Instrument panel BRAKE light on

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Al Williams - 09 Sep 2009 02:07 GMT

98 Explorer SOHC 4x4 EB.

My instrument panel BRAKE warning light is staying on after starting (was
intermittent, but no more). I also noticed that my daytime running lamps
(CAN model) are no longer are on and don't think it's a coincidence.

Checked brake fluid - all OK there. Parking brake perhaps?

Did some research, and I see the parking brake switch goes to the DRL module
which then goes to the dash indicator so I'm wondering if having the brake
on disables the DRL's (I had an old car that did that). If so, I figure it
must be the parking brake switch as the park brake is not engaged.

Anyone have any experience with it? I assume the sensor/switch is near the
parking brake pedal.

Thanks.

--
Al Williams

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PeterD - 09 Sep 2009 13:41 GMT

>98 Explorer SOHC 4x4 EB.
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>Did some research, and I see the parking brake switch goes to the DRL module
>which then goes to the dash indicator so I'm wondering if having the brake

That may be true (I don't know for a fact, however... IIRC the idea
was to limit the DRL when 'parked' to prevent confusion with moving
cars...

>on disables the DRL's (I had an old car that did that). If so, I figure it
>must be the parking brake switch as the park brake is not engaged.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Thanks.

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Dazza C - 11 Oct 2009 16:52 GMT

> On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:07:21 GMT, "Al Williams"
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> >Thanks.

Hey man.. I have a 93 epxloder xlt.. my brake light started coming on
more and more frequently, like at a hard stop or when braking to a
stop down hill (more pressure applied). It could be a couple things,
as the first gy said, check brake fluid, but first check your front
brake pads.. if they are really getting down in the wear and tear
departmentr, it will cause your master cylinder resevoir to "read"
less fluid in it, since the brakes will not be un applying to the full
"brakes off " position, (since they dont need to cause the pads are so
orn. If this is the case, just change out your front pads for newbies,
then check you master cylinder again. With the new fatter pads on
there, they will be pushing more fluid back into the master resevoir,
and your brake light should stay off.
D

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Al Williams - 26 Oct 2009 18:08 GMT

Found the issue so post here as an FYI. It was the emergency brake. The
return spring on the brake pedal when disengaged had gotten weak over the
years and was not consistently depressing the position switch causing the
Brake indicator and the DRL's to not work.

Signature

Allan Williams

> 98 Explorer SOHC 4x4 EB.
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Thanks.

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