Extreme help needed ASAP

[ProtoPower13]

Hey y'all,

So as of recently, whenever I've started braking or seem to put a good amount of pressure on the brakes to slow down for a light or whatever, the hand brake light comes on and then goes off after I start driving again. Do I need new pads? Do I need to have the lines checked? What's going on?

Thanks,

ProtoPower13

 

[Cleverfrog]

check the fluid

 

[kosteniuks17]

I swapped my brake fluid and it disappeared.

 

[sleepwalker]

Your brake fluid is likely a tiny bit low. Top it off and it'll go away.

After that, start searching for a fluid leak. It doesn't evaporate and it doesn't drain and there's only one other way for it to get out - leaking. (I don't mean to frighten you, but I replaced one of my rear calipers three times before I found one that didn't leak.)

 

[thuzil]

Brake light will come on only for 3 reasons.
1) ABS failure (will also see the ABS light)
2) Emergency brake is engaged
3) Brake fluid is low

 

[ProtoPower13]

Thanks guys, I'll take a look at those this weekend when I get the time

 

[hornsfan10609]

Don't wait just pop the hood and check the level

 

[JaLMP5]

^ YES!!! The title of this thread had ASAP so I expect the same urgency on your part, especially seeing that if this has been happening for a while your fluid maybe very low. Plus the whole it stops the car when you're going 70mph before you run into the back of a trailer hauling spears thing(hypothetical of course).

 

[Jezis]

Rear calipers tend to leak. Its easy to tell cuz you'll se plenty of black fluid around the caliper or inside the wheel. I had a rubber hose that connected to the clutch master (located under the intake that helped leak too)

 

[tweety2300]

Lol " my brakes don't work, but ill take 5 minutes to post a thread but won't take 30 seconds to pop the hood and make sure I have brake fluid"

Sure hope no one pulls out in front of you. Although it would be you stupidity and laziness to blame. Not trying to be a dick but Jesus you could literally check everything suggested while getting gas it would take 1 minute 2 at the most, but you would rather risk your life and other people's instead

End rant

 

[JesseM]

the OP should also let us know what fixed it

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Don't manual tranny cars share fluid between brakes and clutch? Might check clutch pedal area and slave cylinder areas for leaks too vs just the calipers.

 

[kosteniuks17]

Yes I believe it uses the same fluid for both.

 

[915_P5]

My car was also doing what the op stated, I checked the fluid and it was at the min line so toped off. Will check later on as soon as I get out of work if the lights cones back on

 

[kosteniuks17]

I've also heard that the brake fluid does a fairly bad job of water condensation and sometime if the water is trapped in the fluid it can cause brake problems and maybe even the brake light. Not sure if I have a source but I swear I read that somewhere. If your going to top it off, you might as well bleed it completely and refill. I mean that fluid is probably still from original purchase like 10-12 years old. Probably worth your time to just completely swap the fluid. Thats what I did, and it went right away. I also felt slightly better braking.

 

[915_P5]

Update- I filled the brake fluid and light cleared. I had always noticed the light on i n the morning, but no light today.

 

[ProtoPower13]

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been able to get on recently I've been working a lot and trying to deal with work but just so everyone knows I haven't been driving the car since the incident in question. However, back to the topic on hand, the brake fluid is half way filled (dunno if it needs to be completely full) but there's no leaking in any of the calibers. So is there a possibility that it's the pads or what do I look for next?

 

[hotcracker69]

replace and flush brake fluid every 2 years- regardless of miles

 

[whatusername]

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been able to get on recently I've been working a lot and trying to deal with work but just so everyone knows I haven't been driving the car since the incident in question. However, back to the topic on hand, the brake fluid is half way filled (dunno if it needs to be completely full) but there's no leaking in any of the calibers. So is there a possibility that it's the pads or what do I look for next?

on the brake master cyl there is a low and full line make sure the fluid is on the full line

 

[hat1018]

If the fluid is low at all you have a leak somewhere. Brake fluid doesn't just disappear. Keep looking, find and repair the leak, then flush out the remaining fluid.