Emergency Brake Light
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Missouri
Emergency Brake Light
Tonight while out for a quick cruise, I stopped for gas. Fired 'er back up and noticed the emergency brake light was on. I can't remember the last time I have ever used the brake, if ever.
Any clues as to a cause and/or solution?
Thanks!
John
Any clues as to a cause and/or solution?
Thanks!
John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
The brake light also comes on if you have an imbalance in the pressures to the front vs rear calipers. You may have a leak in your brake system, air in the brake lines, or problems with your master cylinder. It could also be an electrical short in the brake light wiring. Does your brake pedal feel soft?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 314
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Someone with knowledge of a '78 jump in here. The brake warning light on my '69 comes on when either the limit switch on the emergency brake handle is activated, OR when there is an imbalance between the front and rear brake systems...like one is leaking, low on fluid, etc. That signal comes from the brass valve mounted on the driver side frame rail, next to the steering gear. Check to see if the wire fell off.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Missouri
The brake light also comes on if you have an imbalance in the pressures to the front vs rear calipers. You may have a leak in your brake system, air in the brake lines, or problems with your master cylinder. It could also be an electrical short in the brake light wiring. Does your brake pedal feel soft?
The brakes feel fine ... not a problem. I'm thinking it may be a short, as the car is running as smooth as ever. I have scheduled an oil change with my mech, I'll ask him.
Thanks!
John
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
First, check the level of your brake fluid in both sections of the master cylinder. If they are at different levels, you have a leak somewhere and that is likely the problem. If it is very low, it could have been sucking air and that would cause the problem, too. If there is seal wear on the M/C piston, it could cause a difference in pressure between the two sections. Or, it could be a wiring fault as mentioned above. Best to check it out to make sure there is no major brake problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
The light will come on when it is grounded so if a wire fell off, nothing would happen. To determine if it is the park brake switch, pull the wire off the proportioning valve (mounted on the frame rail below the M/C). If it stays on, then it's the PB switch, if it goes out then something tripped the brake failure warning switch in the prop valve. Usually a leak or air in the system.
Gary
Gary
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Missouri
As a precaution, had my mech check it out when he was changing the oil. Said everything looked fined.
Time to cruise!
John
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
