Brake light illuminated

[urdrwho]

My 95 Legacy would do this from time to time and that is the emergency brake light will illuminate even though the brake is off. Now the 97 Outback is doing the same thing.

 

A few months ago I installed a new alternator. If it is the alternator again it won't get fixed until spring. But because I have seen the same issue on my 95 --- I am wondering if it is a sensor that doesn't like this extreme cold / switch, etc.???

 

The wind chill is minus 5 at this moment. Last night when I stopped the car everything was fine.

 

Aerial would only go half way up and was frozen --- copious WD40 and it moved but tomorrow ---- who knows.

 

It is too cold to get under the hood and look around.

 

Update ----

 

Waited about 15 minutes, went out started car and no brake light stayed on......just like the 95 Legacy will do from time to time.

 

No battery light was ever illuminated during the event.

[johnegg]

your brake fluid is low,

and when really cold it contracts and is even lower.

but as the engine warms up,

and the fluid warms up,

it expands and the light goes out.

 

assuming you do not have a fluid leak,

your brake pads are probably pretty worn.

as the pads wear, the fluid level drops.

when you compress the brake piston to install new pads, the fluid level goes up.

if you fill the master cylinder now,

it may over flow when you replace the pads next time.

 

so add a little brake fluid,

but do not fill it up.

unless you have a leak.

[urdrwho]

Well last fall I did a brake fluid flush and maybe I didn't add enough fluid. Nothing appeared during the warm / hot weather and now in this cold I'm getting contraction of the fluid.

 

I have not noticed any fluid leaks on the driveway.

 

I'll check it out tomorrow but it sounds like you are correct.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

your brake fluid is low,

and when really cold it contracts and is even lower.

but as the engine warms up,

and the fluid warms up,

it expands and the light goes out.

 

assuming you do not have a fluid leak,

your brake pads are probably pretty worn.

as the pads wear, the fluid level drops.

when you compress the brake piston to install new pads, the fluid level goes up.

if you fill the master cylinder now,

it may over flow when you replace the pads next time.

 

so add a little brake fluid,

but do not fill it up.

unless you have a leak.

[urdrwho]

Went out this morning, wind chill is - 7F, started the car and the brake light stayed on. Checked the fluid and it was at a satisfactory level but my car is parked facing downward, on my driveways which is a decent grade.

 

Braking seems fine but I've only been driving up and down my driveway (100 feet long). We'll see how it goes later in the morning.

 

Went out 15 minutes later, started the car and no brake light. I've been driving all morning and no brake light.

 

I'm wondering if it has to do with the health of the battery. For 14 years I owned a 1990 Jaguar as my daily driver. I got to know all of the intricacies of codes, etc. One icon that would appear would be the transmission icon and it was well known that if your battery was not up to snuff, it could illuminate the icon. Not sure if that could be the issue with the 97 Outback. In -7 wind chills, the first turns of the battery were a bit tired.

 

your brake fluid is low,

and when really cold it contracts and is even lower.

but as the engine warms up,

and the fluid warms up,

it expands and the light goes out.

 

assuming you do not have a fluid leak,

your brake pads are probably pretty worn.

as the pads wear, the fluid level drops.

when you compress the brake piston to install new pads, the fluid level goes up.

if you fill the master cylinder now,

it may over flow when you replace the pads next time.

 

so add a little brake fluid,

but do not fill it up.

unless you have a leak.