. Unless there is another way to fix that parking brake light.


Thanks

There is a backup light switch, usually on the shift linkage on the transmission.
Before you try to adjust the P-Brake, check the fluid level in your master cylinder. Going up hills when it's low will cause a level indicator to come on sometimes and it's usually a brake warning light unless your car specifically has a brake fluid level light.
The switch for the parking brake should be inside the parking brake handle pivot housing. It's either operated by contact with the lever gear, a short cable attached to the lever gear, or it can be a position sensing switch.
The parking brake adjuster is usually located along the back of the rear axle-you'll see the cable coming around from the middle of the car about where the cat converter heat shield is, leading to the adjuster/clamp behind the rear axle.
You'll need to soak the crap outta the adjuster bolt with PB Blaster or something similar-maybe even heat it with a Bernzo-torch to break the crap free that sometimes seizes it. (Be vary careful to keep the torch flame away from the fuel lines/filter/vent/return lines that are in the vicinity-ya burn thru one of those and you ain't gonna need a parking brake no more, dig? :D

Once the nut on the adjuster turns (you'll have to hold the adjuster frame with one wrench while you turn the nut with another. Adjust it so the brake is fully on (car squats but doesn't move in gear) with three or four clicks on the P-brake handle.
Broke the adjuster?? No worries.. You don't have to replace the cable.
Go to the hardware store and buy a 'guywire' clamp, (ya know those wires that anchor utility poles to keep them from swaying? One of those clamps like are used on those..) Put the loose clamp on one end of the cable and grab the busted end with a pair of vice grips. Now grab the other end stuck in the adjuster with another pair of vice-grips (two guys here helps)-put ya feets on the back of the nearest tire for leverage and haul the two ends together as far as they will go and tighten the hell outta the clamp. (you're clamping the busted cable end to the threaded bolt on the adjuster).
You now have a working parking brake cable again. It adjusts now by redoing that same procedure OR by replacing the brake shoes and readjusting them. It'll never come apart, it's strong as hell.

Another thing you should do first is to adjust the rear brakes. The proper parking brake operation depends on those being adjusted correctly-and you'll save on replacing the front pads alla time because they're doing alla the %$#@king work. :)
The parking brake is initially adjusted when the rear brakes are in proper adjustment to start with. The park brake adjuster only a 'fine-tuner'.

Pull the back wheels off and do one side at a time.
Remove the dust cap on the wheel bearing, remove the cotter pin on the axle and unscrew the big castellated nut under that. What? It's not tight? Good. It's not supposed to be. I'll tell ya why in a minute.
Once the nut is off, remove the keyed flat washer behind it wipe any grease off'n yer fingers and place a double or triple-folded soft rag on the ground just outside and below the drum. This is for when the outer wheel bearing pops out it doesn't get damaged/dirty when it hits the ground.
Grab the edges of the brake drum and wiggle it a bit. If yer lucky the outer bearing will just creep out a bit so you can grab it (it's tapered)...pull it out and put it in that greasy dust cap to keep it safe and clean. Then carefully (so you don't bugger up the inner grease seal) pull the drum straight off the axle. Lay it down on the rusty side (Fr chrissakes don't blow on the black dust inside the drum! It's asbestos and it's very bad for your lungs!) and look at the brakes.
There'll be a small star wheel adjuster in between the bottoms of the brake shoes (or maybe it'll be on top depending on how your brakes are set up).
This is what ya turn to spread the brake shoes apart to adjust them closer to the drum surface.
One way it'll click like a ratchet-the other way it'll most likely not wanna turn. Turn it in the direction the "ratchet" clicks. This tightens (spreads) the shoes. Crank it a couple times with pliers or a screwdriver
Carefully put the drum all the way back on the axle-don't worry about the outer bearing yet-and try to turn it 1/2 turn while holding it straight on the axle.
What? The drum won't go back on over the shoes??
That's OK, you prolly need the 'lip' that forms on the outside edge turned down. Wiggle the drum past that point until it's seated, then do the 1/2 turn. Scraping noises are OK as long as they're not metallic sounding. even a little bit of binding is OK. As long as the drum doesn't stop completely and isn't impossible to turn. The shoes will wear back in to the right clearance-remember-what seems tight to you turning a small drum by hand may be nothing atall to the weight of the bigger wheel when it's back together. As long as you can still turn it, it's OK. If it's too tight, take the drum back off and lift up the self-adjuster arm (attached to the rear shoe) and loosen the star wheel a bit til the drum JUST fits on.
Once ya think ya got the brakes nice and tight-spray 'em down goodly with brake cleaner and dump the dust carefully out of the drum and put it back on. If the outer wheel bearing looks a bit dry, repack it with wheel bearing grease (put a glob of it in your palm-hold the bearing in the other hand and sort of "turn/drag" the wide end of it thru the grease. Press kinda hard-you're dragging the grease from one side of the bearing until it comes out the other side-you'll know it when clean grease comes out the other side), pack the bearing all the way around and re-install it, then the keyed flat washer, then the castle nut and cotter pin (DO NOT FORGET THE COTTER PIN! It keeps the nut that holds ya wheel on from coming loose ;)
Now, DO NOT CRANK the nut down tight!
There's a torque spec for it. Find it or ask somebody here.
Basically what that nut does is "preload" the bearing. If ya tighten it too much the bearing crushes or overheats and destroys itself.
I tighten it until the wheel binds a bit and then let it off until the wheel *just* spins free with the tire on. That's a decent preload in most cases and your bearing will run true and not overheat.
Clean all the grease out of the dust cap and put a glob of fresh grease back in there and push/tap it all the way back on the drum. Yer done 1 side. Repeat everything on the other side.
If you already knew how to do this-then fr chrissake tell me to STFU!
But I thought it would help ;)

Thanks a lot. I think I fixed it.