Emergency Brake Light

extozy · Jul 28, 2004

my e-brake light stays on in my car, i have a 1990 LX 5.0 Coupe, and when i flip on the brights forward it goes off, but when i pull it backwards they don't come on..? whats the deal with this?

ss93cobra · Jul 28, 2004

First thing I'd do is to check the condition of your rear brakes. Most likely they need replaced and the light is staying on because of that or the other option is that the cables are froze.

oldman · Jul 28, 2004

If you are low on brake fluid, the light comes on. Check.

89MustangGX · Jul 29, 2004

ss93cobra said:
First thing I'd do is to check the condition of your rear brakes. Most likely they need replaced and the light is staying on because of that or the other option is that the cables are froze.

That light has nothing to do with either condition of the rear brakes or if the parking brake cables are froze.

The reasons it would be on are either low brake fluid in the master cylinder, parking brake lever is pulled up (or switch stuck), or some other mystery electrical problem.

HISSIN50 · Jul 29, 2004

im with Adam - and it sounds like an electrical gremlin.

_jb_ · Jul 29, 2004

Yeah, I would check the ground because ground wires can throw electrical stuff really off.

ss93cobra · Jul 30, 2004

89MUSTANGGX-So, when it happened to my wife's car and I changed the rear shoes and the light went off, it was just coincidence? Just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean its not possible.

BlackGT89 · Jul 30, 2004

Do your brakes feel mushy ? Have you had a leak anywhere ? If you haven't bled them in a while you probably need to, or better yet, flush the system with new fluid (that makes a huge difference in the feel of the brakes).

There is also a valve (brake differential valve) usually right up under the master cylinder that detects different pressures in the system (such as a leak) and triggers an electrical switch that usually lights up the emegency brake light. I'm pretty sure our cars have this (can't go look right now) and if it's not an electrical gremlin then you need to look your brakes over very well !

Here's a website that explains it in general, pedal down to the differential valve: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/master-brake2.htm

89MustangGX · Jul 30, 2004

ss93cobra said:
89MUSTANGGX-So, when it happened to my wife's car and I changed the rear shoes and the light went off, it was just coincidence? Just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean its not possible.

Go follow the wires all around the car and you will see there are no wires connected to your brakes. It is possible that as the brakes get worn - front or rear -- that the fluid level in the master cylinder goes down and could cause the light to go on -- but it's not due to the brakes, it's due to lack of fluid.

BlackGT89 said:
There is also a valve (brake differential valve) usually right up under the master cylinder that detects different pressures in the system (such as a leak) and triggers an electrical switch that usually lights up the emegency brake light. I'm pretty sure our cars have this (can't go look right now) and if it's not an electrical gremlin then you need to look your brakes over very well !

I'm not aware of any valves that are connected to the switch in the cylinder there. The switch is just your basic low-level switch AFAIK. I've never seen this come on with any of the brake work/problems I've had.

HISSIN50 · Jul 30, 2004

89MustangGX said:
I'm not aware of any valves that are connected to the switch in the cylinder there. The switch is just your basic low-level switch AFAIK. I've never seen this come on with any of the brake work/problems I've had.

agreed - i read that earlier and forgot to reply. some newer cars have all sorts of nice new stuff, but our antiquated stangs dont.

BlackGT89 · Aug 2, 2004

89MustangGX said:
I'm not aware of any valves that are connected to the switch in the cylinder there. The switch is just your basic low-level switch AFAIK. I've never seen this come on with any of the brake work/problems I've had.

I checked my manual and only the pre-87 Mustangs had this differential valve with the electrical switch. Guess I was thinking of my old 67, I know it had it because it was the dickens to get centered again and make the brake light go off. The 87 and up only has a level sensor under the reservoir.

Link on the valve:

http://www.cougarclub.org/atsotc/brake_valves.shtml

89MustangGX · Aug 2, 2004

Good info, thanks.

extozy · Aug 7, 2004

i haven't done any of the things you guys told me, but i guess i should also tell you my mustang has had a 5 lug conversion, and all disc brakes, the right rear brake doesn't even seem to work at all, sometimes the light like blinks on and off when i'm driving, like its touching something... My E-Brake won't even stop my car from rolling... any more ideas?

extozy · Aug 7, 2004

and like i was saying, whats the deal with the brights not working when i pull them back, and the light going off when i push it forward? where would the ground even be?

dvs bullet · Aug 7, 2004

ss93cobra said:
89MUSTANGGX-So, when it happened to my wife's car and I changed the rear shoes and the light went off, it was just coincidence? Just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean its not possible.

When you put new brakes on a vehicle there is more pad surface so you have to push the piston back, this pushes fliud back into the master cylinder filling it up, you had low brake fluid.

extozy · Aug 12, 2004

Emergency Brake Light

extozy

New Member

ss93cobra

oldman

New Member

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

_jb_

New Member

ss93cobra

BlackGT89

Member

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

BlackGT89

Member

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!

extozy

New Member

extozy

New Member

dvs bullet

New Member

extozy

New Member

Similar threads

Emergency Brake Light

New Member

New Member

I have nothing productive to add!

"How long does it take to get help in here?

New Member

Member

I have nothing productive to add!

"How long does it take to get help in here?

Member

I have nothing productive to add!

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency