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First of all, if the engine turns over, you DON'T need a starter or an ignition switch. Don't fall into the 'let's try replacing this' method of car repair! It is costly and never works.
First replace the cap cap, it is part of the pressurized fuel system and may be the answer to all the issues. $20 from Walmart, or $15 from Napa Auto Parts.
Then connect a code reader and find why that Engine Light comes on. Your vehicle has a computer that records everything that is wrong with it. A cheap code reader gives you the basics, a $5,000 scan tool computer tells you everything, historically and in real time as the vehicle is starting of being driven.
The other thing to check is that the battery is good. Interstate will test for you for free in the parking lot and only takes 2 minutes including the printout. I think AutoZone and Napa also does it.
There should be a turnbuckle in the cable between the rear brakes and the handle to take the slack out of the cable. On newer models with self adjusting brakes you would turn the adjuster inside the brake drum.
Unless you have replaced the cable, it should never need to be adjusted. If you can reach under the vehicle, and when wiggling the parking brake cable, if it is taut (not sagging), then it is probably adjusted properly. What usually causes the parking brake cable to appear mis-adjusted (the parking brake won't hold the vehicle), is that the self-adjusters in the rear drum brakes are not working properly. This is bad because it means that you are not getting proper braking from the rear brakes as well as having the parking brake issue. This can cause premature wear to the front disc brake pads/rotors and affect braking power and control under certain stopping conditions. Front disc brakes work so well that many people never realize that their rear brakes aren't doing their fair share. The purpose of the self-adjusters in the drum brakes is to keep the rear brake shoes at a consistent distance from the drum's inner surface as the shoe lining wears down. If the adjuster works correctly, the parking brake will always stay in adjustment. You CAN adjust the parking brake cable, but if the problem is actually with the self-adjuster, you are masking the real problem, and later on when you need to replace the rear brake shoes, you will find it impossible to put the drum back on over the shoes as the parking brake will have the shoes pushed out too far. Have a mechanic check out the self-adjuster mechanism. It is always a good idea whenever you replace the rear brake shoes to replace all the rear brake hardware as well. You don't replace rear brakes nearly as often as the front ones, and the cost of the hardware is minimal in relation to the satisfaction of knowing that non-corroded parts will work better and provide longer service than the older, gummed-up and rusted hardware that is currently installed.
1/ Rusted Parking Brake Cables-that don't release 2/ Contaminated Brake Fluid -from not flushing every 3 years,thus rusted wheel cylinder piston, in rear on drum brakes, or same on rear disc caliper
3/ Collapsed Rubber Brake Hose 4/ ABS System Issues 5/ Worn Out or Broken brake parts 6/ The most common cause of any Brake Problem is -- Neglect-drive it & forget everything until you have a problem
You cannot adjust the cables on a minivan manually. the tension is
automaitcally adjusted by the self adjuster on the pedal release.
The park brake cables on this vehicle have an automatic self adjuster
built into the park brake pedal mechanism. When the foot operated park
brake pedal is in its released (upward most) position, a clock spring
automatically adjusts the park brake cables. The park brake cables are
adjusted (tensioned) just enough to remove all the slack from the
cables. The automatic adjuster system will not over adjust the cables
causing rear brake drag.
Due to the automatic adjust feature of the park brake pedal, adjustment
of the parking brake cables on these vehicles relies on proper drum
brake.
When the park brake pedal is applied the self adjuster is by-passed and the pedal operates normally to engage the park brakes.
When a service procedure needs to be performed on the park brake pedal
or the park brake cables, the automatic self adjuster can be manually
locked out by the service technician.
Remove the leading shoe holding pin and spring, and then the leading shoe.
Remove the self-adjuster and the adjuster lever.
Remove the trailing shoe holding pin and spring.
Disconnect the parking brake cable from the trailing shoe and remove the trailing shoe. Remove the parking brake lever from the trailing shoe.
To install:
Attach the parking brake lever to the trailing shoe.
Connect the parking brake cable to the parking brake lever.
Apply a thin coat of high temperature grease to the shoe contact points on the brake backing plate (locations A and C in the accompanying illustration), piston contact surface (B), and self-adjuster (D).
Fig. 1: Exploded view of the rear drum brakes — Amigo and Rodeo
Position the trailing shoe on the backing plate and install the hold-down pin, spring, and retainer. Don't stretch the return spring when fitting the shoes onto the backing plate.
Connect the upper return spring and the leading shoe to the trailing shoe and position the leading brake shoe on the backing plate.
Install the adjuster assembly and the hold-down pin, spring, and retainer.
Use a brake spring tool to install the lower return spring.
Install the self-adjuster lever and adjuster spring.
Adjust the shoe-to-drum clearance to 0.0098–0.0157 in. (0.25–0.40mm) and install the brake drum.
Check the brake drum for scoring or other wear. Machine or replace as necessary. Check the maximum brake drum diameter specification when machining.
there is a cable underneath the car with a turnbuckle style of adjustment on it.IF your car has drum brakes on the rear = adjust those first then try the e brake
I don't know if this works on a Buick but I have had two cars that the auto adjusters worked when you used the parking brake, I rarely use the parking brake so I got in the habit of working the parking brake 20 times or so at oil change time.
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