2001 Astro Brake & Abs Lights On

[2001 ASTRO DUDE]

New member here and want to say how valuable this forum is! This post may be a bit long but should provide some valuable information for others. Back in June my ABS & barke lights came on in my van w/140,000 miles on it. Since I was about to take the family on vacation from Indiana to Florida, I thought I should check and replace the brakes. I replaced the fron pads and assuming that the rear shoes were gone due to milage replaced them also. I thought that this might be the cause of the lights coming on. Replaced the shoes and adjusted and brakes worked fine but the lights remained on. The would go off when the van was turned off. Next time while driving (usually after hitting a bump) they would light up again. Flash forward to yesterday. I was having some recall work done at the dealership and asked them to check out the brakes. They told me that due to the ABS being involved there would be an $85.00 diagnostic fee. The dealer called to tell me that my EBCM was bad and that it would need to be replaced before any more diagnostic could take place saying that the part cost alone would be over $700.00. I told them they were done diagnosing. After some research on this forum about EBCM, I saw a common problem related to power steering. I have also had a loud power steering pump whining noise that gets worse in cold weather. After all of this I checked my pump canister to find that it was almost empty. After filling this (I just use brake fluid as it is the same as power steering fluid but cheaper) and topping off my master cylinder which was just a tad low and hoped for the best. As a result this morning, my power steering pump noise went away and on my drive to work this morning the ABS and brake lights never came on. I would suggest to anyone having these symptoms to check the fluid levels before even paying for the diagnostic fee. I will post back next week to tell if this was a true fix for me or not. Thanks for letting me ramble on. Hope this saves someone else some big money.
2001 Astro Dude

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by 2001 ASTRO DUDE

New member here and want to say how valuable this forum is! This post may be a bit long but should provide some valuable information for others. Back in June my ABS & barke lights came on in my van w/140,000 miles on it. Since I was about to take the family on vacation from Indiana to Florida, I thought I should check and replace the brakes. I replaced the fron pads and assuming that the rear shoes were gone due to milage replaced them also. I thought that this might be the cause of the lights coming on. Replaced the shoes and adjusted and brakes worked fine but the lights remained on. The would go off when the van was turned off. Next time while driving (usually after hitting a bump) they would light up again. Flash forward to yesterday. I was having some recall work done at the dealership and asked them to check out the brakes. They told me that due to the ABS being involved there would be an $85.00 diagnostic fee. The dealer called to tell me that my EBCM was bad and that it would need to be replaced before any more diagnostic could take place saying that the part cost alone would be over $700.00. I told them they were done diagnosing. After some research on this forum about EBCM, I saw a common problem related to power steering. I have also had a loud power steering pump whining noise that gets worse in cold weather. After all of this I checked my pump canister to find that it was almost empty. After filling this (I just use brake fluid as it is the same as power steering fluid but cheaper) and topping off my master cylinder which was just a tad low and hoped for the best. As a result this morning, my power steering pump noise went away and on my drive to work this morning the ABS and brake lights never came on. I would suggest to anyone having these symptoms to check the fluid levels before even paying for the diagnostic fee. I will post back next week to tell if this was a true fix for me or not. Thanks for letting me ramble on. Hope this saves someone else some big money.
2001 Astro Dude

Whow I thought Jiffie lube was the only that used brake fluid for PS fluid.

You might have fixed your ABS/brake light.
But That is a no no on powersteering fix.

[2001 ASTRO DUDE]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Whow I thought Jiffie lube was the only that used brake fluid for PS fluid.

You might have fixed your ABS/brake light.
But That is a no no on powersteering fix.

Apperantly, Jiffy Lube knows the same thing I do. Both brakes and power steering are hydraulic systems. They both use hydraulic fluid. The only diffenece that I know of between brake and power steering fluid is that the steering fluid is packaged in a smaller bottle for the same price as a big bottle of brake fluid. Both are hydraulic fluid and I have used brake fluid in power steering system for 25 years wihn no problems what so ever. So, wht are you saying this is a "no-no" on the power steering fix??? Hydraulic fluid is hydraulic fluid....that's my !

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by 2001 ASTRO DUDE

Apperantly, Jiffy Lube knows the same thing I do. Both brakes and power steering are hydraulic systems. They both use hydraulic fluid. The only diffenece that I know of between brake and power steering fluid is that the steering fluid is packaged in a smaller bottle for the same price as a big bottle of brake fluid. Both are hydraulic fluid and I have used brake fluid in power steering system for 25 years wihn no problems what so ever. So, wht are you saying this is a "no-no" on the power steering fix??? Hydraulic fluid is hydraulic fluid....that's my !

It is a big NO NO NO in my book.
Brake fluid is made for brake system and PS fluid in made for the powersteering.
They are altogether different systems and fluids.
If you think they are the same try some ps fluid in your brake system.
But double your insurance and call 911 before you drive it.

[2001 ASTRO DUDE]

Well I see what you are saying. I have always heard and been told that brake fluid works fine in ps systems. I have never (nor would ever) use ps fluid in my brakes. Here is my question though, are the the ABS brake system and the PS system somehow intertwined? If so...how?? And, how would my PS fluid being low affect my ABS system. I know on other vehicles I have owned these 2 systems are seperate. Inquiring minds want to know!

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by 2001 ASTRO DUDE

Well I see what you are saying. I have always heard and been told that brake fluid works fine in ps systems. I have never (nor would ever) use ps fluid in my brakes. Here is my question though, are the the ABS brake system and the PS system somehow intertwined? If so...how?? And, how would my PS fluid being low affect my ABS system. I know on other vehicles I have owned these 2 systems are seperate. Inquiring minds want to know!

Well Never believe everything you have been told.
Never put brake fluid in the powersteering fluid or transmission fluid and never put powersteering in the the brake system.
All big NO NO NO.
3 big reasons to stay away from the quickie lubes.
The abs system and the power steering are completley different systems.
If you are having problems with both you have two different problems.
Start a new tread on your ABS brakes and.
Post a discription of your abs problem and tell us what it is doing or not doing.
And maybe some one can help.
Good Luck
MT
Any ABS or brake light on?