E brake light

[mn03protege5]

The car is an 03 Protege 5. The e-brake light comes and goes off. After the car sits overnight, the e-brake warning light will come on during normal braking and then it will go out.

The owner's manual states it could be low brake fluid or a problem with the electronic brake distribution system. We have checked the parking brake, brake fluid level and they are fine. There is no indication of worn pads. Has anyone had this occur when it was not the brake fluid or have any ideas? Or does anyone know if the computer will store the warning light occurance so it will be seen with diagnostic equipment? any help is appreciated.

 

[CheeseHelmet]

It could be air in the lines, try bleeding your brakes.

 

[SASK P5]

my brake fluid would go down just enough under braking to set off the light but when i checked it it was still above the minimum. i had a leaking caliper, which is why mine wasn't quite full. but it could be low brake fluid if it is a little above the min mark

 

[mn03protege5]

Thanks for the responses. I think the fluid level is OK, but will double check it tonight on level ground. There could be air in the lines, but the brake pedal performance does't indicate that. Any other thoughts will be appreciated. I will probably bring it in later this week if I can't figure it out.

 

[NickC]

Did you ever find the solution to this problem? Mine is doing the same thing.

 

[ihone]

major bump from the past, eh Nick?

How's your fluid level? Check that, as it seems to plague quite a few of us. Top it off and see if the issue resolves itself.

 

[rit14623]

I had the same issue with mine.
I ended up replacing both rear brake calipers because they wouldn't open up easily. After that, the e-brake light doesn't go on unless it is engaged.

 

[kosteniuks17]

I flushed out my brake fluid this past week, and the brake light is not showing up when i brake hard anymore like it used to. Now it only turns on when i set my ebrake.

 

[superchargedx]

Haha, I had a a P5 come into work years ago with this problem and ended up finding some change that had fallen down in the handbrake area and was shorting the handbrake switch (showing handbrake ON)!!

If that is not the issue, I would bet that the float in the master is stuck

Sean

 

[M2P503]

My Brake light just came on hopefully its just a misaligned Emergency brake light switch that just needs to be re aligned because i checked the brake fluid and its above average level by just a little bit so at this point im guessing it's its a break leak some where i just have to find out where. I hope to God i dont have to replace the Brake Caliper because i have done that before. Or what about a wheel cylinder could it be that?

 

[pcb]

Check that float switch in the fluid reservoir,... if it's not floating it makes (or breaks) the connection turning on (or off) the switch. You can test for continuity at the connector (an ohm meter would be better,.. it would show a small resistance that may not set off a continuity beeper but may still conduct enough to trigger the light) on the master cylinder. I'm just guessing here (again) but I'm thinking old and dirty brake fluid could conduct electricity and set off that switch even if you remove the float. Check the little connection point at the bottom of the reservoir if you empty it out,.. look for dirt on the connection, like dirty water going into a battery. I don't know if the anti-lock braking system is tied to that light or not (it was on my old Tracker,... I just ignored it,.. I had no rear brakes for over two years until I junked it). Changing the fluid in the reservoir is a good idea anyway,... bleeding them is even better. (I bleed three of mine but broke the bleeder on the front passenger side so it's gonna have old fluid in it until I change the caliper. Even an easy out just broke inside the bleeder,...)

 

[rit14623]

My Brake light just came on hopefully its just a misaligned Emergency brake light switch that just needs to be re aligned because i checked the brake fluid and its above average level by just a little bit so at this point im guessing it's its a break leak some where i just have to find out where. I hope to God i dont have to replace the Brake Caliper because i have done that before. Or what about a wheel cylinder could it be that?

The rear brakes on a Protege5 do not have drums so there will be no wheel cylinder.

 

[tweety2300]

Calipers aren't bad I did it in about 20 minutes after pulling the wheel off. 2 12 or 14mm bolts to hold it onto the bracket, 10mm for brake line then reassemble bleed and adjust

A normal caliper takes 15-20 minutes start to finish.

 

[Justin2129]

Haha, I had a a P5 come into work years ago with this problem and ended up finding some change that had fallen down in the handbrake area and was shorting the handbrake switch (showing handbrake ON)!!


Sean

hmm ill have to check this in my wife's mustang!

changing a caliper is super easy

 

[M2P503]

Check that float switch in the fluid reservoir,... if it's not floating it makes (or breaks) the connection turning on (or off) the switch. You can test for continuity at the connector (an ohm meter would be better,.. it would show a small resistance that may not set off a continuity beeper but may still conduct enough to trigger the light) on the master cylinder. I'm just guessing here (again) but I'm thinking old and dirty brake fluid could conduct electricity and set off that switch even if you remove the float. Check the little connection point at the bottom of the reservoir if you empty it out,.. look for dirt on the connection, like dirty water going into a battery. I don't know if the anti-lock braking system is tied to that light or not (it was on my old Tracker,... I just ignored it,.. I had no rear brakes for over two years until I junked it). Changing the fluid in the reservoir is a good idea anyway,... bleeding them is even better. (I bleed three of mine but broke the bleeder on the front passenger side so it's gonna have old fluid in it until I change the caliper. Even an easy out just broke inside the bleeder,...)

Thanks PCB ill check the connection in the Brake float with an Ohm tester and see if there is current going to it ill also change out the Brake Fluid to

 

[pcb]

Thanks PCB ill check the connection in the Brake float with an Ohm tester and see if there is current going to it ill also change out the Brake Fluid to

Sort of. Set your meter to OHMs but you don't want power in the circuit. The Ohmeter supplied it's own power to a dead circuit then measures how much comes back,... that determines the resistance. You can use the Voltmeter in a live circuit to make sure power is going to it. I'll go check mine now then edit this.

I just played with my car and it's really easy to test the float switch,... Just unplug it. If the light goes off in your car then you know it's the float switch. It's the black connector on top of the reservoir with two black wires running in and out of it. Just push the little tab and pull out the plug.
I verified that mine was working by pushing the float down and the light came on (only when the connector was plugged in of course),... So no need for any tools even for that test,.. If your light stays on I would check the switch connected at the p-brake lever.
I suppose it is possible that the two black wires could be shorted (both wires bared and touching each other) somewhere along their length but that kinda thing isn't very common.

 

[M2P503]

My brake light is still on and my brakes are still loosing brake fluid and i checked all the brake lines they seem to be fine so im not sure where it's coming from . I keep filling up my brake fluid like every 3 days do you guys have any suggestions? I hope it's not my master brake cylinder =-(

 

[tweety2300]

If its every 3 days you have a pretty big leak, most likely a caliper. Find a dry spot of pavement and pump the brakes alot, as in 50-100 pumps but not quick hard ones just do it as if you're making a regular stop. Get out and inspect under your car there should be a puddle of brake fluid where ever the leak is