brake fluid light won't go off

[Pistol Pete]

So my brake fluid is at the right level, but the light will not go off. About two months ago the light came on. I checked the fluid reservoir and it was indeed low. After filling, the light remained on. It now goes on and off as I go over bumps in the road and is mostly just on. I wiped out the inside of the reservoir and tried to find the sensor itself. Where is it located? I'm worried the sensor might just be bad.

[nynor]

try cleaning the wire connections at the cap.

[The Chief]

In my 924S, the fluid sensor is in the cap. As the fluid gets low, the float on the bottom of the cap lowers, and the contacts meet inside the cap itself when the level is too low. Could the float be a bit sticky?

[The Chief]

In my 924S, the fluid sensor is in the cap. As the fluid gets low, the float on the bottom of the cap lowers, and the contacts meet inside the cap itself when the level is too low. Could the float be a bit sticky?

[speedracing944]

I am not sure how the '87 is set up but on my '83 the brake light can come on with either low brake fluid and/or the parking brake handle not being pushed down all the way. Check your parking brake and the connectors for the switch.

Speedy

[jcommin]

Speedy is correct.

Check the parking brake switch. The float switch is on the reservoir cap. Check the connectors.

[Pistol Pete]

i'm not even seeing anything on the cap. Maybe something came off. Brake handle is all the way down...

[speedracing944]

Can you pull the cap and float switch and then check for correct operation using a multimeter? Check for continuity using the multimeter while lowering and raising the float switch.

Do the same for the parking brake handle.

Speedy

[Tidybuoy]

Originally posted by Pistol Pete
i'm not even seeing anything on the cap. Maybe something came off. Brake handle is all the way down...

Here's what my cap looks like on my '88:

[jcommin]

Those are the connectors on top of the cap. When you open the reservoir the float switch is attached to the cap. The float follows the level of the fluid. The float moves easily. You can check the conductivity using the connectors attached to the cap and move the float.

I still would check the parking brake switch. Mine has gotten stuck. A little WD 40 made a big difference. In my opinion, there is more chance for that to get stuck, because of where it's located than the float switch.

[Tidybuoy]

I agree with checking the brake handle switch. Mine gets stuck all the time but in my case, the light dosen't come on when the handle is up....I will try some wd40 tonight - good tip.

[Pistol Pete]

hmm... my cap is black and my reservoir round, with no wires or anything on the cap.

[jcommin]

Pete,

My cap on my 83 looks like the picture from Tidy's 88. Your cap is black with no connectors tells me this isn't the original cap. A plain cap tells me there is no float either. You must have (2) wires / connectors somewhere under the hood.

[deekay911]

cap is black and the reservoir is round? You are not looking at the power steering reservoir are you? The brake fluid reservoir is towards the back of the engine bay on the driver's side. Power steering is at the front on the passenger's side...

[Tidybuoy]

Originally posted by Pistol Pete
hmm... my cap is black and my reservoir round, with no wires or anything on the cap.

In case you are looking at the wrong thing....on the left side of this picture is the power steering resivoir. It's brown and round and has a funky black cap:

[jcommin]

Tidy,

I like your engine compartment; clean, very clean.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally posted by jcommin
Tidy,

I like your engine compartment; clean, very clean.

Tanks - 22k miles and counting