Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Brake light on dash

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Brake light on dash

    So i tried using google to find out what happened but only came up with people who's brake fluid was low. Searched on here and didn't see anything. Short of it is brake light on dash came on, fluid level was fine, handbrake down, stayed on. Shut the car off and re-started and it went out.
    Long version: i went out Saturday to watch some ice racing, which was pretty cool. Drove through over 1/4 mile of mud each way to get to the lake and back out when it was done. Then drove 20minutes to the bank. Everything was fine. Finished at the bank and came out, started my car and the brake light on the dash was on. I moved the handbrake up and down a whole bunch and verified that the switch was moving (didnt have an electrical tester), then i checked my brake fluid level which was fine. I bled the brakes a week or 2 ago. The clear plastic thingy with an o-ring on it came off with the cap which i dont remember happening before. I re-installed it, pumped the handbrake a bunch more and drove to the car wash with the light on. (About 3 blocks). Washed the mud off the car real quick- as much as $2 would get me ( did not open the hood). When i started the car to leave the car wash the light was off. So now i cant really diagnose it myself. Any ideas? Anyone had this before? The only 2 things that should turn the light on is the handbrake switch and a fluid level sensor in the master cylinder reservoir right?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Correct-
    Some people like to read fiction,I prefer to read repair manuals. Weird I know-
    Henry Ford: "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently"
    Fuseable Link Distribution Block repair link

    Comment

    • #3
      The electricity which makes the light come on runs through little copper wires which need to be isolated from the body of the car and from each other to work. If the copper gets wet or dirty the electricity can leak out and escape through the body of the car which is made of metal or get into the wrong wire. I'd guess the wet mud made it possible for the electricity to jump the switch and turn on the light.
      Original owner of silver grey carburetted 1989 Festiva. 105k km as of June 2006. 140k km as of June 2021.

      Comment

      • #4
        I think there is one more thing that lights it. The two smaller wires closest to the center, raised portion of the ignition switch provide what is referred to in the EVTM as "brake lamp test" which lights it when the switch is in the start position but not cranked( when all the cluster lights come on ) and then it goes back off after cranking. The new switches from Fourgreen do not have those wires and when switched as described before the "brake lamp" doesn't light. It will only light when the e-brake handle is raised or low fluid. I suppose something could be amiss internally in the ignition switch making that light, but that is just a guess. I have had the new one in my 89 for several months now and that is the only difference noted.
        Last edited by jawja jim; 02-29-2016, 08:23 AM.
        "Blue92"- 92L 5 spd, original owner- 185K, B8,DD..
        "Pedro"-88L 5-spd, B6D (built by Advancedynamix)
        "Blanca"-92 GL auto, 125K(FM8 Lowest Miles)- B6 daughter's DD
        "Tractor Blue"- 89 L auto, 110K
        "Chester"-88 LX, runs but not street legal
        "Wenona"-89L parts car
        "Flame"- 89 LX 5 spd ,parts car

        Comment

        • #5
          Festivas & Aspires have a Transistor in the Cluster that allows the bulb to light when the Key is on, Engine off. It sounds like he just needs to clean the spring and switch for the Parking Brake.
          Some people like to read fiction,I prefer to read repair manuals. Weird I know-
          Henry Ford: "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently"
          Fuseable Link Distribution Block repair link

          Comment

          • #6
            "the electricity can leak out"


            I had that happen before, it was a bad connection (or disconnection? I forget which way that works) at the switch on my e-brake. But it could be just as easily the sensor/switch inside the master.

            Or the electricity is leaking out of a broken wire haha. But no seriously he's right, it's not too common, but could be that.
            Last edited by joebreck117; 02-29-2016, 01:25 PM. Reason: fixed the quote
            Joey Richard Jr.

            1991 Ford Festiva L; died but donated all her organs
            1988 Ford Festiva LX; EFI swapped in...actually everything swapped in


            Quality is Job 1. Together, We Can Save Lives. Ford.

            Comment

            • #7
              Ok, thanks for all the help guys. Im thinking it most likely didn't go out when it was supposed to after i started it. I have had a couple electrical fires under the dash but the reason i doubted that and the mud as the cause is because it didn't come on until 20 minutes later and only when i started it and then it just didn't come on the next time i started it.
              I will have to wait a bit before looking at it closer. My wife went on a longish trip with the 'good' car and it ran low on coolant at some point somehow and overheated. She of course didn't notice. She has a hard time looking at a fuel gauge once every 400km or so... Anyway, trying to figure out if the head gasket is blown is my job this week. :/ also it used half a litre of oil in that 1000km and it hasn't used oil before. Kind of worrying :/


              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

              Comment

              Previous template Next
              Working...
              X