dashboard brake light
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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dashboard brake light
My parking brake light comes on intermittently. The parking brake is plainly off. I also have intermittent brake trouble (hard pushing the pedal and sluggish response).
Does the parking brake light also come on to warn of brake trouble or is the light just connected to the parking brake (if so, any thoughts on what's causing it to light up).
On the brake trouble, any thoughts? What additional info would make the diagnosis easier?
I have a '96 4x4 F250 Ex-cab.
THanks in advance for your thoughts.
Does the parking brake light also come on to warn of brake trouble or is the light just connected to the parking brake (if so, any thoughts on what's causing it to light up).
On the brake trouble, any thoughts? What additional info would make the diagnosis easier?
I have a '96 4x4 F250 Ex-cab.
THanks in advance for your thoughts.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
If it's low on brake fluid, DON'T just fill it up and be on your way. That fluid went somewhere. Some of it has gone into the front brake pistons, if the front pads are extremely worn. But that shouldn't be enough to make the light go on. Most likely you have an external leak to find.
The fact that it lights up with the parking brake is its secondary function. Forgive me if this sounds harsh, but every driver should know that the RED light on the dash that says BRAKE is primarily to warn you of hydraulic failure, and this applies to virtually every car/truck out there. IMHO, it's pretty stupid that, in most cases, they use the same light as the callout for the parking brake, because (and I've seen this all too many times on another car forum I visit) it makes a lot of people think the parking brake indicator is the only function of this light.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 88
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From: MI
Brake Light on dash
Pete in Maine,
I have a 97 f-350 and have the same problem for a couple of months now. I have had all the brakes done and they are perfect. I have changed both switches , one on the brake pedal and one on the emergency brake. I have replaced the wheel cylinders on the rear because one of them looked like it was leaking. I have made sure the master cylinder was full of fluid and the float in there was not stuck in the down position. I have changed the ABS senson on the rear differential. The vacumm on my truck is ok. So mine could be some short in the wiring somewhere I suspect. I don't know but the light is driving me nuts. Maybe you will have better luck finding the problem and if you do please let me know ok.
I have a 97 f-350 and have the same problem for a couple of months now. I have had all the brakes done and they are perfect. I have changed both switches , one on the brake pedal and one on the emergency brake. I have replaced the wheel cylinders on the rear because one of them looked like it was leaking. I have made sure the master cylinder was full of fluid and the float in there was not stuck in the down position. I have changed the ABS senson on the rear differential. The vacumm on my truck is ok. So mine could be some short in the wiring somewhere I suspect. I don't know but the light is driving me nuts. Maybe you will have better luck finding the problem and if you do please let me know ok.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
Pete in Maine,
I have a 97 f-350 and have the same problem for a couple of months now. I have had all the brakes done and they are perfect. I have changed both switches , one on the brake pedal and one on the emergency brake. I have replaced the wheel cylinders on the rear because one of them looked like it was leaking. I have made sure the master cylinder was full of fluid and the float in there was not stuck in the down position. I have changed the ABS senson on the rear differential. The vacumm on my truck is ok. So mine could be some short in the wiring somewhere I suspect. I don't know but the light is driving me nuts. Maybe you will have better luck finding the problem and if you do please let me know ok.
I have a 97 f-350 and have the same problem for a couple of months now. I have had all the brakes done and they are perfect. I have changed both switches , one on the brake pedal and one on the emergency brake. I have replaced the wheel cylinders on the rear because one of them looked like it was leaking. I have made sure the master cylinder was full of fluid and the float in there was not stuck in the down position. I have changed the ABS senson on the rear differential. The vacumm on my truck is ok. So mine could be some short in the wiring somewhere I suspect. I don't know but the light is driving me nuts. Maybe you will have better luck finding the problem and if you do please let me know ok.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,195
Likes: 6
From: Medford Oregon
Pete in Maine,
I have a 97 f-350 and have the same problem for a couple of months now. I have had all the brakes done and they are perfect. I have changed both switches , one on the brake pedal and one on the emergency brake. I have replaced the wheel cylinders on the rear because one of them looked like it was leaking. I have made sure the master cylinder was full of fluid and the float in there was not stuck in the down position. I have changed the ABS senson on the rear differential. The vacumm on my truck is ok. So mine could be some short in the wiring somewhere I suspect. I don't know but the light is driving me nuts. Maybe you will have better luck finding the problem and if you do please let me know ok.
I have a 97 f-350 and have the same problem for a couple of months now. I have had all the brakes done and they are perfect. I have changed both switches , one on the brake pedal and one on the emergency brake. I have replaced the wheel cylinders on the rear because one of them looked like it was leaking. I have made sure the master cylinder was full of fluid and the float in there was not stuck in the down position. I have changed the ABS senson on the rear differential. The vacumm on my truck is ok. So mine could be some short in the wiring somewhere I suspect. I don't know but the light is driving me nuts. Maybe you will have better luck finding the problem and if you do please let me know ok.
,,, best guess.
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Junior User
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Thanks guys. I'll have to get into the brakes as soon as I can. Nearly thirty years of driving and I never learned that the brake light warns of hydrolic trouble (or, until I found this site, that you can rap on a starter to make it work). If only reparing the brakes was going to be as easy as replacing the starter . . .
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Brett Foote
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
Did not believe you but I looked it up and there is a Low Vacuum switch tied into the brake warning indicator ...
There is a low vacuum warning switch located behind the battery, left side of engine compt, of course .. nothing is ever easy to get to. It is solid state device with three wire plug, I'm guessing cause never been down that deep. Looks to me like if you unplugged it for a test and the problem goes away it is either the solid state switch or maybe the actual vacuum to the sensor. Crushes hose maybe .... ,,, best guess.
There is a low vacuum warning switch located behind the battery, left side of engine compt, of course .. nothing is ever easy to get to. It is solid state device with three wire plug, I'm guessing cause never been down that deep. Looks to me like if you unplugged it for a test and the problem goes away it is either the solid state switch or maybe the actual vacuum to the sensor. Crushes hose maybe ....
,,, best guess.
And this explains why the BRAKE light stays on even when you release the parking brake, until you start the engine (no vacuum).Yeah, I know, if you leave the p-brake on it's bad for the brakes. If you have no vacuum boost, it's hard to brake. But you usually still have something. With a hydraulic failure, depending on what has failed, you may have some brake function, but you may well have NONE. It's usually a much more dire thing than losing power boost, or dragging the p-brake. They shoulda made it mandatory years ago, that whatever other warning lights / functions they combine anywhere else, the hydraulic failure warning must be its own separate light. It should be twice as big as any other dash light. It should light up the whole cab. It should be visible from planes flying over. It should play the Star Trek red alert soundtrack. It should call your grandmother in the middle of the night and warn her.
Oops, did that all come out out-loud?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
All the brake light warning light info is in your OWNERS MANUAL
here's a quote:
The red warning light for the brakes can show three things — that either the parking brake is not fully released, that the brake fluid level is low in the master cylinder reservoir or the vacuum pressure is low on diesel engine vehicles. If the fluid level is low, the brake system should be checked by a qualified service technician.
This light comes on when you turn the ignition key to START to verify that the indicator bulb is working. If the light stays on or comes on after you have released the parking brake fully, have the hydraulic brake system serviced.
here's a quote:
The red warning light for the brakes can show three things — that either the parking brake is not fully released, that the brake fluid level is low in the master cylinder reservoir or the vacuum pressure is low on diesel engine vehicles. If the fluid level is low, the brake system should be checked by a qualified service technician.
This light comes on when you turn the ignition key to START to verify that the indicator bulb is working. If the light stays on or comes on after you have released the parking brake fully, have the hydraulic brake system serviced.
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