red brake warning light and abs light on

[shocker]

I have a 2004 with 80,000 miles. Today was a sunny warm day and when I started my car midday both the red brake warning light and the abs exclamation point stayed on. I checked the manual which contains a very ominous message about not driving and immediately contacting the dealer. I brought it to the dealer and they couldn't figure out what caused it. They pulled the code C1343 which is a rear brake system code but they couldn't figure out what triggered the code. They cleared it and told me to return if it came back on. They said that everything was functioning fine. Has anyone else encountered this?

[Patrick Wong]

DTC C1343 "malfunction in hydraulic system" relates to the right rear wheel. Possible trouble areas include the brake actuator, the wheel cylinder, or leaking fluid. Since they could not find anything wrong with the car, the brake actuator might have had a temporary glitch where a solenoid was stuck.

The brake actuator is an expensive part so the dealer is not eager to replace it unless it has failed for sure. This is why they suggest that you return if you see the warning lights reappear.

The repair manual suggests bleeding the brake system in case any dirt or tiny air bubbles are present, which might affect a solenoid valve.