How to Reset Service Brake System Light On Chevy Silverado?

While starting the car, it’s normal for all the lights on the dashboard to light up, including the service brake system light. However, in normal situations, the lights should go away after 1-2 blinks. If the light stays, you have to take further action. 

So, how to reset the service brake system light on Chevy Silverado?

To reset the service brake light on a Chevy Silverado, you have to turn the truck’s ignition On without starting the engine. Then press and release the brake pedal three times and turn off the ignition. After five seconds, start the car and the light should be gone. For a permanent reset, fix the faulty brake system components including, a broken brake pad, faulty rotor, and faulty caliper. 

For more detail, keep reading. 

How to Reset Service Brake System Light On Chevy Silverado

You can reset the service brake system light in your Chevy Silverado in two ways. If there is any glitch in the system that is causing the light to appear, temporary resetting will make the service brake light go away. 

If the light comes again, you have to go for a permanent solution. 

Temporarily Turn Off the Service Brake System Light

Here’s how to turn off the service brake system light temporarily. 

Step 1: Turn your Chevy Silverado’s ignition in the “On” position, but start the engine. 

Step 2: Keep pressing and releasing the brake pedal. Do this three times. 

Step 3: Turn the ignition Off. 

Step 4: Wait for five minutes. 

Step 5: turn on the car and check if the service brake system light is gone. If the light is still the same, you can repeat the whole process again. 

Service Brake System Light Still Coming Up? Permanently Reset!

To make the brake system light go away permanently, you have to address the problem which is causing the light to come. And then you have to repair the faulty brake system part to permanently reset the brake system light.

Let’s see which problems cause the light to come up and how to fix service brake system. 

To fix the service brake system, you have to check and refill the brake fluid level if necessary. You also have to check the brake pad, brake caliper, and brake rotor and fix them if found faulty. 

Low Brake Fluid:

When the brake fluid level of your truck is low, it triggers the service brake light system. It makes the truck difficult to stop. Check your brake fluid reservoir and refill it if necessary.

To check the brake fluid level, locate the fluid reservoir under the hood on the master cylinder. There are maximum and minimum level markings on the reservoir. 

If the fluid level is nearer to the minimum level, you have to refill the fluid to the maximum level marking. 

Broken Brake Pad:

Over time, the brake pads can wear down or become damaged. With the help of the pad, the caliper piston could easily reach the rotor without harming it in any way. 

When the pad is broken or worn out, the piston needs to be pushed further to contact the rotor, and due to this the brake fluid drops. 

Also, when the piston comes in direct contact with the rotor, the metal-to-metal contact damages the rotor as well. These reasons trigger the service brake system light. In this case, you will also get the service brake pad monitor message in your Chevy Silverado. 

If the brake pad of your Chevy Silverado is broken, you will notice some other issues as well. For example, 

• Vibration in brake pedal
• Squealing or noise during braking
• A burning smell from the brake pad 
• The truck pulls to one side during the break. 

In this case, you have to change the brake pads of your truck by removing the wheel. The process of changing the brake pads of the Silverado is almost similar to changing the brake pads in Ford Ranger. 

Trapped Air In Brake Lines:

If somehow any air gets trapped in the brake lines, it causes the hydraulic pressure to drop. As a result, the entire braking system becomes less efficient and it causes the service brake light to trigger. 

Check and bleed the brake fluid from your Silverado to reset the service brake system light. 

Bleeding the air from the brake line as soon as possible is really necessary. Otherwise, it can damage the whole brake line and you might have to replace the brake line of your Silverado. 

Faulty Brake Caliper:

A faulty brake caliper can not apply enough pressure to the rotor to effectively cause the truck to slow down and stop. This malfunction in the brake system causes the service brake light to stay On. 

If you notice the following signs, you might have a bad brake caliper. 

• Hydraulic fluid leaking from piston seal
• The brake pedal is spongy or softer than it should be. 
• The braking ability of your truck will reduce
• Dragging sensation in the truck. 

If you notice these signs, remove the wheel and the caliper to check it. 

If the brake caliper is stuck, lubricating it with grease should solve the problem. But if the brake caliper is broken, you have to replace it. The following video might help with the process. 

Bad Brake Rotor:

When the brake rotor is damaged, it loses its capability to effectively stop the truck. It causes the service brake system light to stay On. 

You can observe the brake rotor on your Chevy Silverado without removing the wheel. Take a look at the rotor from the side of the wheel. If you see discoloration, unusual grooves, unnatural wearing patterns, breakage, or scoring on the rotor, it is faulty. 

In this case, you have to replace the brake rotor of your car by removing the wheel. It will make the service brake system light go away as shown in the following video. 

Sometimes, faults in the rear drum brakes can also cause the light to come up. In this case, you have to replace the rear drum brakes of your Silverado. 

How To Reset Service Brake Booster Light?

To reset the service brake booster light, you have to fix the vacuum leaking problem. When there is a vacuum leak in the brake booster, it causes the service brake booster light to appear. 

To fix this problem, you have to replace the vacuum hose. To access the vacuum hose, you have to remove the tire, brake cover, and the brake master cylinder first. Then disconnect the vacuum hose from the brake line and remove it. 

Replace it with a new one and reassemble everything. And the service brake booster light will reset. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What Does Service Brake Booster Mean?

The service brake booster message or light means there is some problem with your truck’s brake boost. You have to repair the system. In this case, you will see other signs like, a hard brake pedal, distant braking, and a hissing sound from the engine. 

How Do You Set Chevy Silverado Brake Maintenance Mode?

Put your foot on the brake and press the emergency brake button to set Chevy Silverado to go into brake service mode. Keep pushing the button while keeping your foot on the brake for 10 seconds. After that, let go of the button, and again hit it. Now the car will go into the brake service mode. 

When Should I Change My Brake Fluid On My Silverado?

You should change your brake fluid on your Silverado every 2-3 years, or every 40,000-50,000 miles, whichever comes first. You should also monitor the brake fluid level and quality regularly and change or refill it as required. 

Conclusion

Here goes the detailed process on how to reset the service brake system light on Chevy Silverado. 

Remember whenever you notice the light is staying On, it’s indicating problems with your truck’s brake system, and make sure to address it soon. Otherwise, the brake system will be damaged further. 

That’s all for now. Wish you have a good day!

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