Well I jumped into my 75 cutlass supreme the other morning to find the Red Light for my break was on, thought I must of touched the parking break while getting out yesterday, happens, so I fully engage the break then release, the light stays on, upon further examination (and me being late for class) I find that the sensor dosn't seem to be working any more. Any ideas?

Thanks

Jim

 

Did you notice if your brake lights were on when you saw that light was on? I had my brake light on in my dash and ended up having the rear lights on as well found out it was my brake light switch had been lose. Might want to check yours to see if it's firm against the pedal.

 

The dash brake light is typically wired to the parking brake swirch and a pressure (failure) switch in your hydraulic brakes. If it isn't the parking brake, you've got a failure in your brake system, have it checked out asap.

 

To check those out, remove the wire connector from the parking brake switch and or the proportioner valve. Whichever one you pull off points to the suspect.

 

Before you do anything else, simply try pulling up on the e-brake pedal while holding the release lever, then let go of the release lever. If the light goes out, adjust the tension in the e-brake cables.

 

Ok, it deffnetly not my brakes on the car, and I removed the pressure switch from the pedal, and the light is still on

 

There is another switch (pressure switch) either on your master cylinder or the proportioning valve under the hood.

 

I once had to brake fast for an animal that ran out in front of me and the light came on. Pulled the wire off the proporp valve and it went out. Car still braked normally, so I assumed that the switch broke in the valve or something... Since that valve was not available except for a rare find in salvage, I just left the wire off.

 

Samething Probobly Happened to me, maybe caused by one to many burnouts?

 

My experience...took my 68 corvette out of storage, brake light on, thought it was a glitch (no fluid anywhere). By the time I got home, no front brakes. The brake diff. valve is there for a reason. That's why I just replaced the jammed one on my 72 442, $70.

 

But if the braking performance is just the same as before the light was out, I call bad switch.

 

If you're in the mood, you can always try to shift the switch back to center - just bleed the brakes, with a good hard push at least once while the bleeder is open. The pressure differential should push the switch to the opposite side. If it loosens up, you should be able to get it back to center by bleeding the correct circuit.

- Eric

 

Have you checked your wheel cylinders or calipers to see if they had any fluid on them? Maybe one of those are leaking or checked to see if the master cylinder is leaking into the car?