Newbie here needs your tech knowledge.

[R/TMike]

I just purchased a 96 Grand am Se with a 2.4

I replaced all 4 brakes and the rears are making a clicking sound. Is this just adjusting?

Also my check engine light is on. along with another light It says ETS off. I click the button on the shifter and it doesnt turn the light off. Are these related?

The key is sometimes difficult to remove. I have to wiggle the shifter in and out of park to get it to come out. At one point i could not get it out at all. Someone told me about the trap door under the console that has the button to press and take it out manually. Sometimes I even have a hard time turning the key forward. Do i need a new cYlinder?

Does the shifter (automatic) seem tight in grand ams? Example. My neon and stratus shift with ease. The grand am requres a lot more pressure to shift from park to drive etc.

The engine runs strong and it seems like a good car. I would just like to fix these issues.

Thanks in advance for any advice

[Themeneea]

ETS is your tration control, the light on means its not active. is the ABS light on too? it could be becuase a sensor is dead.

ya the shifter is very stiff on my car, and its very stiff in 1 and 2

[R/TMike]

the abs light is not on. Are sensors easy to replace? and is there a way to test them? Since this car is basically a beater and my daughters first car. If it is not necessary I will do without ETS unless something else is affected.

I will change it if i can do it myself and not pay big labor fees.

[Themeneea]

you dont need ETS, its just a cheap traction control system, i really dont like it. if its just a beater dont fix it. i dont think the sensors are easy to replace becuase its part of the bearing assembly.

do you hear any grinding sounds when driving?

[R/TMike]

No grinding at all and the brakeswork fine. But I do here a clicking sound after i changed thedrums. I think it is just adjusting itself but im not sure. It happens when I press on the brake. I only put a couple miles on since brake job so i will see if it goes away.

By the way. The light was on before i ever changed the brakes.

[Silver99SE]

If I'm not mistaken the ETS OFF light will come on if there is a problem with the ABS also. You might have a problem with one of your ABS sensors.

[rixGAphx]

It is NOT the ABS sensors, thank goodness. They are expensive as hell, since they require a BRAND NEW hub assembly!!
The ABS light would be 'on' if they were a problem.

The other main cause of non-functioning ETS:
Handbrake not fully 'down' (or the microswitch in the handle not sensing that it's 'down). This will *usually* illuminate the 'BRAKE' idiot light on the dash.

There is NO reason for clicking rear brakes. Something's wrong there. Go inside and find out what.
Self-adjusting ONLY works while backing up, and then only on a paved surface (like backing-out of a parking space). Tires on a gravel driveway usually can't generate enough 'reverse-torque' on the brake shoes to cause self-adjustment.
Anywho, if there's clicking, don't ignore it. Might just be a loose spring or such.

The shifter on my '96 V-6 auto is silky. Yours should be too. Any tranny shop should be able to make a simple adjustment, lube the cable, whatever.

Replace that ignition switch soon. They all fail (well, maybe a couple older cars driven by little old ladies on sundays are still OK).
Better to have it done at your convenience, than when your daughter is stuck alongside the road somewhere. She'd be really ticked :eek:.

The 'secret' key-removal trap door (known to all crooks :mad: ) is under the steering column cover, not in the console. Unless there's another door I haven't heard about.

From your description, it seems like some ham-fisted idiot might have gone into the console to repair something, and consequently screwed-up the shift linkage and handbrake microswitch.

Good luck.
-Rick

[SPECIALGAGT]

After driving short distances I have noticed sometimes that my ABS and BRAKE dash-lights are on. If I park awhile, like to shop or get a taco, the lights are o k when I start the car back up. One hour "off" always fixes the problem. Sometimes they don't light up at all for a few days. What do I check first ?? Thanks.

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by SPECIALGAGT
After driving short distances I have noticed sometimes that my ABS and BRAKE dash-lights are on. If I park awhile, like to shop or get a taco, the lights are o k when I start the car back up. One hour "off" always fixes the problem. Sometimes they don't light up at all for a few days. What do I check first ?? Thanks.
1. Check the brake fluid level in the MC reservoir. Top off as necessary.

2. When the lights next appear, make certain that the handbrake is all the way 'down'.
There's a little switch in the handbrake mechanism that tells the computer (and dashlights) if it thinks the handbrake is still 'up'.

3. Have your rear drum brakes adjusted, so that the parking brake is set when the handle is pulled only ~ a third of the way up.

Report back.
-Rick

[SPECIALGAGT]

Ah-HAH !! I tried all but the third suggestion. Thanks for the tip.

[SPECIALGAGT]

I also found out that my pucks were into metal, and that this is sensed by the ABS system, translated to the warning-light, and persists until the brakes are fixed. I think.