Hey everyone, it's been non-stop raining here in the northeast for a while now. I'll hop into my car atleast once a day to run errands, and up until it started raining, this never happened. Anyways, If I so much as touch the brakes more than ever-so-slightly, the rear wheels lock up and I literally skid down the street. Therefore, I have to lightly ride the brakes for a few seconds until I can feel the rear brakes start to soften up and become normal. It kinda feels like how it does after washing your car. The Front Calipers get all lightly rusted on the surface, and the first few times you hit the brakes, they grab really really nicely. Except this lasts a little longer and it's quite annoying, not to mention dangerous, and probably damaging my brand new tires..

Also another quick problem. The low coolant light will come on for the first few minutes after starting the car upon light acceleration or heading up or downhill. I've already checked my coolant reservoir and it's filled right up to the line at "Full Cold" after letting the car sit for a day. But she runs beautifully and never hot. No coolant smells either. Not sure what it could be, besides a stupid sensor.

Any insight on these issues?
Thanks in advance

This happened to me once....ended up being a leaking wheel cylinder. The leaking brake fluid makes the shoes sticky. Maybe it just happening when it started raining was a coincidence, but i do know my first drive after a rainy night make all 4 sticky, but after the first few stops it goes away.

Maybe the coolant sensor is bad, or maybe there's an air bubble that keeps hitting it, other than that it's just a warning light, if your reservoir is full and you're not running hot, i don't see anything else to worry about, just an annoying light.

I would check the rear drums and shoes and use some sand paper on both unless they look wear out if so replace both and get some shoes made of not too strong stuff or the rear brakes will engage before the front since our cars are very light at the rear. As for the coolant light there is some kind of floating ball inside a part of the coolant reservoir and when it is dirty it malfunctions, you could take the reservoir out and flush it as much as you can and shake it till you hear the floting ball is free to move. The sensor is under the reservoir pushed in a cavity you can pull it out with a long nose pliers I believe it is a magnetic sensor that interacts with the floating ball.

For the brakes... You could look into a rear disc brake swap... Jeffie is doing a GP for the saturn swap right now, only a few sets left up for grabs... could be just as easy to swap then fix the drums.

As for coolant, check the sensor out... first I'd try pulling out the connector and putting some dielectric grease on the connections and see if that clears anything up.. then do what luis suggested and try to break the sensor ball free.. If thats what the sesnor is, I haven't ever had mine out.

I had a corsica and that sensor would do the same thing and old timer gm mechanic told me take a wrench and tap the resevoir where it sits a few times and it'll fix it. Sure enough it did its the same sensor to. The rear brakes its probably a wheel cylinder or new springs are In order. My corsica also did that and it was the springs inside the drums . As far as I know both are some what common gm issues with there cars anyway

I agree with everyone, jack up the car and secure it. Then check out your drums. Make sure your drums are smooth and your shoes are good as well. Def check out your wheel cylinders and if there is any fluid on the shoes or drums, they need to be replaced.

I had the same issue fews days ago. I had drivers side wheel cyl seizing up. Also my drum was worn. Replaced the rear brakes as well. new wheel cyls on both sides, Drums, brake shoes. Everything back to 100% stopping power again.

If you search, this is a well documented problem with J rear brakes.

It's the brake pad linings and moisture which compounds in humid areas, or just after a rain.

And yes its hurting your new rubber, on a slick driveway my car leaves foot long streaks when leaving.

Unfortunately the only cures I know of are keeping the car in the garage or a rear disc swap.

If these aren't plausible be sure to tap the brakes every mourning before relying on them to keep you from rolling into traffic.