Emergency Brake

[emac]

Left the house today and the light won't go off. When I sit at idle it flickers a bit but stayed lit.
Thanks
Ernie 81sc

[HawgRyder]

If you push down or wiggle the handle...does the light go out?
If so...the switch below the handle needs to be cleaned or adjusted.
And BTW...it's a PARKING brake...not an emergency brake....LOL.
Sorry ... it bugs me.
Bob

[timmy2]

Could also be a burnt out lamp in the brake lights.
I had to swap the bulb and then remove the battery to unlatch the warning light relay.

[emac]

Bob--Tim

I added brake fluid yesterday as I was a little low never noticed the light until this morning, however I just found out that my right turn signal bulb was burned out, I replaced but the PARKING BRAKE light was still on.. I disconnected the battery and that solved my problem.
Thanks to both for your help and quick response

Ernie 81 SC

[jimthe1st]

That is one of the symptoms of battery overcharging.

[Sunroof]

If its anything like my 1973.5T set up, their is a small adjustment screw way down on the handle housing. By loosening it the contact portion can adjust up or down in that small slot. Thats where the contact is made to activate the light (circuit). If its not a loose brake light bulb try the adjustment.

Bob

[notmytarga]

If you have added brake fluid or done a bleed then the light is likely because the switch on the master cylinder is in need of a reset. It is beneath a rubber cover and can be reached when the the (left front) wheel is turned all the way to the right. To see if it is the hydraulic system or the handbrake you can disconnect the warning switch - some leave it disconnected. At least this is the case for non-booster brakes. I don't see which car you have - 'Garage' it and/or add it to your signature.

BTW - all the other guesses are wrong - Well - unless they worked.

[Craig]

Just to check something simple, is the handle all the way down?
The rubber boot around my parking brake handle sometimes prevents it from going all the way down and it will leave the light on.

Craig

[emac]

notmyhtarga
My car is listed next to my name at the bottom of my post.
81SC

Ernie 81SC

[Steam Driver]

Another possible issue (at least it looks like a potential problem to me) is that (on my SC, at least) the wire to the switch on the brake handle is merely run under the whole assembly into the tunnel. It is pinched between the mounting plate of the lever assembly and the tunnel top. When I loosened this and looked at the wire the insulation was definitely damaged and looked like a potential place for a short circuit and/or fire hazard.

I don't know if this is how it was installed at the factory or if it was done some other time in the car's history, but I couldn't see any other way for it to get under the lever assembly. What I did was split a small diameter neoprene tube and slip over the wire before tightening everything back down.

May or may not be your problem, but seems like another good place to look.

[wolds]

Not a problem other than if it did touch the chassis your ebrake light would come on regardless of the brake handle position no fire potential.



[/B]QUOTE=Steam Driver;7601161]Another possible issue (at least it looks like a potential problem to me) is that (on my SC, at least) the wire to the switch on the brake handle is merely run under the whole assembly into the tunnel. It is pinched between the mounting plate of the lever assembly and the tunnel top. When I loosened this and looked at the wire the insulation was definitely damaged and looked like a potential place for a short circuit and/or fire hazard.

I don't know if this is how it was installed at the factory or if it was done some other time in the car's history, but I couldn't see any other way for it to get under the lever assembly. What I did was split a small diameter neoprene tube and slip over the wire before tightening everything back down.

May or may not be your problem, but seems like another good place to look.[/QUOTE]

[schumicat]

there' s a slotted screw on side of the housing that adjusts the contact point. loosen screw and slide up/down as needed.

[porwolf]

It had that happen a while ago on my 79 SC. The parking light would not turn off. I read somewhere here that when the parking brake light stays on something could be wrong with the internal electric control circuit inside the light. The suggesting was that you have to do is reset the circuit by disconnecting the ground strap from the battery for a couple of minutes and reconnect it. I did just that and the light for the parking brake worked as it should. It turned off when the handle was depressed all the way.