Hand brake light stays on Inspection

While your primary braking system is used to slow and stop the vehicle during driving, the hand brake (sometimes called a parking or emergency brake) is designed to be used, well, when you park. By engaging the hand brake, you are able to take the load off your transmission, avoiding damage and also ensuring that your vehicle is securely parked when on an incline. The Hand Brake light should turn on when you engage the brake, and turn off when the brake is disengaged. However, if the Hand Brake light stays on, there may be one of several problems with the system.

How this system works:

Your hand brake system is a supplemental safety system designed to help secure your car when parking on an incline and prevent unnecessary loading of the transmission. However, the Hand Brake light is actually a multifunctional indicator. When you pull the hand brake handle, it turns on to warn you that the brake is engaged when starting the car.

When you pull the handle, a cable engages the brake, which is located in the rear of the vehicle. There is also a switch that is responsible for sensing the brake being engaged, and then turning on the light in your dash. However, it is also designed to illuminate in several other situations, several of which have little to no connection with the parking brake itself.

Common reasons for this to happen:

Bad Switch: One common reason for the Hand Brake light to stay on is a failing or failed switch. This can be checked easily by jiggling the handle after it is down. If the light turns off (or turns off and then back on), the switch is the most likely culprit and will need to be replaced.

Brake Handle Not Completely Lowered: Another reason for the light to stay on is if the brake handle is not completely lowered. Double-check that the handle is all the way down and that the hand brake is disengaged. Any pressure on the hand brake cable will cause the light to stay on.

Parking Brake Not Disengaging: Sometimes the trouble isn’t with the switch or the cables, but with the hand brake itself. The warning light will stay on in the dash if the brake does not disengage when the handle is lowered.

Low Brake Fluid: Your Hand Brake light is a multifunction device designed to illuminate if the fluid level in the reservoir drops below a certain point. You may notice the light turning on or off when going around turns as the fluid level changes.

Bad Level Sensor: Your master cylinder is equipped with a brake fluid level sensor. It’s sometimes mounted in the side of the sensor, and is sometimes part of the reservoir cap. If the sensor fails or is going bad, the Hand Brake light will turn on.

Uneven Fluid Pressure: If your car is experiencing uneven brake fluid pressure in one or more lines, it will affect braking performance and possibly cause the vehicle to pull to one side or the other during braking. It can also turn on the Hand Brake light in your dash.

What to expect:

A professional mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to investigate the problem. The mechanic will check the hand brake handle, switch, fluid reservoir and other components, and then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it’s done:

The mechanic will perform a full inspection on your hand brake system, including the handle, switch and the hand brake shoes. The mechanic will also inspect other brake system components, including the reservoir, cap, fluid level sensor and more. It may be necessary to pull brake system codes from the car’s computer as well.

How important is this service?

While your hand brake is not integral to safe driving, it’s an important component on your car. Moreover, a Hand Brake light that will not go out can indicate many different things, including the parking brake not disengaging, a failed parking brake switch, or even low fluid in the master cylinder reservoir. One of our professional mechanics can inspect the system and determine the underlying cause, ensuring that your car is working properly.

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