"Wait, was I driving with the emergency brake on this whole time?" I chastised myself when I was on the freeway and noticed the "Brake (!)" warning light on the dash. I hadn't noticed the car driving differently from the time I left the Edmunds garage and jumped on the 10 East. And when I went to check the e-brake, it was down as far as it could go. But then the warning light switched off when I pressed the e-brake button.
Later when parked, I pulled up the e-brake to see where its last detent before off was and it was at about a 15-degree angle from off, so it would have been pretty obvious that it was still on. Well that's a relief anyway. That I didn't drive with the emergency brake on.
However, throughout the weekend that brake warning light kept popping on and off, leaving me to wonder if this was my car would I be motivated enough to get this fixed or would I just learn to live with it. It's not like it affects the driving.
It reminded me of how my brother drove around with the "Check Engine" light of his Nissan Sentra on the entire time he owned it. He got the car checked and the shop canceled that light but then it ended up popping on again anyway and he gave up.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 19,343 miles
adavis2493 says:
12:23 PM, 12/21/09
It seems like it would be one of those things you take to the shop, and once you get there, it goes off. Then, right after you leave it goes back on.
And the pattern continues....
saxdogg says:
12:31 PM, 12/21/09
Check the brake fluid.
bankerdanny says:
12:36 PM, 12/21/09
For a new, under warranty car, absolutely I get it fixed.
For an old, it would cost me money to cure a minor annoyance car, I ignore it.
questionlp says:
12:38 PM, 12/21/09
Does the parking/e-brake work when activated?
robs249 says:
01:08 PM, 12/21/09
Soooooooo weird my best friends 2007 Sx4 does the SAME thing. The break light comes on and off whenever it feels like it.
bimmerjay says:
01:11 PM, 12/21/09
+1 on checking the brake fluid.
And it's a parking brake, not an 'emergency' brake. :-)
kevinlch says:
01:14 PM, 12/21/09
check brake fluid level
waevox says:
01:55 PM, 12/21/09
Sometimes it can be a brake light out too. +1 on brake fluid.
vt8919 says:
02:26 PM, 12/21/09
I don't like the term "emergency brake" either since it implies that you're only supposed to use it when your regular brakes give out. I remember when a family friend (we're no longer friends with her, but that's another post) drove into our driveway with her Pontiac Sunbird. She put the car in Park, and as the car rolled down the hill slightly to lock the front wheels, it slid on the ice. After about five feet of sliding, she hit the brakes and the car stopped. A minute later she stuck her head out the window and yelled, "It's OK! I put on the emergency brake!"
*facepalm* Made me wonder how she survived parking on hills when she finally got a stick-shift later on.
vt8919 says:
02:33 PM, 12/21/09
Oh yeah, and find out/fix whatever's wrong with the brakes. There's a reason why it's on even if it's not obvious.
aurakr says:
02:47 PM, 12/21/09
I agree with the others fix it. It is possible that you might have burnt the fluid for the brakes, especially if you have anti lock brakes.
My brother in law did that when my 93 SL2 had only 6 thousand miles. He drove my wife, his sister to the dentist one day, and didn't realize the emergency brake was on. How me missed the big red letters saying brake, I will never know, but he did. He only released it when a fellow driver pointed out that smoke was coming from the brakes. The Saturn dealership was understanding, but it was still $600 to fix. Had to have the fluid drained out compeletely, new fluid installed, etc. The brother in law offered to pay all, but my wife said we would pay half, after all she was in the car, but was sedated after having her wisdom teeth removed.
steve196 says:
05:37 PM, 12/21/09
I had this problem with my 2008 SX4 AWD and it was a five minute fix at the service department. The brake fluid was pooling, making it seem as if the car was short on brake fluid. For me, it kept popping on and off when I would go around corners while braking. I'll bet your car is having a similar issue...
stephen987 says:
07:48 PM, 12/21/09
Get it fixed before the last Suzuki dealer goes under!!
super_ongoy says:
12:08 AM, 12/22/09
What do you expect from a Sudoku? Did you try unplugging the negative battery terminal and resetting the ECU?
mlowery85 says:
12:14 AM, 12/22/09
Good grief. On almost all modern cars this light being on without the brake being on means low brake fluid. It's spelled out for you in the manual. Top off the fluid and it will go away. It's not complicated.
thegrocer says:
11:25 AM, 12/22/09
I can't believe whether to get it fixed is even a question...there's a warning light on for a primary safety system, it shouldn't even be a question. Even if it's just a parking brake switch, the light been rendered useless if it's always on. Since the '60s, the brake light has meant either the parking brake is on or there's a pressure differential in the system.