ok well ive had my 89 iroc z for about 3 weeks now....the brake pads are getting low...i can tell by the noise pin in the pads making a light squeel when i stop.....and the pistons are pretty far out..as i push the pedal a good 1/4 to 1/2 down but today my brake light came on on the dash and didnt shut off till i turned the car off what does the brake light mean????

 

It means the brake differnential switch has detected a failure in the system.

 

so it fixed itself????

 

no.


think of it this way... you have TWO master cyls..

one controls the front brakes, one controls the rear.

they both should be the same.




if they show a diffrent pressure, like one is lower then the other, the brake light comes on... for example, if there was a leak in the rear brakes, the pressure would be lower in the rear..... and the brake sensor sees that the rear is lower then the front, and turns the light on.








after you fix the problem, if you push the pedal really hard, and both are even, the switch resets itself. and the light goes out.










i would inspect your brake system completely, and not assume it fixed itself. pay special attention to the cyls in the rear drum brakes (if equipped). good chance that one is about to blow out.

 

poo....im am about to do the whole brake system pads and flush...we will see how it acts than...especially if my old master blows when i bleen the brakes

 

The light will also come on if the wire going to the e-brake handle is grounded out (handle pulled up) while the ignition is on.