When you see some warning light illuminated on the dash of your vehicle, this may be quite stressful. Especially if this warning light says that there is a problem with the braking system in your car. So, you better read this article and understand the primary reasons why it may illuminate and some ways to turn it off effectively.
The brake light of your dashboard may be turned off after locating and fixing the problem that has caused it to go on. Something like this:
- your parking brake is engaged;
- the parking brake switch is faulty;
- the brake fluid is low;
- the brake pads are worn out;
- there is a glitch in the ECU or in the dash;
- some other problem with brakes is causing the light.
Now, that you know what exactly can cause the brake light to turn on the dash of your car, it's time to look closer at each of the possible reasons and see how you can deal with them.
1. Parking brake is engaged - the best scenario
If your parking brake is engaged, you shouldn't start driving. In some cases, the car will not move even if you try to drive. But if the brake is not very tight, you will be able to drive. And the brake pads will be wearing out heavily.
Also, such driving will overheat the brake rotors, overload the engine and the clutch, and may cause all types of other problems.
That's why car manufacturers came up with the idea to light up the brake warning light and even to accompany it sometimes with special sounds and messages on your dash to let you know the parking brake is still on.
Here's what you should do:
- don't start driving when the parking brake is still on and you see the warning light on the dash;
- check that the parking brake is fully down;
- for this, press the button on the parking brake and press it down till you reach the limit;
- while doing this, don't forget to press the brake pedal and ensure your transmission is in P to avoid your car rolling;
- after you do so, the warning light should be off.
Well, it doesn't mean that there is only one reason for this problem. In some cases, after you do everything said above, you will still see the warning light on the dashboard. If this happened, just keep reading and follow other guidelines to locate the issue.
2. Parking brake switch is faulty
This is a very common problem for older cars or for those that have been damaged by water. For example, you may have spilled some coffee right onto the parking brake a month ago and now the brake switch is broken because of liquid damage.
Here's what you can do to check this:
- start the engine to make sure your ECU works correctly;
- apply the parking brake and then turn it off - repeat this a couple of times;
- when the parking brake is off, wobble the lever a little and see if the light goes on and off;
- remember if you spilled some liquid onto the parking brake recently.
Also, if you have the needed tools and some experience, you may find the location of the parking brake switch and check it. In some vehicles, replacing the switch is not that hard, so you can just buy this pretty affordable part and replace it on your own. But in modern cars, this is close to impossible due to complicated procedures, so let professionals do this.
If you decide to buy and install a new parking brake switch, just choose an OEM part.
3. Low brake fluid level - another obvious reason
You may also check the brake fluid level - this is one more common reason for the brake warning light on your dash. Low brake fluid may be dangerous, especially if it keeps changing and going down. Your brakes may just lose effectiveness or stop working at all if the fluid level is low.
So, you need to take measures as soon as possible.
Checking the fluid level may be a bit challenging in some vehicles. Here's what you should do:
- turn off the engine and put in the parking brake to avoid rolling;
- open the hood and come to the engine bay;
- locate the brake fluid reservoir (it's a small plastic tank that may say DOT4 or something like that);
- check if there are MIN and MAX marks on the reservoir;
- if yes, make sure that the liquid inside is between these marks and close to the MAX mark;
- if no, unscrew the lid and look inside;
- you will most likely need to consult the manual to understand if the level of brake fluid is low.
If you found out that the brake fluid level is low, just add the appropriate fluid. Be careful with the quality - never use cheap brake fluid.
Now, you are sure that the parking brake is OK, and the fluid level is OK, but the brake warning light is still on. Well, check again that the parking brake is off because you've just applied it to avoid your car rolling. Still see this annoying light? Let's go further!
4. Warn out brake pads
Your braking system may have special sensors that catch the moment when brake pads are worn out critically and send the warning light on the dash. In most cases, you will also see the message explaining why the light was on. But some vehicles don't bother throwing explanations, they just turn on the light.
Checking brake pads may be challenging in some vehicles and you also may not know how to understand if the brake pad is still OK or if it is living the last days of its life. So, the best strategy, in this case, is to let professionals check the pads.
Eventually, if you already checked everything else, there is only a little chance that some other unit may be in charge of that nasty warning light.
Replacing brake pads is also a task for an experienced car mechanic. You shouldn't even try to do this unless you have the proper experience.
5. Other braking system problems and glitches
Different vehicles may have other sensors that are connected to the braking system directly or indirectly. When something goes wrong, these sensors will trigger the warning light and save some error code in the ECU.
Making a list of those possible issues is not something I want to do because it would take hours of time and would be of no practical use to you.
So, just remember that the four reasons listed above have to be checked first and will be the reasons for the brake warning light on the dash of your car in about 98% of cases. But there are also other problems that are harder to locate and that should be inspected by professional mechanics.
Locating braking system issues and glitches
If you couldn't find the problem using the guidelines above, you can think about other methods. One of the most obvious and effective is using of scanner tools.
Here's how you can do it:
- get a scanner that is compatible with your vehicle;
- get some software that will help you read the error codes properly;
- connect the scanner to the diagnostics slot in your car;
- launch the software and use its possibilities to read the codes;
- find the codes that tell you about braking system issues;
- write down the codes and investigate them on specialized forums or ask an experienced car mechanic.
This is the simple method that will show you why the brake warning light is on the dashboard of your car. If it's on, there should be a certain code behind it in the ECU. And if this code is there, you should obviously find its reason and see how you can solve the problem.
Sometimes, just deleting the code will be enough. The error may be spontaneous and the problem is already solved. But the code is still there and it needs to be cleaned manually with the scanner.
What should you do when you suddenly see the brake warning light?
Once you see the brake warning light in your vehicle, you should immediately stop the vehicle and avoid driving it until you figure out what the problem is. If it's about a faulty switch, you can continue driving with no limitations. But if the light indicated bad brake pads or low brake fluid level, driving your vehicle is not safe anymore.
If you can't locate and solve the issue right there and then, it's much safer for you to call a tow truck and have your car delivered to a trusted repair shop or to the dealership.
Another option is to inspect the vehicle using my guidelines from this article and eventually find the problem. Maybe, you can even solve the problem on the roadside or find out that the issue is not serious and you can keep driving.
Always pay attention to any issue with brakes and avoid driving your car if this issue is serious!
About the authors
The CarAraC research team is composed of seasoned auto mechanics and automotive industry professionals, including individuals with advanced degrees and certifications in their field. Our team members boast prestigious credentials, reflecting their extensive knowledge and skills. These qualifications include: IMI: Institute of the Motor Industry, ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technicians; Coventry University, Graduate of MA in Automotive Journalism; Politecnico di Torino, Italy, MS Automotive Engineering; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mechanical University in Skopje; TOC Automotive College; DHA Suffa University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
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