Brake Warning Lamp

The red brake warning lamp, located in the instrument cluster, will illuminate to warn the driver of brake system conditions which may result in reduced braking ability. The lamp is also turned on when the parking brake is not fully released. Conditions which may cause the BRAKE warning lamp to illuminate include:

(1) Parking brake not fully released. If the parking brake is applied or not fully released, the switch on the parking brake pedal assembly will ground the BRAKE warning lamp circuit and cause the lamp to turn on. On vehicles equipped with mechanical instrument clusters, the ANTI-LOCK lamp will illuminate if the vehicle is driven above 3 miles per hour with the PARKING BRAKE applied.

(2) Low brake fluid. The fluid
level sensor in the hydraulic assembly reservoir will ground the BRAKE warning lamp circuit if low brake fluid level is detected. In addition, ABS will be deactivated above 3 miles per hour and the ANTI -LOCK warning lamp will be illuminated. If the vehicle is equipped with EVIC, a low fluid condition will also cause the Low Brake Fluid message to appear.

(3) Low accumulator pressure. In the event of low accumulator pressure, the dual function pressure switch in the hydraulic assembly will signal the (CAB) to ground the BRAKE warning lamp circuit and cause the lamp to turn on. Low accumulator pressure may result in loss of power assist.

(4) Hydraulic assembly or (CAB) faults. The hydraulic assembly or (CAB) may turn on the BRAKE warning lamp if certain faults are detected in either the hydraulic assembly or the (CAB), or in the normal brake system.

(5) Bulb check. As a bulb check, the BRAKE warning lamp will illuminate whenever the ignition switch is placed in the crank position.

Illumination of the red BRAKE warning lamp may indicate reduced braking ability. A vehicle that has the BRAKE warning lamp ON should not be driven except to perform diagnostic procedures described in Section 2 of this manual. Most conditions that turn on the BRAKE warning lamp will also turn on the ANTI-LOCK warning lamp, consequently disabling the anti-lock function.