Guardian_Saint

Hi there YT, recently I made a little car accident and causes the other car a total damage of $1k+ and mine has no damage, only the grill was a bit bent so np at all, but as I notice the brake light on the dash is now constantly on now. So whats wrong? I try the search but came up nothing so if anyone know what is it then reply or PM me, thanks. The brake do not squeak or fill any braking issue just normal, and have check e-brake and has 15 clicks on it so it should be fine as the FSM indicate.

WATRD

Fill up the brake fluid.

Yes, it looks full... it's not. Just top it up as much as you can and the light will stay out.

operose

funny you say that... that is the exact cause of this problem on my girlfriend's 99 corolla. brake fluid was "full" but the light wouldn't go out until I put more in it

WATRD

It the #1 reported Toyota "problem". There are probably 50 threads on here about it. Well, make that 51 now

shoes138

if i was u i wouldnt top it off! it prolly means that you need to change your brake pads, that would be the only reason why the brake fluid would be low or if there is a leak.

Think about it if your brake pad is lowe then your gonna have to use more hydrualic fluid to pust the piston out more to make the brake pad touch the rotor!

operose

I thought that too with my girlfriend's corolla, but all four pads were FINE

why do these yotas drink brake fluid?

ovrrdrive

Mine has leaked brake fluid since it was brand new. They just "could never find the leak" when I took it in so it still leaks to this day.

Of course, now after 200,000 miles I can spot the leak I'm just too lazy to reflare the pipe and fix it.

When the light comes on I just top it off.

operose

my wise old dad said it could be a bad seal in the master cylinder

thook

It's probably just gremlins...darn them.

UncleBob

What about the E-Brake microswitch?

CJM

Fluid, your brake pads are not low. It may have lost some fluid somehow..does happen.

thook

Maybe the MC cap got knocked loose in the wreck and spilled some brake fluid?

Guardian_Saint

Okay, today I fill it up which is not that low and the cap is not leaking from it either and the light is still always on, ever since I made that small accident. Maybe it move the brake caliper? Need adjustment? I don't know. The braking is fine and it appear the two front rotor is fine w/o any scratch at all, I am guessing the rear brake maybe the possible cause to be on so maybe next month I will have it in service. I'll check some of you guy's tought on this one so Thanks for the replies YT member's.

91TPU

haha like when were at paragon lol...i would def top it off, i had the same issue last weekend, and this was the cause...good call marc, saved me some time, and some worry!

BeaterToyota

How long has the brake light been on? How long since the accident?

The reason I ask is that the brake light will come on when the alternator isn't functioning properly. Usually this is accompanied by the "charge" light also, and in your case it doesn't sound like that's happening. Anyway, it might be worth checking the alternator and all of the cables leading to and from it and the battery. Something could have been corroded/loose, and the accident could have made it loosen up even more.

ShortyzKustomz

check and see if the ebrake rod is hitting the switch, my light wouldnt go out and the thing just wasnt hitting the switch

thook

Right....good call.

GV27

There are only two switches associated with that light. So discounting other electrical gremlins, it's either the e-brake switch or fluid level switch. It's one or the other. So it's not the adjustment on the brakes, not the condition of pads or rotors or anything else. One of those two switches.

racehound

I had this problem & found that the pin that attaches to the emergency brake handle and hits the switch had fallen out.Glued it back in & all is well.

celica860

Funny I stumbled across this, my brake light has been on since I bought this thing and I topped the fluid off yesterday and it hasn't been on today :-).