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mystery brake light?

Old May 17, 2004 | 03:49 PM
  #1  
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mystery brake light?

I have a 97 se Maxima and I have a mystery brake light. When I get on it --in shifting gears the brake light turns on. It turns off and on all the time. I have checked my brakes and they are fine. Does anyone else have this problem? Where else can I check. someone please help me fix this.
Old May 17, 2004 | 03:54 PM
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Low on brake fluid maybe??? Check your brake master cylinder, or possible loose wire conection to your hand brake?? Just guessing!
Old May 17, 2004 | 04:22 PM
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pretty shure its low on fluid in the resovoir which explains the light going on when you floor it since the fluid is swishing around and tripping the sensor in there
Old May 17, 2004 | 04:41 PM
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don't forget to use DOT3 approved brake fluid
Old May 17, 2004 | 05:25 PM
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gotta be low brake fluid...
Old May 17, 2004 | 05:30 PM
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Do I just lack common sense at the moment, or what...but how did the fluid get low to begin with?
Old May 17, 2004 | 05:41 PM
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Tatanko - aside from the obvious - a leak - the fluid doesn't get less, what happens (normally) is that as the pads start to wear, more fluid is needed in the caliper to further extend the piston to engage the brakes... so the result is a lower fluid level in the reservoir - although the total amount of fluid in the system remains the same (the capacity of the system has essentially increased).

As an aside, I was reading some myth busters page that stated that you should not keep topping up your brake fluid - their argument was that the brake fluid low indicator will light up as the same time as when pads require replacement. (since the fluid level will get lower as the pads wear further). I'm not sure I buy their argument, since the pads also have the wear indicator... and with 4-wheel discs (like on our cars) it is unlikely that both front and rear pads need replacement at the same time.

Nirav
Old May 18, 2004 | 09:23 AM
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Alacazam! That was it---Thanks sometimes little things like that make me feel stupid for not checking it. Thanks again
Old May 18, 2004 | 09:56 AM
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love the easy problems...
Old May 18, 2004 | 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Nismo
pretty shure its low on fluid in the resovoir which explains the light going on when you floor it since the fluid is swishing around and tripping the sensor in there
+1 at what nismo said
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