Brake lining light

[InflatableWolf]

The "brake lining" light just came on this morning and I'm 99.9% sure it ain't the brakes themselves.

Got all new rotors, pads, lines, and hoses with at most 1500 miles. So my question is: Could a sensor have just gone bad or is there anything that could be wrong?

[Mook613]

It's a very simple wiring system that controls that warning light.
The driver's front and passenger rear brake pads have a 'sensor'. Really it is just the wire running through a plastic housing and it sits in a notch at the base of the brake pad. As the brake pad wears down the housing then gets closer to the rotors. When there is not enough meat left on the brake pad the plastic housing begins to contact the rotor and it wears away the plastic, eventually exposing the wire running through it and then shorting the wire when it is cut.
Power is fed from the gauge cluster wiring to the rear sensor, then the front sensor and then to the gauge cluster. So when the sensor wire breaks, the power is then cut and the gauge light goes on.

Sooo... assuming that it isn't an actual low pad sensor warning, there are a few issues that are common:

1) Most likely - There is corrosion at the connection point for one, or both, of the sensors. As the sensor plugs in to a harness that is right by the wheels, it is susceptible to water/debris getting in. Try cleaning the contacts and terminal and seeing if that helps.

2) Least likely - There is a break in the wire somewhere along the route. Would need to pull out a DMM, test-light, or logic-probe and start tracing wires.

3) Somewhat likely - There is a resistor on the gauge cluster that is part of this system. It sits close to the board and the heat generated by it doesn't have anywhere to go. Over time this heat will eventually break the soldering holding the resister in-place. Re-flowing the solder to this resister is always a good idea.

[Gregs///M]

The brake lining circuit in the cluster is a very common fail item, we see it almost weekly. You can send it in for repair, its not a really a DIY type of repair.

[Mook613]

The brake lining circuit in the cluster is a very common fail item, we see it almost weekly. You can send it in for repair, its not a really a DIY type of repair.

That's for #3 of what I posted above.
Greg, I wouldn't say it is not a non-DIY project. Just need a screw driver and soldering iron.
BUT, with any project, if you aren't comfortable (or willing to spend more money for new parts if you screw it up too badly) then trusting somebody such as Greg would be a good idea.
Make sure that it's not just corroded pins first though, as the gauge cluster repair wouldn't fix the problem if the pins are corroded elsewhere.

[InflatableWolf]

UPDATE:
So I went to check tire pressures and I notice a wire hanging down in the back.
The lights on because the pad wear sensor is completely gone. At some point either the wire or sensor, I don't know, came off the pad and got ripped off, so that's what's flipping the light.

Thank you all for the suggestions, I should've been smart and looked over my car first, sorry.