Brake Warning Lights Glow Dimly

[ddavidv]

Did a search; found nothing applicable.
I have both the brake fluid level and hand brake warning lights dimly glowing when the car is turned on.
If I pull the hand brake, the light illuminates fully.
If I pull the plunger out of the master cylinder reservoir, the low fluid light will illuminate fully.
Why don't these lights go completely out??

[lordofthewaters]

Are you taliking about lights in the check panel? Or on the dash cluster? If they're in your dash, you've probably got the 5w bulbs which will illuminate the warning lights at the bottom of the cluster slightly when on. Mine does this.

[ddavidv]

Bottom of the cluster. I disconnected that moronic check panel.
They shouldn't glow, should they? I'd like to keep them functional, as brake info is kind of important. :-)

[lordofthewaters]

I'd say it's the 5w lights doing this. Take'em out and check, replace them with the 3w and see.

[ddavidv]

I demand an explanation. ;)
These bulbs should not be getting any power to them if the systems are working properly. I don't get why having a different wattage bulb would make them glow, when in my mind they shouldn't be receiving any power at all.

[lordofthewaters]

I demand an explanation. ;)
These bulbs should not be getting any power to them if the systems are working properly. I don't get why having a different wattage bulb would make them glow, when in my mind they shouldn't be receiving any power at all.

What I'm say is. I don't think its the small bulbs that illuminate your warning lights lighting up at all. I think its one or both of the two larger lights that illuminate your tach, speedo, fuel and temp, gauges. Mine are the 5w bulbs instead of the oem 3w bulbs, and they make some of my warning indicators look like they are glowing dimly, when they aren't even on. Because they put off more light, it bleeds through into other spaces in the cluster.

[Rocla]

Bottom of the cluster. I disconnected that moronic check panel.
They shouldn't glow, should they? I'd like to keep them functional, as brake info is kind of important. :-)

What makes brake info so important?

If your car starts to losing brakefluid(=pressure too) youl notice it because your pedal goes to bottom if you press it hard.

If your linings wear out, car will make unbearable noise.

If your e-brake is on while driving I believe that you'll notice that sooner or later.

Thats all the brake related lights in cluster will tell you. Since you disconnected check panel, why not just get bulbs out from cluster, brake lining senders are likely broken anyway.

[lordofthewaters]

What makes brake info so important?

If your car starts to losing brakefluid(=pressure too) youl notice it because your pedal goes to bottom if you press it hard.

If your linings wear out, car will make unbearable noise.

If your e-brake is on while driving I believe that you'll notice that sooner or later.

Thats all the brake related lights in cluster will tell you. Since you disconnected check panel, why not just get bulbs out from cluster, brake lining senders are likely broken anyway.

There is a point here, but I also understand those that say if it came with the car I want it to work too.........

[netcsk]

Wow, what a huge amount of misinformation above...


Anyway, you must power/ground crossing over somewhere. Likely in the cluster because these are actually unrelated. The circuit for the handbrake light is completed at the back of the handbrake while the circuit for the fluid light is completed at the plunger.

Sounds like you have a problem in the cluster, at the bulbs.

[ddavidv]

At last, some logic! ;)
It's not light 'bleed' from higher watt bulbs when the cluster isn't being illuminated.
While I do like things to work because they are there, I'm not opposed to disabling things that aren't necessary, especially on a race car. The reason I thought it would be nice to have these items is 1) I am one of those people who will not remember to release the handbrake before moving even with warning lights and 2) low brake fluid level is useful information in a race car before it dips to a level where you feel it in the pedal. This could come from a loose cap or a weeping fitting that doesn't allow air to get sucked into the system. An extra warning light never hurt.
I think the e-brake bulb may get the axe, but the cluster is such a PITA to pull out it's going to have to wait awhile.

[lordofthewaters]

Wow, what a huge amount of misinformation above...


Anyway, you must power/ground crossing over somewhere. Likely in the cluster because these are actually unrelated. The circuit for the handbrake light is completed at the back of the handbrake while the circuit for the fluid light is completed at the plunger.

Sounds like you have a problem in the cluster, at the bulbs.

I didn't say this is definately what it is. I said I believe this is what it is, as mine DOES bleed light through.

[lordofthewaters]

but the cluster is such a PITA to pull out it's going to have to wait awhile.

The cluster is easy to pull and can be done in 5 minutes with the wheel still on. I've done this many times. Sorry my suggestion, didn't help. But you need to remember that, "you catch more flies with honey, than with vinegar".

[ddavidv]

I'm not trying to catch flies. I'm trying to fix stupid dash cluster lights.
I guess I should have clarified earlier that the lights are off when this is occurring.
As for the cluster removal, well, it's not hard, but it involves many screws and a cluster that doesn't really want to fit in/out of the dash pad very well. There's no seat in the car right now so it's even more awkward than normal, and it's a half hour of work just to yank a light bulb that is an irritant, mostly.
I've got Bilsteins and H&Rs sitting on my garage floor I'd much rather mess with. Not to mention a sunroof panel that is no longer held in by a sunroof track system I need to permanently install. So, to the dash light Gods I say: :finger:

[dark_islight]

My 318is has similar issues.

The brake wear indicator in the dash glows at varying degrees of brightness when the roads are wet or slushy from snow.:(

I guess I have a short somewhere in the circuit because the wear sensors are not worn and there is brake fluid in the master reservoir (at the max level).

Have you solved your problem?