Is it the pump or the module that controls the anti-lock brakes on a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
-
clairesilvapa
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026 7:44 am
Re: Is it the pump or the module that controls the anti-lock brakes on a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
Use as recommended; professional driver on a closed course; no purchase required; shown features are optional; use at your own risk; not liable for anything; results may vary; previous performance is not indicative of future results; yada, yada, etc.
-
clairesilvapa
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026 7:44 am
Re: Is it the pump or the module that controls the anti-lock brakes on a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
Alright, I have an idea:
Step one: fully press the pedal.
2. Gently release
3. Depress the pedal slightly, about 1/8 inch, and maintain that position.
retrain the sensor that detects where the brake pedal is
5. Press it many times
Will the brake lights come on when asked? 6.
7. Give this a shot for a little.
The reasoning for this is as follows: There is some wear and tear on the pedal and sensor, and things aren't ideal anymore. The spring may also be showing signs of wear and tear. Unlike in the past, the pedal doesn't always go back to the exact same "up" position. It could be wrong by the tiniest amount, invisible to the naked eye. You can retrain in one place and the pedal ends up in a slightly different position on the 327th time you release it; the sensor knows because it is incredibly exact and sensitive. As an alternative, you might restore the entire brake pedal assembly to factory condition, including the pivots, bushings, and everything else. I have no idea how much this would cost or even whether it's feasible. Perhaps a new whole assembly may be purchased. Both of them, assuming they are even feasible, will probably be rather costly. An other method that "tricks" the Brake Pedal Position Sensor into thinking the pedal is slightly down instead of "up"
The negative is that the sensor will also activate the brake lights if it detects that the pedal is higher than the "up" position that it has learnt. If you press down on the brake pedal just enough to turn them off, and then press down just enough to put them on again, you'll know it's doing this if the brake lights stay on.
The bright side is that, within a certain range, you won't have to worry about the brake lights turning on or off. To get the right height in Step 3, you may need to give it a few tries.
Step one: fully press the pedal.
2. Gently release
3. Depress the pedal slightly, about 1/8 inch, and maintain that position.
retrain the sensor that detects where the brake pedal is
5. Press it many times
Will the brake lights come on when asked? 6.
7. Give this a shot for a little.
The reasoning for this is as follows: There is some wear and tear on the pedal and sensor, and things aren't ideal anymore. The spring may also be showing signs of wear and tear. Unlike in the past, the pedal doesn't always go back to the exact same "up" position. It could be wrong by the tiniest amount, invisible to the naked eye. You can retrain in one place and the pedal ends up in a slightly different position on the 327th time you release it; the sensor knows because it is incredibly exact and sensitive. As an alternative, you might restore the entire brake pedal assembly to factory condition, including the pivots, bushings, and everything else. I have no idea how much this would cost or even whether it's feasible. Perhaps a new whole assembly may be purchased. Both of them, assuming they are even feasible, will probably be rather costly. An other method that "tricks" the Brake Pedal Position Sensor into thinking the pedal is slightly down instead of "up"
The negative is that the sensor will also activate the brake lights if it detects that the pedal is higher than the "up" position that it has learnt. If you press down on the brake pedal just enough to turn them off, and then press down just enough to put them on again, you'll know it's doing this if the brake lights stay on.
The bright side is that, within a certain range, you won't have to worry about the brake lights turning on or off. To get the right height in Step 3, you may need to give it a few tries.
-
clairesilvapa
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2026 7:44 am
Re: Is it the pump or the module that controls the anti-lock brakes on a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
If you hook it up to a computer and watch how it moves, you can verify if it reliably detects low and high points and if the reading matches the motion of the sensor or the brake pedal. You won't see these spoil for long. However, as I mentioned before, the engineers can't predict everything that happens because of their environment.
Considering all that's happening and how you're being dragged across the universe in an attempt to resolve it, I need to take a bird's-eye view of the problem. There seems to be a lot of speculation, some known problems with the brake pedal position sensor, and a lot of stuff that doesn't make sense. My first instinct in such a scenario would be to address the most pressing problem at hand and see if it leads to other issues being addressed as well.
Oh, how delightful!
Considering all that's happening and how you're being dragged across the universe in an attempt to resolve it, I need to take a bird's-eye view of the problem. There seems to be a lot of speculation, some known problems with the brake pedal position sensor, and a lot of stuff that doesn't make sense. My first instinct in such a scenario would be to address the most pressing problem at hand and see if it leads to other issues being addressed as well.
Oh, how delightful!