Parking Brake Light

[mikec03]

On by 95 legacy, my parking brake light has come on and stayed on.  I knew there is a 15 cent switch under the brake handle, and it probably needed adjustment.   So I took off the center plastic housing.   But there was nothing wrong with the switch or the adjustment.  There is no voltage on the wire going to the switch!  So I can't turn off the light even with a jumper.

 

The wire to the switch disappears under the carpet below the passenger's seat.  I'm reluctant to take out the seat.  Where does this wire connect?  No other light or indicator seems to be malfunctioning.  

 

Any ideas?.

[johnceggleston]

the light also indicates low brake fluid.

check the master cylinder.

and add a little, not much.

 

the fluid level goes down as the brake pads wear.

if you fill up the master cylinder with fluid,

it may over flow when you replace the pads.

unless you have a fluid leak.

 

so add a little fluid,

and check your brake pads, probably the front.

[mikec03]

Good call!  I knew about the low level on the brake fluid reservoir lighting the brake light, but I forgot about it.   The level wasn't at the low point but the float may be a little defective.  Anyway, refilling to the top extinguished the light.

[Cougar]

Just as a note, now that the light is off you should now see voltage on the brake wire. The switch makes a connection to ground in order to turn on the light. You found that the connection to ground was already made when you saw no voltage on the wire.