Every time I drive our long-term 2008 Evo MR or 2008 Evo GSR, a warning light flashes up on the instrument panel at least once. There's a ding and then a light flashes up and then promptly disappears a half-second after I glance down.
The light comes and goes so quickly that I never have a chance to really get a solid look at it, never mind snap its photo. I can say that the circumstances that precede the warning inevitably involve some combination of a fast turn and hard acceleration.
This morning, my cat-like reflexes paid off and I got a good hard look at the warning light and later consulted the owner's manual (cheated photo from manual above).
So "CHECK" what? Well, you'll notice the symbol resembles a drum brake. On a car with four wheel disc brakes, but whatever. According the manual, there's either a fault in the brake system or the fluid is low. Also, a "brake" light apparently comes on elsewhere in the cluster.
Basically, hard driving sloshes the brake fluid in the reservoir away from the fluid level sensor. The sensor interprets this as low fluid and sends up the warning. Once the fluid settles back in place a second or so later, the now-happy sensor retracts the warning.
Our Evos' brake pads are somewhat worn, so the fluid level is a bit lower than normal (but still above the minimum) in both cars, which exacerbates the situation. And in the case of the GSR, which accelerates like a scalded hummingbird, the fluid is subjected to even more g-load-induced sloshing than it would experience otherwise.
Low-ish fluid + overly sensitive sensor = elusive warning for a nonexistent problem. Mystery solved.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
boxermike says:
04:04 PM, 04/13/09
Finally! This happens to me every time I'm out in one. Always causes a bit of a panic and then slow driving for 30 seconds until I deem the system functional again.
-mm
carguy622 says:
04:05 PM, 04/13/09
Since it's on a digital display, or looks like it is, why couldn't Mitsubishi add BRAKES under the word CHECK, or would it freak people out the same way a "CHECK ENGINE" light does? So now we say "SERVICE ENGINE SOON".
Also, you really think the icon resembles a drum brake, the pads are on the wrong side?
brdmn says:
11:10 PM, 04/13/09
Scalded hummingbird, good one. My own AMS tuned Evo X has modifications that are similar to yours, but it'd be great if you could also mention what it costs to have the mods done or installed? I imagine yours are free. Nice for you.
altimadude00 says:
11:22 PM, 04/13/09
To me, that warning symbol is ambiguous. I don't think an average car owner knows what brake calipers look like.
creeper says:
10:31 AM, 04/14/09
picture was "cheated from the manual" so it is not a digital display.
carguy622 says:
03:07 PM, 04/14/09
I realize that the picture was cheated from the manual, but I think the actual warning shows up in the digital display on the dash.
church123 says:
01:04 AM, 04/15/09
Jason, off topic question, when you guys lapped the Evo X, did you completely disable the stability control (long hold on the buttton), or just do the partial disable. Just took my GSR to Streets last weekend. Ran well, but too much understeer. Didn't have a chance to disable stability control completely.
church123 says:
01:12 AM, 04/15/09
Best laps BTW were 1:30.9 and 1:31.1. The extra hp from dyno tuning definitely helps over stock. Front tires suffered a bit though at full tread depth.