Brake light

9th May 2013, 09:43

Driving home today the handbrake/brake light started to flicker on and off then as I got into my drive just stayed on constantly. Before you ask no I didn't drive around with it on. I checked my brake fluid, coolant, lights etc when I wash the car which is about every other weekend and now noticed its low but that wasn't the case 2 weeks ago.

Anyway checked on here for possible solutions and got back brake cylinder may be leaking, faulty sensor underneath the handbrake etc. I have noticed a squeak in my brakes and planning on getting them done ASAP.

So before I go all gun ho on stripping stuff down where's the best place to start and what is the likely cost of doing it myself to having it all done?

9th May 2013, 13:41

just check your handbreak is on the handbreak bunnot otherwise the light will stay on.

9th May 2013, 15:05

When mine did it, the brake fluid was low. I topped it up which then stopped the light coming on and off. After a couple of weeks the light came back on, check the fluid and it was just above low. Obviously fluid was leaking from somewhere, all hands on deck on a saturday and it turned out to be a knackered back brake cyclinder.

It could be your handbreak switch/sensor though so id check that before you start ripping the breaks apart.

9th May 2013, 15:51

Yeah handbrake is definitely off.

I've left a message with a friend to come have a look as I'm not too comfortable doing brakes myself. Surely a sensor wouldn't affect the brake fluid level though?

10th May 2013, 10:45

Cheers JoshSmith turned out to be the same problem. Had a friend come over and look at it. He's replacing both sides new shoes and cylinders, left side was leaking and right side was well past it's best and whiles he's taken it apart he's doing the shoes at the same time.