Brake Light staying on and ABS question

[Lightning Blue]

Very recently the Camry has an odd problem with the brakes: We installed snow tires, and afterwards, the rear brake lights randomly stay on, or randomly come on while driving (I'll be doing 65 MPH, look back, and the brake lights are on) which causes Cruise to cut out.

If I tap the brakes, the lights go back off. I don't think the brakes are dragging or anything.

Is the problem the switch on the brake pedal, or something related to the tire change out?

Edit: This looks like the part. Am I correct? It also looks like it has a way to adjust it! I think I'll see if that came loose or something.

[haux]

Originally Posted by Lightning Blue

Edit: This looks like the part. Am I correct? It also looks like it has a way to adjust it! I think I'll see if that came loose or something.

Sort of strange that the tires had any affect on this. The best way to tell if it's the correct one is to actually go through their parts catalog... selecting the year, model, etc. If it's listed under there for your car, then it's likely the correct one.

[WISHYWASHY]

I had the brake light on and off for a week about a month ago, similar symptoms, and turns out it was my brake pads that was worn out in the back

is your brake pedal really low? mine was.

[hill8570]

First thing to check is the brake fluid level in the reservoir (driver's side, near firewall). If that ain't it, then it gets more complicated...

[Lightning Blue]

Originally Posted by WISHYWASHY

I had the brake light on and off for a week about a month ago, similar symptoms, and turns out it was my brake pads that was worn out in the back

is your brake pedal really low? mine was.

Interesting, I had the brakes checked when I bought the car last April and the back pads were at 80%, I doubt they've worn out that much, but I'll check them out.

I have no real reference for the pedal being "low".

Originally Posted by hill8570

First thing to check is the brake fluid level in the reservoir (driver's side, near firewall). If that ain't it, then it gets more complicated...

I'll check this too.



The brake lights will also get stuck and thus stay on after the car is turned off, found this out the hard way yesterday when the GF took the car to work, brake lights apparently stayed on, battery drained flat

I got to jumpstart the car on a sheet of pure ice, oh it was fun


Thanks for the replies!

[WISHYWASHY]

Originally Posted by Lightning Blue

Interesting, I had the brakes checked when I bought the car last April and the back pads were at 80%, I doubt they've worn out that much, but I'll check them out.

I have no real reference for the pedal being "low".

if that is the case then you are probably fine with the pads and might be something else, unless you drive with your parking brake on.

when I say low, it is probably not a technical way to describe it, basically after the brake change, my pedal is higher than before and instead of smashing the pedal to the ground to stop the car, a small tap can slow the car down.

I popped in this thread since I had a similar problem recently, I would recommend you getting it checked out as brake and tires are the 2 most important things on your car.

good luck

[Lightning Blue]

Ah, the brakes themselves work perfectly, if I tap it, they respond, just randomly when you release the pedal, the brake light stays on, and requires a further, very slight tap to unstick it.

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by Lightning Blue

The brake lights will also get stuck and thus stay on after the car is turned off, found this out the hard way yesterday when the GF took the car to work, brake lights apparently stayed on, battery drained flat

Urk...I thought we were talking about the brake warning light on the dash. My bad -- forget the whole brake fluid thing...

OK, that pretty much narrows 'er down to the brake pedal switch or the mechanicals around it.

[Lightning Blue]

Oh damn, reading my post and the topic title, does make it seem like that, I'll change the post!

[Mike Gerber]

The next time the brake lights are staying on, have someone look at the rear of the car while you get under the dash and tap the brake light switch attached to the brake pedal. See if the brake lights then go out. If so, you have most likely identified the brake light switch as the problem.

Mike