I have a 1993 Toyota Pickup (4WD) 22RE, 5-speed

When I bought the truck four years ago, the parking brake worked just fine, as well as its indicator light. It would turn off every time I released the brake and came on every time I engaged it etc.

About two years ago, the light stopped working. The parking brake continued to work just fine however.

About two years ago, the light came back on permanently and has been on ever since . Even when the brake is disengaged, the warning light on the dashboard stays on.

My parking brake is out of the 11-17 click range that the manual has specified. The adjustment threads are so corroded and rusted that I cant adjust it. The 21 or so clicks it is going now holds the truck just fine, but the light stays on still.

What is causing this and how do I fix it short of just disconnecting the light? Is a sensor stuck or something?

 

im asuming yours is like mine but mine stays on unless i can get the pin looking thing on the ebrake to hit the button to turn the light off. try looking under the dash when you disengage the ebrake. im not familliar with any other yota so sorry if yours is diferent

 

Brake light also indicates low fluid level of master cylinder. Could be low could be a bad level switch. There is also the ebrake switch at the end of the lever tube.

 

Yeah, the brake light is for more than just the parking brake. Check the oil in your brake fluid (as well as color/dirt while you are at it) and refill it with DOT 3 until it's where it should be. Also, if you try driving around with the cap off the light will turn on... don't ask...

 

The light in my '95 is on all the time. I know its because the arm that hits the button on the parking brake lever to turn the light off doesnt reach the button anymore for some reason. I think I accident kicked it in the winter sometime. I have just been too lazy to fix it. Or the wire to that button could be severed. Or, like was mentioned, you could be low on brake fluid.

 

Could be either or both of those suggested.

Then the front cable can be starting to fray and not allowing the handle to go in all the way.

Clean up your adjustment so you and adjust the slack out of the cable.

If it is to far gone time for a new rear cable.

 

I have the same problem on my 85. The way that I fix it is to lightly pull the brake out after letting it in so that the little pad that compresses the button rotates into place. I just barely pull it. not enough to make it "ratchet" just enough to straighten it out.

 

My 88 does the same thing. Sometimes it kind of fades in and out.

I put a piece of vacuum line on the post that pushes on the switch and it fixed it for a while. (Pushed it a little farther)

It's doing it again so I pushed the switch all the way in and it's still doing it. I think it's just time for a new switch for me and maybe you too if you tried all that has been suggested.

I may try some contact cleaner before I change it out.

 

All good advice. Thanks guys.

Honestly, at this point I'm thinking of just removing all of that bull˟˟˟˟ under there. Sensors and stuff....who needs them?

I know my brake fluid is good to go, just topped it off. Must be a bad contact or something.

 

Also...

Believe it or not, a failing regulator or worn brushes on the alternator can cause the e-brake light to stay on. Do this test: look at the light, and then pull the brake. If the light gets brighter when you pull the brake and dimmer when you release the brake all the way home, then the light is probably on because it shares a ground with the over/undercharge sensor for the alternator.

I know. Weird. Mine ran like this for a year, and then the A/T Temp light also came on and the battery died. I read other threads here to learn about the alternator prob. I ran for a year because my rig only gets 5K mi per year and because i figured it was just the brake on-off sensor needed adjustment and I wasn't worried about it. Come to find out, my alternator was barely keeping up the whole time.

Let us know what you find out. Also, the less stuff you rip out the better, because Toyota is really weird and who knows what else may stop working if you disable a dome light.

 

DCS, Thanks for this info! Never heard this but, exactly what my truck is doing. No dead battery yet.

I sold the complete 22RE so I won't know if this is the case until I get back to my 3.4 swap and gitter runnin.

 

This is prob. what is going on with mine

I haven't looked under the dash, but I did disconnect the low-fluid cap sensor...dim light
remains on.

Thanks for the info.

 

Adjusted the rear brakes yesterday....brakes light went away a day later

Parking brake feels quicker to engage, due to the adjusted brakes.

Guess cable pliay was causing parking brake switch issues.

 

I just replaced clutch master cylinder and my clutch slave cylinder. When I was done with the job the emergency parking break light wouldn't shut off. I'm pretty positive it is not the brake fluid levels or the handle itself. Any other ideas?

 

Maybe while wiggling around under the dash you knocked the connection for the E brake switch loose.

It might also be the Cap on the Brake Master cylinder got bumped

Not knowing what year your working on it is a good guess

 

I just found the pin that depresses the e brake sensor fell out. Do you guys have any tips on how to replace it?

 

If it did not break off tapping it in with a small hammer might work.

Most times it is a major project to get them out

 

Having this same issue, will you supply a clear photo of the 'switch' that is at the end of the lever tube?

 

My 88 4runner was low on brake fluid. Added and presto, light is now out. Thanks.

 

Best bet is to remove the entire E-brake assembly from the chassis. Should be pretty straight foward with any year of truck. I recommend removing it because you're gonna have to hammer that little pin back into the parking brake assembly. A Vice may do the trick too. I dont know a tool you could use that would fit under the dash that could push that pin back into place.

May actually be a good time to buy a new e brake cable since its probably on its last legs anyway.

Mine disintigrated about 4 months ago, bought a new OEM one for about $110 bucks. Not a bad deal for somehting you dont want failing prematurely.