I've got a 1995 dodge ram pickup and just the other day the brake light and abs light on my dashboard comes on and off. Does this mean i need new brakes or brake fluid or what? Thanks!

 

start at the easiest point. check your brake fluid for low levels.

 

Low fluid would be obvious ... air in the sytem. It also doesn't pop any lights.

The obvious answer is the RWSS on the rear differential ... or the wiring to it.

 

ok, thanks for your help! so, i've checked the brake fluid and that looked pretty full. is the light a sensor telling me that i need new brakes? also, i don't know what a rwss is.

 

i also have a 95 and my brake and abs is light and have been driving like that for about 3 months..... but my 95 the only thing on top of the rear differential is abs sensor or on mine it like that.

 

dump thought, is the e-brake slightly engaged, since it causes the brake light to come on as well. No clue on the abs.

Also, Rear Wheel Speed Sensor (RWSS - on top of the rear diff) was used for Rear Wheel Anti-Lock (RWAL)

 

My dad has this problem in his 98. They come on intermittently, but if he turns the key off and back on they're gone.

 

All rams came with RWAL...and if you go to kragen, they don't have it lised as rear wheel speed sensor. If you ask for that they'll give you the speed sensor for the tail shaft of the tranny. It's listed as the ABS speed sensor. Trust me, I just went threw this. Damn near popped a vain in my head from arguing with the folks at Autozone and Kragen.

 

The e-brake being engaged won't light up the ABS warning ... but whenever the ABS is lit, the brake warning is on. Prior to 98, the RWSS was only a RWAL sensor. You can probably drive on it forever and see no ill effects (unless you lock 'em up into someone). In 98, they started using the RWSS for all speed sensing so you would see ef'ed up speedometer/odometer/ABS ... maybe shifting.

 

It just happen in my jaguar parts The brake light has a switch/sensor located under the dash that is activated by the brake pedal. Try checking that out first. It is possible that the ABS could go away at the same time you fix this problem. Not only that but when the switch/sensor gets either out of adjustment or fails, the tranny if you have an automatic will not want to shift out of park.
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