If the brake and ABS lights are both on, you have a tiny leak somewhere in
the brake line. I had that symptom before mine split on me..twice..once
on a down ramp off the expressway, the pedal went down almost to the
floor and the brake/abs light came on. The fluid in the master cylinder
reservoir dumped out. I managed to crawl into a side street garage in
first gear with NO brake pedal pressure left. The master cylinder reservoir
emptied out when that happened. I was surprised that this could happen.
Had to replace the front to rear brake line and the lines over the axle and
the rubber hose over the axle as well as the two wheel cylinder. It
was a costly repair!
This year I started to get a low brake pedal and in April, one of the
front lines split and dumped out the fluid. Had to replace the front steel
brake lines and the rubber hoses to each caliper. Another costly brake
job because I decided tor replace the master cylinder as well.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from condensation within the lines. The brake
lines rot out from within or from the outside, you can't tell when that
happens.
A defective master cylinder can cause a low pedal, but usually after
a couple of pumps, the pedal height is back. If you have a low
pedal and both the brake and abs light is on..
1. Proportioning valve next to the master cylinder is detecting low pressure
in either the two front lines or the rear line and actuating the BRAKE LIGHT
2. At the same time, the abs controller gets a signal from the PCM that there
is a brake problem (usually the rear lines) but you can have a abs light
on by itself just from the VSS sensor in the differential being bad...
BUT NOT BOTH...if BOTH the ABS and Brake light is on..one of the lines
after the proportioning valve has a slow leak, or losing enough line pressure
to activate the BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH on the proportioning valve.
DO NOT IGNORE THIS SYMPTOM!..there is a leak somewhere. Have the braking system checked out by a qualified brake specialist or mechanic...because it WILL fail when she hits the brake pedal at some point!
WARNING TO ALL DAKOTA OWNERS!
The master cylinder reservoir used on the Dakota is not a true isolated
dual braking system. IF A LINE RUPTURES, at the most you have about
two applications of the brake pedal before ALL THE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR
IS LOST and air can get into the other brake lines!
READ MY STORY ABOUT MY BRAKE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED ON MY 1998 DAKOTA
IN 2011 AND 2012, in this forum. Here is the link to my experience with a low
brake pedal.
It is under 2ND generation Dakota 1997-2004 ; Wheels, Tires and Brakes"
and titled "Dakota braking system.well this sucks! " Part 1: Rear line blew out on me
and Part 2: Front line blew out on me a few months later.
http://www.dakotaforumz.com/showthread.php?t=1196
(There should be a class action law suit against Chrysler
for putting owners at risk for not using stainless steel brake lines!)