What is wrong with my ebrake....?

JakeZ34 · 10-29-2009, 10:11 PM

So I parked my car today and pulled the ebrake up and went to the gym for about 1 1/2 hours and when I left the parking garage I noticed that my "BRAKE" light was on in the dash so I thought to myself "crap...I left the ebrake on?" and I checked my handle only to find it released already and the lights were still on, so I parked my car real quick on the side and pulled the ebrake up and released it again to see if that takes care of the problem, DING the lights went out and than as soon as I started driving for about 2 min the lights came back up but the warning message on the little screen didn't come on. So....is there something wrong with my ebrake mechanism?

schrute · 10-29-2009, 10:36 PM

Check your brake fluid level. May just need to be topped off.

Cjanik · 10-29-2009, 11:40 PM

most of the time when that issue comes up, its low brake fluid in the fluid reservoir . check it.

JakeZ34 · 10-30-2009, 12:27 AM

ok I'm going to check now. Funny thing is that I just checked it like 2 days ago and it was at the top off line.

JakeZ34 · 10-30-2009, 12:34 AM

Okay so I'm sort of confused. When I popped the brake fluid cover off I see two containers, one with almost clear fluid in there and it's topped off at -MAX and the other small container (almost dark brown / yellow) fluid and it sits between -MAX and -MIN. So....is the second container for the ebrake? Sorry I'm a noob.

Trips · 10-30-2009, 02:04 AM

That means you need to top off that reservoir, and this will stop the light from coming back on again. like shrute said

JungleB · 10-30-2009, 06:07 AM

It seems odd that a new car would need brake fluid so soon. You might want to get your brakes checked for leaks, just to be on the safe side. They are kind of important.

Quote:

Originally Posted by schrute

Check your brake fluid level. May just need to be topped off.

Island_370 · 10-30-2009, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JungleB

It seems odd that a new car would need brake fluid so soon. You might want to get your brakes checked for leaks, just to be on the safe side. They are kind of important.

If the initial fluid level was a bit low, not unheard of. Pad wear varies a lot between drivers. If he is hard on brakes and had a lower initial fill, I am not surprised. The fluid may not be leaking, it may just be that the pads are heavily worn and that is where the fluid is (in the calipers).

kannibul · 10-30-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple's

That means you need to top off that reservoir, and this will stop the light from coming back on again. like shrute said

If the brake light is coming on from low fluid, that means there's air in the system and it should be purged.

It's very well likely that the OP has air in their brakes that need to be bled out (given that the reservoir is full & between add/full), or that there is something else amiss - ie, an ABS sensor.

370Zsteve · 10-30-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JungleB

It seems odd that a new car would need brake fluid so soon. You might want to get your brakes checked for leaks, just to be on the safe side. They are kind of important.

at folks who won't just take their car to have it checked! As someone else said, the brakes are kind of important.

semtex · 10-30-2009, 08:15 AM

I thought the ebrake worked on a cable. It is an emergency brake, after all. i.e., if you were to suffer a complete loss of fluid somehow, you'd still have a backup braking mechanism that isn't reliant on the fluid system.

semtex · 10-30-2009, 08:21 AM

Just as I suspected, it's a cable system, there is no fluid involved. (Which is why you never have to bleed the e-brake system, and it's also why you can yank the handle up and down with the car turned off as many times as you want without the handle stiffening up, unlike what happens if you pump the brake pedal with the car turned off.)

kannibul · 10-30-2009, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semtex

I thought the ebrake worked on a cable. It is an emergency brake, after all. i.e., if you were to suffer a complete loss of fluid somehow, you'd still have a backup braking mechanism that isn't reliant on the fluid system.

It does, the brake warning light is an idiot light for anything wrong with the braking system, including the ebrake.

Trips · 10-30-2009, 09:46 AM

could just as well be a faulty switch at the ebrake.

Cjanik · 10-30-2009, 09:46 AM

where is the switch located that turns on the "brake" light for the ebrake? possibly take a look at that, and if your brake needs adjustment. (i.e. - possibly very close to engaged when all the way down thus the car things its on).

10-29-2009, 10:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
JakeZ34 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Huntington Beach Posts: 436 Drives: BS 370z 6MT/sprt pkg Rep Power: 197	What is wrong with my ebrake....? So I parked my car today and pulled the ebrake up and went to the gym for about 1 1/2 hours and when I left the parking garage I noticed that my "BRAKE" light was on in the dash so I thought to myself "crap...I left the ebrake on?" and I checked my handle only to find it released already and the lights were still on, so I parked my car real quick on the side and pulled the ebrake up and released it again to see if that takes care of the problem, DING the lights went out and than as soon as I started driving for about 2 min the lights came back up but the warning message on the little screen didn't come on. So....is there something wrong with my ebrake mechanism?

10-29-2009, 10:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
schrute Track Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: utah Posts: 781 Drives: my z every day Rep Power: 16	Check your brake fluid level. May just need to be topped off. __________________ my journal \| 2009 370z touring \| 6mt \| platinum graphite \| my album second skin \| mr works \| fast intentions \| ssr \| eibach \| hotchkis \| spc \| toyo \| bluebatmobile \| v-led \| jwt \| ventureshield \| tinted tails

10-30-2009, 02:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
Trips Administrator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Disneyland, Ca Posts: 8,728 Drives: 🔰 Rep Power: 10	That means you need to top off that reservoir, and this will stop the light from coming back on again. like shrute said __________________

10-30-2009, 08:15 AM	#11 (permalink)
semtex A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Behind enemy lines Age: 53 Posts: 5,995 Drives: People to drink Rep Power: 32	I thought the ebrake worked on a cable. It is an emergency brake, after all. i.e., if you were to suffer a complete loss of fluid somehow, you'd still have a backup braking mechanism that isn't reliant on the fluid system. __________________ "There are no small accidents on this circuit." -- Ayrton Senna 316.8whp & 248 ft/lbs (Dyno Dynamics) \| 319whp & 256 ft/lbs (DynoJet) (04/23/10) Stillen G3 CAI, CBE, Pulley / F.I. LTH / GTSpec Ladder Brace / Setrab Oil Cooler / UpRev-tuned by Forged Perf.

10-30-2009, 08:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
semtex A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Behind enemy lines Age: 53 Posts: 5,995 Drives: People to drink Rep Power: 32	Just as I suspected, it's a cable system, there is no fluid involved. (Which is why you never have to bleed the e-brake system, and it's also why you can yank the handle up and down with the car turned off as many times as you want without the handle stiffening up, unlike what happens if you pump the brake pedal with the car turned off.) __________________ "There are no small accidents on this circuit." -- Ayrton Senna 316.8whp & 248 ft/lbs (Dyno Dynamics) \| 319whp & 256 ft/lbs (DynoJet) (04/23/10) Stillen G3 CAI, CBE, Pulley / F.I. LTH / GTSpec Ladder Brace / Setrab Oil Cooler / UpRev-tuned by Forged Perf.

10-29-2009, 11:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cjanik Track Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 578 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 16	most of the time when that issue comes up, its low brake fluid in the fluid reservoir . check it.

10-30-2009, 12:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
JakeZ34 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Huntington Beach Posts: 436 Drives: BS 370z 6MT/sprt pkg Rep Power: 197	ok I'm going to check now. Funny thing is that I just checked it like 2 days ago and it was at the top off line.

10-30-2009, 12:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
JakeZ34 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Huntington Beach Posts: 436 Drives: BS 370z 6MT/sprt pkg Rep Power: 197	Okay so I'm sort of confused. When I popped the brake fluid cover off I see two containers, one with almost clear fluid in there and it's topped off at -MAX and the other small container (almost dark brown / yellow) fluid and it sits between -MAX and -MIN. So....is the second container for the ebrake? Sorry I'm a noob.

10-30-2009, 09:46 AM	#14 (permalink)
Trips Administrator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Disneyland, Ca Posts: 8,728 Drives: 🔰 Rep Power: 10	could just as well be a faulty switch at the ebrake. __________________

10-30-2009, 09:46 AM	#15 (permalink)
Cjanik Track Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 578 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 16	where is the switch located that turns on the "brake" light for the ebrake? possibly take a look at that, and if your brake needs adjustment. (i.e. - possibly very close to engaged when all the way down thus the car things its on).

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