digital dash shuts off / hard brake pedal

Hi everyone.....Just found this site...Very nice and helpfull...We have an 84 w/ 87,000....some yahoo put a crappy old jensen cd player in it some years ago....skips on every bump....but it looks like the dash had to come apart to do the job....now i have to push on the lower left hand corner of the dash ocasionaly,to get the digital dash to work or light up...what gives.....also,in the morning when i first start the car and take off,i almost have to use both feet on the brake pedal to get it to stop...been scary a few times....after i drive 5-6 miles and it warms up,the brakes are fine....sicerly  new and confused  

first.. the dash...  search the archives...  for C4 digital dash.. there is a really good article linked there...  shows how to take it out and apart to clean the board connectors...   connect the layers of circuit boards... they get dirty..  


here is the article

http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/24899/index.html

now.. lets put a stop to the brakes...

look at the vacuum hose to the power brake booster...   you will see a black thing that looks like a fuel filter... that is actually a carbon canister.. prevents the fuel vapors from the intake from getting into the booster ... after years.. it gets clogged... restricts the vacuum into the power brake booster...    


this is possibly why the brake pedal is really hard for the first fuel seconds..  


Dorman part number 80195  
Type: Power Brake Filter
Application: Chrysler/GM 1994-78
Brand: Dorman - HELP! - Carded
available in most parts stores...  

thanks so much....i'll check it out and post results.....thanks....D