E-brake cable stuck...

[Alberta Tahoe]

Besides a host of other issues with this heap, this one popped up today.
A little history. 03 Tahoe 4WD. Previous issues with the ABS motor (open circuit somewhere according to the Tech 2 DTC C0267) That's not an issue in and of itself as I don't mind not having ABS or traction control.
What has come up just recently is a message centre "service brake system". Something relatively new although I'm not certain of the onset is an EBCM malfunction C0251. Haven't been able to locate the cause but while working through possible mechanical issues (although it's most likely electrical given that it's an 03 Tahoe) I applied the e-brake for the 1st time in probably years. Now it's stuck. As a result (or as near as I can tell) this has set off the alarm chime full time while the truck is moving forward.
Any short cuts to freeing this mechanism aside from getting underneath and doing a re and re on the cable assemblies? I've pulled the radio to kill the constant chiming but that's obviously not the answer. Just a way to stay sane while I continue to drive.
I've searched extensively but haven't managed to zero in on an easy remedy.
FWIW, I've pulled the plug on the prop valve as well as the single wire connector on the parking brake pedal but the status remains the same. Probably due to the other issues with the ABS motor and EBCM. Curiously, the ABS issue has been present since I've owned this thing (about 2 years) and have never initiated the service brake system light before. Perhaps this EBCM has started something but I've no way of establishing a timeline.
For all I care, I would eliminate the ABS and traction control altogether provided of course it doesn't complicate matters.
Thanks in advance.

 

[swathdiver]

The parking brake is all mechanical so you gotta crawl under to either disconnect the cable along the frame or bang the lever if its stuck at the backing plate(s). Tsk! Tsk! Kevin for not periodically exercising all the features of your truck to keep them working. Even here in the flat lands of Florida we use the parking brake to hold the truck still without putting undue pressure on the parking pawl inside the transmission.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yes, another reason to think of it as a parking brake that you use each time you park as opposed to thinking of it as an emergency brake that hardly ever gets used. That cable will hang up in the casing because of crud build up if it does not get used and other mechanical components will seize up from rust build up.

 

[BG1988]

I use it Every time I park

i do test it occasionally to "make sure it can hold the suv" in Neutral gear... also in drive at 0 mph

 

[OR VietVet]

Like James said. It is also a great way to help relieve tension on the parking pawl in the trans. Lots of pressure on that pawl when parked on an incline.

 

[BG1988]

Like James said. It is also a great way to help relieve tension on the parking pawl in the trans. Lots of pressure on that pawl when parked on an incline.

it can also damage the shiftier cable as well had 1 failed twice in a single month but the second time it failed it was covered by the Dealer as they installed it incorrectly.. we were lucky as it failed both times when we were on flat land other wise it would have been on a steep hill ... personally i would avoid parking on a steep hill at all costs...
i know some one who has a stretched shiftier cable it's i have not figured out away to tell them

as the line no longer lines up with the gear it's in...as shown on the cluster they been parking that car every day on a hill since 2003 or so

 

[swathdiver]

As part of the J2807 Towing Standards, the parking brake is supposed to hold the vehicle while in neutral at its GCWR (truck+trailer) on at least a 12 percent grade facing up and facing down.

 

[BG1988]

As part of the J2807 Towing Standards, the parking brake is supposed to hold the vehicle while in neutral at its GCWR (truck+trailer) on at least a 12 percent grade facing up and facing down.

well the grades i'm talking about are over 20% grades on that hill there is also a small section of 28% grade

I shift it into M gear so i don't blow up the CVT

it turns into a staircase after that (the street turns left or right)other wise it would be a 75% grade



there has been several police chases in that area as they get lost or the car breaks down(one actually crashed into a tree at a 100MPH)

 

[swathdiver]

well the grades i'm talking about are over 20% grades on that hill there is also a small section of 28% grade

I shift it into M gear so i don't blow up the CVT

it turns into a staircase after that (the street turns left or right)other wise it would be a 75% grade



there has been several police chases in that area as they get lost or the car breaks down(one actually crashed into a tree at a 100MPH)

Where's that at?

 

[Alberta Tahoe]

Thank you all the multitude of replies and the anecdotal observations.
I knew the answer going in but was still hoping for an easier way out. Minus 10 and snow with no longer a comfy garage to do my winter maintenance keeps me hopeful that either there's no repairs during the winter months or it's minor in nature. That said, as for exercising the e/parking brake now and again, if I hadn't touched in my troubleshooting process, it would be a non-issue! But that's not the case.
Now while I've everyone's attention here, what's with this ECBM code that's been thrown? As I mentioned, I couldn't care less about ABS or traction control, but I do care that the truck is chirping at me constantly. Whether that's a product of the stuck parking brake or the ECBM I haven't been able to determine. One lead to the other with the ECBM problem being first (as I wouldn't have messed with the brake without the warning light coming on in the first place). Any quick fix for that like pulling a fuse and killing the alarm?

 

[swathdiver]

Thank you all the multitude of replies and the anecdotal observations.
I knew the answer going in but was still hoping for an easier way out. Minus 10 and snow with no longer a comfy garage to do my winter maintenance keeps me hopeful that either there's no repairs during the winter months or it's minor in nature. That said, as for exercising the e/parking brake now and again, if I hadn't touched in my troubleshooting process, it would be a non-issue! But that's not the case.
Now while I've everyone's attention here, what's with this ECBM code that's been thrown? As I mentioned, I couldn't care less about ABS or traction control, but I do care that the truck is chirping at me constantly. Whether that's a product of the stuck parking brake or the ECBM I haven't been able to determine. One lead to the other with the ECBM problem being first (as I wouldn't have messed with the brake without the warning light coming on in the first place). Any quick fix for that like pulling a fuse and killing the alarm?

C0267 is for low brake fluid. In my generation truck, the other code we do not have. I have an old Pontiac Montana with a bad ABS, it is unplugged and runs and stops just fine, no warnings other than the amber light on the dash and the DIC is quiet. Same computer architecture as yours.

 

[Alberta Tahoe]

That was the first thing I checked. (Fluid level). Dirty but to the full mark.
Tech 2 picked up the C 0267 code and my manual describes it as a ECBM malfunction. That's a fairly wide ranging (10,000 pages!) manual covering my generation of Tahoe.
Not sure what to make of that really.

 

[wjburken]

Isn't C0251 Left Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit Open or Short?

 

[Alberta Tahoe]

That's not what's indicated in the manual. I think the Tech 2 also says that.
I do have have a wheel sensor code as well although off the top of my head, I don't recall what it is.
I'll give it another go around tomorrow and post up.
For the record here are the codes:

P0300 Engine Misfire Detected
P0174 Fuel Trim System Lean - Bank 2
P0101 Mass Air Flow Sensor Performance
P0171 Fuel Trim System Lean - Bank 1
P1300
C0267 Pump Motor Circuit Open/Shorted
C0251 EBCM Malfunction

 

[Fless]

That's not what's indicated in the manual. I think the Tech 2 also says that.
I do have have a wheel sensor code as well although off the top of my head, I don't recall what it is.
I'll give it another go around tomorrow and post up.
For the record here are the codes:

P0300 Engine Misfire Detected
P0174 Fuel Trim System Lean - Bank 2
P0101 Mass Air Flow Sensor Performance
P0171 Fuel Trim System Lean - Bank 1
P1300
C0267 Pump Motor Circuit Open/Shorted
C0251 EBCM Malfunction

FWIW, I'd be inclined to believe the description that's in the Tech 2.

 

[Alberta Tahoe]

As would I.
But you know, in my business as an industrial maintenance electrician, troubleshooting should never rule out the possibility of "operator error"!
I will revisit this this evening or tomorrow and ensure I haven't mis-entered some piece of data into the Tech 2.
Nothing would surprise me.