I have recently noticed the red brake light illuminate after my pedal goes a certain distanc . Usually when pushing down on it farther at a light. Thought this light only illuminates for the ebrake? Brake fluid is full and break are not new but not worn yet

 

I think it also comes on if one of your brake circuits has failed. Check them. Have you noticed your pedal going further and brakes not as good?

 

The pedal always traveled far because the master culdinder cap was broken so air would get in the syste . However I haven't noticed any changes. Definatly better braking on the freeway then slowing to a stop. What circuits would I look at? Brake lights do come on still I believe

 

When that happened to me on a different car I had small split in the brake line so it meant low fluid to me I assume. I fixed the line and it was fine.

 

Just checked the fluid level and its full. Car does have steel braided brake hoses and no leaks I can fin . Could it just be the cold weather?

 

Cold shouldn't affect it and full reservoir doesn't mean it works properly. There is a switch in the brake line distribution block below the master cylinder. If the master cylinder pressure isn't transferred correctly to one of the circuits the switch will move and indicate a brake circuit fault. The light coming on indicates something is not right somewhere. You should check all of it from the master to each slave.

 

Is there a link to a diagram of the entire brake system online? It doesnt happen unless I slam really hard on the brakes or push the pedal further when already stopped

 

May be but there's not much to it. Master cylinder with a front and rear line to the distribution block (with the safety switch). The front splits into two at the block with a line going to each front slave and one line going to the back where it splits at the axle and then to each rear slave. There could be leaks, line kinks, blockages, bad seals, corrosion etc. You could start by jacking up the front and spinning each wheel to see if they both stop really well. Then the back etc. You could clamp off the rear flexible line and see if the light comes on with heavy pedal. Check all pads with plenty of material. Clamp the front flex lines one at a time then both to see what happens. Check the safety switch connections too. Remember it's a warning light so something is not right.

 

Reason I posted this here was because I assumed it was a non brake issue and not related. Went and looked at the car, proportioner looks good. All pads are about half meat. No leaks, nothing loose or kinked. So I assume its good to go. Did a few brake tests and worked perfect. Can't lock up the wheels but I am sure I have are in the system from the cracked mast cyld cap. Brake light didn't come on again so I assume it is the parking brake that I never fixed maybe the switch is lose.

And thanks everyone who helps me out on this forum. You guys are great invaluable. I hope you all have great holidays

 

More likely, your rear brakes are so non-adjusted, that they never build up any pressure.

Which is consistent with the overall behavior of that crappy system you're stuck with.

The ONLY way the rears get adjusted up, is by use of the parking brake. (not sure about "e brake"; never seen any such thing on any cars; these cars only have 2 kinds of braking, the "service" brakes you use while driving around, and the "parking" brake you pull up the handle) They WILL NOT stay working unless you use the parking brake EVERY SINGLE TIME WITHOUT EXCEPTION that you park the car, and maybe twice extra on Sundays just for good measure.

Meanwhile, if you just hold the button down and operate the handle up and down for about a half-hour, they might start working AHELLUVALOT better. Consider it as a good strengthening exercise for your right biceps.

If your MC cap is broken, odds also are, you're getting outside air into your system, which since the brake fluid is hygroscopic (attracts moisture to itself) your fluid is now full of water. I'd recommend totally renewing it. Easiest way to do that is simply open the RR bleeder screw and let the fluid dribble out, and keep pouring in new fluid as the MC empties; DO NOT let it run dry; then when clean clear fluid starts coming out, do the same to the LR (will be much quicker), then the RF, then the LF. If practical, might even want to wipe the funk out of the bottom of the reservoir with a paper towel or something, just to clear that black funk (rust) out of the system as much as possible. And of course, replace the cap IMMEDIATELY if not sooner.

Also wouldn't be a bad idea to install the "recall kit" in each of the rears, and modify the proportioning valve according to the instructions on this site. Those things make a HUUUUUUUUUJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJE difference to the effectiveness and long-term maintainability of that system. Doesn't get rid of their overall crappiness, but overcomes 2 of their biggest problems at least. (besides their utterly inadequate size and poor design, which are a bit tougher to fix)

 

I'm going to assume for a minute that you have rear disc brakes in this thing. There is a REALLY common problem with them. Sofa's right- you have to use the parking brake to keep the rear calipers in adjustment. HOWEVER... the problem is that the parking brake cables are NOTORIOUS for getting "sticky" in their travel, even seizing up completely.

Here's where the problem comes in.... when you RELEASE the parking brake the "arms" they attach to on the rear caliper adjusters are supposed to return to their "home" position- there is a spring that does that. If the cables become "sticky" the spring won'
t be strong enough and the arms will never return to the home position. If they don't return to the home position they will never grab the next "notch" in the internal adjuster. And you end up with the rear calipers getting further and further and further out of adjustment as the pads wear down.

For now, pop the rear wheels, temporarily remove the parking brake cable from the arms and MANUALLY work the arms back and forth a bunch of times. When you get to the "properly adjusted" position it will be OBVIOUS. The arm won't want to do a full stroke any more because the pads are now touching the rotor (i.e. they're now in proper adjustment).

Go see if that doesn't help your pedal feel a TON from what it is now (and possibly extinguish the brake light in the process). If that works, replace your parking brake cables when you have a chance because you've only TEMPORARILY fixed the problem until the pads wear down some more.

My Mom owned an 86 Trans Am (yes, my Mom!) and I had to do this for her about twice a year until she finally got the cables replaced.