Thank you so much for this! My 2012 Subaru Impreza had the Brake light come on and off at random times while I was driving. Been that way for 5 months until it finally got bad enough that I decided to take a look at it. As soon as I looked at my master cylinder, I saw that I was low on brake fluid (right on the Min line.) Filled it back up and the light was gone for good.
Superb video! You are a very gifted communicator. My 1989 E34 beeps continuously while driving. The sound stops for a few seconds on pressing the brake pedal and then starts again when I take my foot off the pedal! No one has a solution. All the best.
Also to determine (on some cars ) if its your reservoir sensor or e-brake sensor. It should get brighter if you put the e-brake on. If it doesn't get brighter its you e-brake (switch)
Thanks Brian. Wifeys brake lights been on for a month. Checked the fluid. Fine jiggled the ebrake. Stays on. This happened shortly after replacing pads at all 4 corners. But the ABS light is on too. Another strange occurrence is that the pedal is soft and goes to the floor after starting and hardens up after a couple depressions. Then continues to work fine. Also feeling a bit of wobble in the pedal as I roll to a stop. Checked all hardware, all pads still covered in meat. No overheating at any corner. 2003 grand cherokee loredo 4.0
I have one to add to your list that happened to me recently working on my Ford Focus 2007 with rear drum brakes. The new brake drums do not come with the tone ring for ABS. learn the hard way I installed the drums without swapping over the tone ring. The dash lite up like a Christmas tree with traction control, ABS and the red brake lamp warning. Code C1235 and C1236, had me puzzled at first but with a little internet search I discovered the magnetic removable tone rings. I hope this helps others.
That's how I do it also very good but I also take the cap off The master cylinder just to make sure that the air escapes because sometimes it can put air in the brake lines not all the time but I have had it do it before I never have after I start taking the Off
My brake light is an enigma. Brake fluid is full and fresh. Brakes in perfect working condition. Also fresh parking brake cables. Today I swapped out the parking brake switch, and STILL have that annoying brake light on the dash. Any clues what to look for next? Thinking MAYBE the wire going to the switch? Forgot to slap the probes on it while I had the center console out. Any tips on what to check next would be much appreciated.
I've always been taught to never push the old fluid back up in reverse through the ABS and master cylinder seals. I just have a simple brake caliper spreader tool with a screw/knob and a plate shaped like a brake pad which sits against the caliper and you use the old inner pad to screw/push the piston(s) back in more consistently and evenly instead of c-clamps and pry bars. I always open the bleeder screw, then the piston(s) are much easier to depress (very little effort required) and the old fluid spits out into a drain pan, then you top off the reservoir with fresh fluid (if low add fluid first). Just my .02 But then, what do I know, I'm just the "Village Idiot".
When I first got my 1988 C1500 on the road 2 months ago, my parking brake light came on and didn't flash. And now it's been flashing and it's been doing it since last Tuesday.
Good stuff Brian - some scan tools may show a pid for a on-off signal. Seems the more toys on a vehicle requires more toys to fix them. You can never have too many toys. :)
When ever I do a disc brake job, I cycle the pistons in and out a few times, except I open the bleeder so it also flushes out the old fluid. Cycling the piston in and out a few times seems to help remove any varnish build up that may cause the piston to hang up in the caliper and prematurely wear the new pads.
Dear, i have Lexus Is200. the brake lights on dashboard when i press emergency brake pedal, but the hand brake function quite well, when i push it on the light comes on and when i press down the lights comes down, when i press brake pedal the handbrake light comes on and doesn't switch off untill i switch off the engine... The brake fluid is Ok! please can you help to fix it?
Hi, Brian ! Will you be getting a better camera this year ? Did Santa leave you one ? I like your presentations but the wobbly image makes me feel like I am on acid..... again after many years of being out out it. Cheers, Gweedo (Gordon).
Helpful! My Windstar threw lights on everything all the time. 20 years, original owner, 60K miles, and the electronics just all started failing. My Grand Caravon just lit the brake and ABS light. Code reader showed "no codes". Fuses all intact. Here we go again.
I've no idea why you think a pry bar having flexibility or some other attribute, makes any difference. However, you're supposed to take the cap off (loosened) when retracting the calipers, and check the fluid level in case it might overflow due to someone topping it off while the prior brake rotors were partially worn so with new pads there is now too much fluid. Now what the heck happened with your video? It ended abruptly as if you lost some footage? Anyway, it seems crazy to me to suggest and link to pry bars for this job. Most people just use a c-clamp, or there are purpose built piston tools that either rotate the piston (on vehicles requiring this) or just 4 X-shaped pieces that rise in height when you turn a bolt and force nut-stubs together to expand them. There is also a spreader like a specialized c-clamp with a much longer screw and jaw width. Any of these seem superior to using two prybars, but of course prybars have other legitimate uses too so I suppose you use what you have, but the prybars seem to be the most fiddly and least precise way to apply uniform pressure.
I have this problem on my 04 STi. Its not the hand brake because the brake light illuminates brighter when engaged and the master cylinder is full. Are there any other ways of finding out why its not clearing off the cluster?
Mu toyota tundra had a plastic plate break out where a push button switch needed to be depressed in the brake pedal arm under the dash. It caused my rear brake Lights to be on all the time so you could not know if I I was braking. The brake lights in th rear were on all the time.
Ok so I have a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer I just bought October 31st Halloween 2022 a little over 2months ago after a month of having the truck it started leaking brake fluid out of the left front tire my brother in law looked at at the brake pads were so worn down it was ridiculous and the caliper was blown! So I bought new brakes, rotors, and brake pads and he put them in it was good for about 2 weeks than about a week ago my car started leaking power steering fluid really bad I tried buying the power steering "Stop leak" fluid let's just say I went thru about 5 bottles in 2 days! It was leaking within 20mins of putting the brake fluid in, I took it to the mechanic because it was becoming really hard to turn the steering wheel and all and was starting to even stall, so the mechanic did a diagnostic on my truck called me an hour later and said I needed a new rack and pinion replacement and also an alignment so I said let's do it, it cost me $1400 I picked it up today all the reservoirs we're filled power steering fluid, brake fluid, everything they topped off to the max but I got in my truck to leave and noticed the red ip brake light was on, I made sure the Ebrake was all the way down and not triggering the red brake light to stay on the Ebrake was all the way down and it is completely filled with power steering fluid, and brake fluid , new rotors, brakes, brake pads, caliper, just got new rack, pinion, and alignment, so why would the red ip brake light be on? I do not understand? Someone please help me I am so stressed I don't understand and don't want to hurt anything on my vehicle by driving it but it's driving fine and nothing should be wrong? Please someone help me🙏🙏
Like Robert said above Don't push the fluid in the line backup. Let it drain through the bleeders. You risk damaging the abs system by doing it the way you are showing
I appreciate you looking out for me Nick. I've heard that before, but in the thousands of brake jobs I've done this way I have a 100% success rate without damaging a single ABS system. Now muffler bearings and blinker-fluid system leaks... not so good! ; )
Alright, how about this. No lights are on when idling at a stop. As soon as the car reaches 5 mph forward or reverse the brake light comes on, the ABS light comes on and the chime and "service brake system" message come on. Then when a stop is achieved, there are again no lights whatsoever. No codes are thrown, just everything at once when the car starts moving and it remains until it stops completely.
had an issue last three month get empty fluid with no evidence of lake so refill again get also empty there's no sign of lake brake light on traction control on
The fluid does go down and brake pads wear. There's a range that the fluid should be in that's okay. If it's empty, you have a leak. Sometimes the leak is into the cab of the car by the pedal or gets burned off in the brake drums if it's a slight leak in a wheel cylinder over time. I've also seen brake hosed with a down loop drip point that drips straight to the ground, but only under heavy braking.
@@briansmobile1 No lake inside or outside of the car hoses all inspected I am afraid it could lead the oil inside the engine or booster valve forced the oil into the engine the JK has only Disks no drums
I believe the brake warning light also comes on with unequal pressure in the divided brake system. If one half of the brake system should fail, develop a leak, the light will come on.
Just a general compliment. Your so good at showing how things should work and what might be wrong.. Also great at explaining how to resolve your issues. Thank you!
Hey awesome video! I have a Ford Taurus as well and this just happened to me yesterday! My fluid is fine but that light stays on i haven't checked the plunger you showed in the video yet. But if that is the issue how would i fix it?
My mom has a 2006 buick rendezvous cxl. When she starts driving it after 1min the beeping chiming noise goes off and will continue the whole time you drive unless you turn it off, also the anti lock, brake light go on, but brakes are not locked obviously... so any ideas?? I've researched these cars have A LOT of issues but I'm trying to fix these issues for her one by one. Thank you
Fun thing that I've found with my Subaru about the brake fluid level: Put in new pads every 4 corner, adjust fluid the way it's exactly at top mark in the reservoir. And then when the warning light comes on for low level, you'll find out that brake pads need replacing soon. That's with STI brembos, guess the caliper pistons pull so much fluid with pads wearing out that happens. I'm thinking the engineers never thought it that way and it's just coincidence.
Your rear drum brakes have an automatic adjuster that works when you back up fast enough in reverse and step on the brake hard enough. Most people don't do that fast enough or hard enough to cause the adjusters to do their work hence your brake system may detect the maladjustment of the rear brakes. That happened with my vehicle. The solution is to find an empty parking lot, back up quickly (maybe 10 mph) and step on the brake hard. Repeat five times or so and the light will turn off. Worked for me.
Might try this, I reversed and put up handbrake... in a fast motion as I wanted to get car out of the way of the narrow road, then this problem happened
Interesting. I've got a 1990 mazda pickup and had my hand brake engaged backed up 2 feet before I noticed. Now my brake light on dash stays on. Might try this.
So the plate pushes the plunger and it shows brake. When released the plunger spring pushes plunger back out. That’s exactly what I saw happen in this video. So I’m confused as to why you say the plunger switch failed.
My brake light was on because I had removed the abs light bulb out of cluster on my 03 jeep grand cherokee. However when u remove the abs bulb light it will then cause your brake light lamp to illuminate.
Would this also cause the ABS light to come on? I notice that when you pushed on the caliper (pushing the pistons back into the caliper) so you put the brake fluid back into the master cylinder, that fluid had to go back through the ABS motor, which could clog up the fine holds in the motor and cause other problems. Don't you need to release the brake lines( loosen the fittings) so that the fluid doesn't take the chance to plug up the motor?
I have a question, when pressing the piston, do I need to remove the master cylinder cap? If I don't remove the master cylinder cap, isn;t there have pressure inside the system?
So what if you don't fix this issue will there be severe consequences and quickly or no because it's been a month and I have brake light on and I haven't fixed please respond thanks
I had a brake line rupture and lost all my brake fluid. I replaced the brake line along with 3 others, bled my brake system and topped off fluid but my brake light and TC light are still on. Will they reset themselves or do I have to have them reset with a scan tool? It's been 2 days so I feel like if the lights were going to reset themselves they would have done it by now. Vehicle is a 2005 Cadillac escalade ext. My dash display also reads service brake system and stability system disabled.
I have a brake light that doesn't come on until you've drove the car a 1/4 mile or so, then I hear an alarm DING and it comes on and it does that without applying any brake. If I start it up in the driveway the only way I can get the brake light to come on is to apply the E-Brake, light comes on, release it the light goes off repeatably! Still setting in the driveway and idling and depressing the brake peddle, put it in drive, back to park the brake light WILL NOT COME ON! I've replaced the brake fluid sensor, I've unplugged the sensor, and I jump the harness plug which activated the brake light (parked in the driveway) With the sensor completed disconnected the brake light still came on during a short drive (same as with the sensor installed and connected) Its full of brake fluid, no work was done to the brakes within the past year or so, it has a very good feeling (full) brake peddle. It is displaying the ABS light but that was that way when we bought the car 120,000 miles ago. What else is tied to the brake light? Its a 2005 Dodge Caravan.
Well you have fix my problem thank you I was wondering why it was coming on while I was driving and then goes away and it was bcaz I replace the caliber and but never to dot3 on my container to fill it all the way to the safe fill lol
Good vid but pretend he never said jake break. That’s only on diesels and actually has nothing to do with your breaks. Also make sure you open your break fluid reservoir cap before depressing calipers.
Nice work Brian's mobile one. I haven't watched some of your videos in a long time. I hope you're well. Know that I think very highly of you, and your character. Your goodness comes across in your videos. ____________I live in Ohio, and recently had a good vacation cycling up the West Coast of Florida. Jumping from hotel to hotel. _________Happy 2022 to you and your family.
Interesting comment at the beginning, my 2004 MINI Cooper S has the brake booster and master cylinder directly in front of the driver on the left side 🤔
Hope this helps been dealing with my break lights going on right when /(or a while after ) driving around. Considering to buy new headlights and break lights housings... doesn't feel safe to drive around most of the time ... even less in the day when I can't see my break lights going on
My alternator and brake light came on and after replacing alternator both lights went away on my 2005 Nissan Altima drove me crazy trying to find out why the brake light was on I looked and didn’t find anything wrong
Why use the prybar? It is so much easier to use a large "C" clamp like a 10 inch with the old brake pads to push the pistons back, also there is less opportunity for the caliper to roll on ya. Just wanted to know is all mate, maybe there is another way I haven't found yet.
Can the brake light come on due to transmission fluid being out? My brake light has been coming on and off and tonight my car just stopped moving when I was in drive wouldn’t even move when in reverse either.
I had this happen to me. Was weird. The "brake" indicator would come on, but when the weather warmed up, the light would go out. Then I found this video. I checked the brake fluid and it was not low, but it was not full either. I topped off the brake fluid. Problem solved. I suspect the brake fluid level was just right on the edge of the light coming on. When the weather warmed up, the brake fluid warmed up and expanded just enough that the sensor would detect it being "good."
Just keep in mind that some MC's are finicky when it comes to forcing fluid back in them. I have seen MC's ruined because of this. Here's a tip, if you run the risk of snapping the bleeder screw off, loosen the banjo bolt and bleed it from there.
My Chevy Optra/ Lacetti 2004's brake warning light comes on when I apply the brake first time after starting the vehicle and then stays on. ABS light goes off stays off once I start the engine. Can anyone help? I dont feel any problem in braking and brake fluid level is also okay. The light comes on after applying the brake and stays on. .
Ty for the information. I'm pretty sure this is what has happened with my 05 silverado 1500. I let it sit way too long and it's having some issues. Was going to take it to a mechanic last week and the shifter linkage disconnected from the transmission so its been one thing after another
I guess my pick up truck has that issue,,, and guess what , the inspection fail this year,, the mechanics tell my wife they ll' fix that problem , going to be around $600 dollars 👿👿
Bummer, the brake lights on the rear of the car ( Torrent ) are lighting as the car goes down the road. step on the brakes a light, they are all on, step off the brake to go when the light turns green they go off and within a 100 feet, sometimes sooner the brake lights come back on and stay on including the third brake light. so on to look for more answers
On my 2002 Monte Carlo either the float switch keeps sticking or the Parking brake switch system is fouled up because my light comes on intermittently. My car is know to have electrical connection issues.
On my older F150, the brake light also comes on when the alternator has failed. Learned that while driving to work a few weeks ago. Of course there are other symptoms present when this happens.
