Rear parking brake adjustment on 2009 Buick LaX.

[Texarkana]

I’m wondering how to properly adjust the parking brake cable on my Buick, I’m assuming its the same with all W-Bodies.

I replaced rear pads about 6k miles ago I’ve noticed slack in the parking brake ever since.

While I’m here I also a have a failing cabin air temperature sensor. Anyone know how to remove the cosmetic cover under the steering wheel without damaging anything so I can inspect the part? Searching online yields two separate parts that appear to snap together.

Topic

[Texarkana]

I got the guide pin issue fixed, what’s going on now is the boot/seal that wraps around the piston and pulls it back Into the housing has come loose from the piston which is why my caliper piston won’t retract.

[dan]

sounds like you need new calipers in the rear? how many miles on this?

[Texarkana]

Car has 88k on it. I’m going to be rebuilding the caliper.

6.99 and a colorful assortment of cuss words for the rebuild kit vs 79.99 for a new caliper.

[EricTheCarGuy]

Honestly, I don’t recommend rebuilding calipers. I realize this is for a front caliper but I believe it makes my point.

[Texarkana]

She’s rebuilt and back on the road!!. Honestly it was easier than I expected, the hardest part was removing the brake line from the lever on the rear of the caliper itself. :woohoo:

Technically not fully rebuilt. Since the seals were the only issue all I did was replace the inner seal and the boot itself and slapped her back together, bled the brakes and everything is back to normal.

If I feel up to a challenge I’ll get some snap ring pliers and put the new springs in.

I did have an odd issue this morning however. Upon leaving work my car lights dimly blinked on and off repeatedly when hit the unlock button. Battery didn’t even have enough juice to turn the lights on afterwards. I know on these newer cars all sorts of funky crap happens when the volts drop too low. Got a jump, she immediately charged up however a relay started making a god awful buzzing noise followed by a brief burnt smell.

I noticed immediately my auto on/off headlights weren’t operating properly and turning the high beams on with the switch in this position yielded no results. I had wallyworld run a diagnostic on the charging system and battery and the battery was reading 518CCA out of 650 and normal charging system status.

Immediately suspected the cabin air temperature sensor due to being told “it could create other electrical gremlins” if I didn’t have it replaced and took it home and finally gathered the balls to pop the lower dash loose and take the metal bracket out. Pulled the sensor from under the dashboard and it was clogged with dust so I blew it all out. The buzzing noise was actually the sensor itself vibrating from all the dust collected on the fan which sucks air in over the temperature sensor/wire. “Buzzing” went away so I reinstalled. Figured from the brief burnt smell and the headlight issue I burnt a relay out.

Got called in to work as soon as I finished up the seal replacement to cover someones shift who fell and busted their butt and was rather crabby about it due the lack of sleep and being rushed to finish up the caliper job. Got off work at 10 and hopped in the car and now the lights are working properly again however the door locking actuator isn’t unlocking the door so one issue resolved itself and another came up. Gonna have to pop that door panel off and replace the actuator assembly.

[dan]

guess what, my grand prix is having the same issue on all four doors, started off with the drivers side, now all the lock actuators won’t lock or unlock the doors, got to do them all manually…. yay…. but hey i don’t care don’t like electric locks anyways.

as far as your light switch issue GM cars are known for their light switches or there switches for there blinkers or what ever going bad all the time, i would make sure the switches for your lights are functioning properly.

[Author]

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