Service esc and Brake light on

[slowindown]

22 3500 single rear wheels, crew cab, long bed, 6.4 hemi. Approx 2200 miles, 3 mos old.

This is the first time this happened. I drove to my office about 18 miles and everything was fine. Got in truck 30 min later to drive to a meeting a half mile away and the brake light was on (didn’t notice esc light then but could have been on). I engaged and disengaged parking brake with no change.

After meeting noticed brake light and esc light were on plus I got a quick “service esc sys” notice on dash. Decided I would drive a few miles. Brake light went off. Very stiff brake pedal as if no booster. Then a couple minutes later I had boost. Brake light came back. Boost comes and goes. I also got a “brake system failure” notice from the vehicle health section of the ram app.

The only other light I’ve had come on in the past is the red lightening bolt in parentheses, which I think has something to do with the electronic throttle. I’ve noticed it a time or two when I unplug from the big trailer light socket and I’ve turned the truck off and restarted and it goes away. I assume this is unrelated but it’s usually the last light to go off when I start the truck.

Some pics below. The brake light happened to be off when I took the pics but its the one that simply says “brake” by the speedo.

Thoughts?

 

[areuriding]

Sounds like one of the modules may have a communication issue. Get it in for service when you have time.

 

[slowindown]

I’ve got an appointment for Thursday so I guess we’ll see. I’m thinking maybe a bad abs module given the hard sometimes, normal sometimes brake pedal. Coincidentally I just replaced the abs module on my 07 1500 a few months back. But it lasted 230,000 instead of 2000.

 

[areuriding]

Your luck sounds like mine..

 

[ddphillips52]

The red lightning bolt comes on if the trailer is disconnected with the truck running. It's normal.

 

[Jimmy07]

The red lightning bolt comes on if the trailer is disconnected with the truck running. It's normal.

If by red lightning bolt, you mean this one pictured below (which is what the OP is talking about), then that is not for disconnected trailer. It is for electronic throttle control:


This would be for trailer disconnected:

 

[slowindown]

Yes, the red lightning bolt with the reverse parentheses is the one I get when I unhook the trailer lights with the truck running.

 

[d19r93]

Yes, the red lightning bolt with the reverse parentheses is the one I get when I unhook the trailer lights with the truck running.

That should NOT happen. I'd be concerned if that light comes on when you remove the trailer.

 

[slowindown]

The red lightning bolt comes on if the trailer is disconnected with the truck running. It's normal.

Were you talking about the same symbol as me, i.e., the first one in Jimmy’s post?

About how many miles do you have on your truck? Have you had any issues with the truck?

 

[slowindown]

So, as to the brake light and esc, they said the brake booster is bad (at 2,000 mile). They ordered one.

As to the lightning/parentheses symbol coming on when I unplug the trailer lights/brakes, the work order said “all is good.” The mechanic wasn’t there when I picked up the truck and the service writer said she couldn’t remember if he said it was supposed to do that or it was related to the other issue. I’ll ask further when I bring the truck back for the repair.

 

[slowindown]

So after nearly a month and after my last scheduled appointment having to be rescheduled because the mechanic was sick, I got the truck in yesterday and they replaced the brake booster. It’s nice to have reliable brakes again.

I’ve been a licensed driver for close to 40 years. I’ve never had to replace a brake booster. The one that came on this truck lasted about 2,000 miles. I hope this one lasts substantially longer.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

So after nearly a month and after my last scheduled appointment having to be rescheduled because the mechanic was sick, I got the truck in yesterday and they replaced the brake booster. It’s nice to have reliable brakes again.

I’ve been a licensed driver for close to 40 years. I’ve never had to replace a brake booster. The one that came on this truck lasted about 2,000 miles. I hope this one lasts substantially longer.

I have had to change boosters in many vehicles over the years its not that common but does happen