Brake light on then off?

[rockford33]

I was driving to work today and about 10 minutes into my commute realized my brake light was on. First thing I did was check to make sure my e-brake was fully off. It was, so I pulled into a local Pep Boys parking lot. As soon as I turn into the lot, the light goes off. I check my Owner's Manual, and it suggested checking the fluid level. Fluid level is ok, a good bit above the minimum level. So I start the car back up, put the e-brake down, and the light goes off. I finish the drive to work (about another 10 minutes) and the light never came back on.

 

Could this have been a small electrical quirk? I am going to keep an eye on it, but everything drove and braked normally even when the light was on. Should I take it to the dealer immediately? I don't want to be stuck this weekend if the brake light comes back on, but going to the dealer today would be real difficult for me to get off of work, and they don't do warranty work on the weekend (I only have about 35,500 miles on the car).

 

Any thoughts/suggestions appreciated.

 

-Neil

[Opie]

Check your brake fluid level...if the level is low enough it can trigger the sensor.

[TRS]

Check your brake fluid level...if the level is low enough it can trigger the sensor.

...and after driving a bit the fluid heats up and expands so it shows above the low level line. Or, the parking brake switch is a touch out of adjustment and didn't sense that the e-brake lever was all the way down.

[rockford33]

Well, the brake light did not come on again yesterday. I drove it at lunch and home from work.

 

Get in the car this morning, start it up, and remembered to check the brake fluid level. It was above minimum, a little less than halfway between minimum and maximum (just under the seam in the resevoir). Start driving, and the brake light comes on two minutes later. Drive another couple of minutes and pull into the first parking lot, and again as I turn into the parking lot the brake light goes off. Circle throug the parking lot and drive the rest of the way to work and it never comes on again.

 

I think I need the e-brake position switch adjusted/replaced. I am going to try and take it in on Tuesday and see if the dealer can fix it, or does anyone know how.if I can adjust it myself? I really need to get the service manuals sometime.

 

Thanks,

Neil

[gianspi]

I had this same problem. The momentum is pushing the brake fluid in the reservoir to one side, making the sensor think it is empty. Fill it to the "MAX" line.

[snork]

Anyone bring it to have this problem checked and have it resolved? If so, what was the outcome? My wife's 06 Legacy brake light has been coming on randomly the past week and the brake fluid (while cold) is 1/2 way between the min/max indicators.

 

She is coming up on 40k, so it may just be time for new brakes. Does any one know for sure if this light also indicates break wear? TIA

[fweasel]

I recently put on my track pads for a day at the track. I don't use shims on them so after pressing the brake pedal a few times to get the pistons to make contact with the pads, the fluid level in the resevoir dropped lower than normal (still above MIN). It wasn't until I was lapping at speed that the brake light began to flicker and eventually stay on.

 

My fluid level was over the MIN mark and considered a safe level by the manual. I didn't want to add any fluid because as soon as my street pads went back on, I would need to remove fluid from the system. As TRS mentioned, the sloshing of the fluid in the resevoir made the light come on at various times duing heavy braking, cornering and acceleration.

 

The brake idiot light definitely prefers the fluid level to be very close or at the MAX level point in the resevoir. This is much much more likely scenario than an electric gremlin.