Dodge Caravan 1998 issues--parking brake will not engage and dashboard dimmer


  #1  
Old 02-18-12, 06:30 PM
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Dodge Caravan 1998 issues--parking brake will not engage and dashboard dimmer

Hi,
A couple of questions for my 1998 Dodge Caravan please:

1. My emergency brake will not engage. It is so tight--I cant push it down at all. I'm assuming it maybe related to working under the dashboad as had key stuck in ignition and was advised to remove the steering column, but didn't have to do that as got key our finally but wondering if I might have done something that caused this problem.

2. This is unrelated to the above but I was fiddling with the dimmer dial or whatever its called--just scrolling the dial to adjust the inside dashboard lighting, and whatever it attaches to behind the dial, must have broken as the dial is still there but nothing behind it..

Thanks for your help!
 
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Old 02-19-12, 05:45 AM
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1.
Look underneath the van and you will find the spot where the cable from the brake lever attaches to an adjuster and splits off to the two back wheels.
Either the cable from the brake lever but more likely the cables to the brake shoes are rusted and corroded.
The first instinct to try to fix this is to spray a penetrating oil on the cables but you need to be careful if you do!
After you spry it and try to apply the parking brake you may loosen it enough to apply the brakes but is is quite common for them to freeze in the applied position and leave you stuck.
If the cables do appear corroded you might save yourself a lot of grief by just replacing them.

2.
If there is noting behind the dial for the light dimmer just look for it to be hanging nearby.
 
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Old 02-22-12, 07:31 PM
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Thanks for your response--The parking break issue disappeared somehow.
The dimmer dial I think just broke from me turning too hard, I was not working that high up on the dashboard, and too minor of an issue really to take apart and access that area to fix, but really appreciate the help..
 
 

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