[92CressidaMX83]

I was on my way home from work earlier and when i put my emergency brake down the red BRAKE light on the dash stayed on. ? ? .. so i came home and started looking up some info. I got a 92 cressida. I checked the brake switch on the brake pedal it works, checked my lights they work/ brake lights work fine. The emergency brake is disabled and not locked. i cant find any information on this. i tested the E brake down a hill and it works fine but the light stays on, has anyone else had this issue ? is there a switch box somewhere that i need to check ? i am clueless at this point. o am i totally wrong and there is something else wrong ? please help if you can.
thanks

 

[stepho]

The brake dash light can indicator many different problems with the brake system.
One example is low brake fluid level.

- stepho

 

[92CressidaMX83]

I see, i will dig for more info and try a few things, any other ideas let me know. Got some reading to do.

 

[kamesama980]

the brake light on the dash (when on by itself. when on with other lights together can indicate other problems) is activated by 2 things: low fluid level sensor and/or the parking brake lever switch. the fluid level sensor is in the cap of the reservoir, the parking brake switch is in the console on the lever assembly. it detects whether the lever is all the way down, NOT if the e-brake works. if the fluid level is OK and the handle is down, you have one of two problems with either switch: broken or misaligned. the fluid sensor can't be aligned but it's easy enough to check: put a multimeter on the 2 wires going to the cap and set it to check continuity (beep mode) and raise/lower the float. should be open circuit one way, closed the other. if that's OK, take your console out (about 8 or 10 bolts down the length of it under the shifter surround, tray under the ebrake, and armrest) and check the switch on the ebrake lever the same way. with any luck it just fell out of alignment due to vibration or something and you can fix it instead of having to replace it.

The switch on the pedal has nothing to do with the brake warning light on the dash.

 

[92CressidaMX83]

I knew it .. I knew there was a switch of some kind under the handle. I was reading online that the cap might be the issue like Kamesama said , but after checking the fluid it is fine and up to the line but I need to get in there and check the wires. I will start with taking the console apart and go from there. I couldn’t find a diagram with the switch but will get in there and look for it. I have a feeling that that might be the issue. If not well then we have to go to the next step. Thanks again guys will keep you guys posted on the findings.

 

[92CressidaMX83]

So i took the console apart earlier today, found the tiny little switch that turns the BREAK light on. unplugged it, took it out since their was junk on it so i cleaned it real good. Reinstalled it and guess what THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON ! .. so i started checking the steps again starting with the cap on the break fluid, wiped it down and saw that the fluid was on the MIN line added a little bit of fluid and retested...ding ding it was the Fluid..added enough for the fluid to stay in middle of MIN and MAX and problem solved the LIGHT IS NOW OFF.. thanks for the tips guys they helped out a lot..

 

[stepho]

Tada!
Sometimes its the simplest things

- Stepho

 

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

FYI, one thing you may want to consider is that if your fluid was low, your pads may be getting worn. As pads wear further and further, the calipers need to squeeze in, thus causing the fluid to appear low. I have seen this to many times where someone just adds fluid and never check their brakes and end up eating up their rotors.

 

[kamesama980]

FYI, one thing you may want to consider is that if your fluid was low, your pads may be getting worn. As pads wear further and further, the calipers need to squeeze in, thus causing the fluid to appear low. I have seen this to many times where someone just adds fluid and never check their brakes and end up eating up their rotors.

either that or there's a very tiny leak. I've had them small enough to only seep fluid when you press the brake hard but not be big enough to pull air in afterward. either way the important thing is that brake fluid is not consumable and if it's going somewhere, wherever it's going is going to be a big problem eventually.

 

[92CressidaMX83]

Checked my breaks and they are running low but not touching the little squeaker yet. will need to replace them soon. as far as their being a leak i was not able to find one. I think its the breaks running low and the fact that maybe the fuid was low from the begining. Will need to look into a break fluid flush soon just to be on the safe side or might just have my friend help me bleed them with new fresh fluid. who knows how old that fluid is.
thanks again guys.