brake warning light, red light at top of left dashboard gauge Options

[dlindzey]

I think it is a brake warning light and from what I have read it subserves two functions. If still on after the engine starts either parking brake is on or you have brake failure. In my case parking brake is not on and brakes seem to work ok. It came on a few months ago and then went off and I thought might be a short so I have just not used the parking brake for months. Today it is on again and won't go off.

There is not much working space around the parking brake so I never did find the little button that is activated/deactivated for the parking brake.

Anyone know what I am talking about or have any suggestions for trouble shooting the matter? TIA dll-----I forgot 1971 model

[fiacra]

That was a nice write-up Brant. That is exactly how my MC failed. The car had limited use before I bought it, and the MC failed within the first few miles of driving it. The light came on and I pulled the pedal board and immediately found the leak. I didn't even bother checking the parking brake first. A malfunctioning parking brake switch is not inherently dangerous, a failing MC is, so why would your diagnostic flow chart start at the switch? It's on the flow chart for sure, just not the top of the chart. At that point I did still have functioning brakes and the only sign of failure was the light. I've since figured out that in my car (1975) the light blinks when the parking brake is on, and it stays on when the MC fails. Not sure about an early car.

If the MC has failed then the car is dead in the water until it is replaced and the rest of the system is checked. Replacing the MC is one of the most unpleasant jobs I've done on my car, and because the first MC I got was defective I had to do it twice. If you do not have a safe place to work, the right tools, and confidence in your mechanical abilities you should take it to a shop. It will be expensive at a shop, but probably less expensive than the consequences of brake failure. If your soft lines are more than 10 years old I would just replace them now as well. They probably will look fine on the outside, but will be swollen on the inside. Inspect your wheel calipers and consider sending them off to PMB for restoration. Check (and replace if needed) your rotors and front wheel bearings now. You have to bleed the system, and that is not an easy job as well, so now is the time to take care of any other problems that require you to open the system. I don't know why it is so hard on these cars to get all the air out of the system, but I needed three quarts of brake fluid and a pressure bleeder to get it done. That is just my experience, others have found it to be easier. I did also replace the lines and hoses from the reservoir. I didn't fully pull the tank to do that, but I did need to move it in order to feed those lines through. Don't forget a new grommet for the lines and a new washer for the banjo fitting at the MC. Get an extra rubber plug in case you tear one. It's cheap insurance against a common problem that will hold you up if it happens. As I said, my first MC (from a well known World vendor) was defective. The second time around I got an Ate MC. Twice the cost, but three times the peace of mind.

Here's a link to Ian's video about replacing an MC. I'm not dissing the source for his MC, but mine was defective and that led to a lot of extra work (and cost) for me. I'd go with the Ate MC if you can. My problem was likely an anomaly, but we are talking about brakes. No need to take chances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6ZHK5f_9bE