Parking brake warning light: why does it light up and how to fix it?
Content
The parking brake warning light acts as a warning signal that you have not released the parking brake. It is shaped like a round red traffic light with an exclamation mark in the center or the letter “P” in parentheses, depending on your vehicle model.
Present on the dashboard in different places depending on the type of vehicle, it is also known as the brake fluid warning light.
🛑 Why does the parking brake warning light come on?
Handbrake operation reminder
The hand brake, an important component of the braking system, is also known as an emergency brake or an emergency brake. This is done to immobilize your vehicle when you are standing.
When hand brake lever the cable activates the general brake system to block the wheels of your vehicle. If you have disc brakes, the handbrake will press on the brake pads on the discs, and if you have drum brakes, the brake pads will press on the drum.
For more information on the maintenance and price of this part, do not hesitate to refer to our handbrake article.
Parking brake warning light details
This warning light is designed to warn you when the hand brake is applied to stop your vehicle. The handbrake can also be emergency brake or emergency in case your car's brakes have stopped working properly.
Ce warning light also lights up when the vehicle is started if you apply the parking brake after parking.
💡 Why is the parking brake warning light on?
This situation is often the cause of electrical problems directly related to beam hand brake. Several situations may arise when the parking brake warning light is on:
- Un sensorlocated under the handbrake activates the switch as soon as it is on.
Depending on how often the handbrake is used, the system may break or deform over time. Thus, the switch will remain in closed loop, current will flow and the parking brake warning light will remain on.
- Un justification for concern defect to be corrected. One of the handbrake belts can show signs of wear due to friction, especially from the chassis of your vehicle.
⚡ Why is the parking brake warning light flashing?
The indicator lamp can flash on the dashboard when your vehicle is stationary or in motion. The most likely causes of this manifestation are:
- One the alert is related to l'ABS (anti-lock braking system) et ESP (Electronic stability control). ABS helps to limit wheel locking during hard braking during braking, while ESP allows you to maintain a trajectory, avoiding the risk of skidding. If the warning light starts flashing, it means that one of the sensors is not working or is disabled, and this prevents the correct communication between the engine ECU and the rest of the car.
- One alert associated with level brake fluid... A drop in the level of this fluid could be due to a caliper, hose, clutch leak, or even brake pad wear. Generally speaking, brake pad wear is reflected in another warning light on the dashboard. It is a round orange indicator surrounded by dashes.
🚗 Why does the parking brake warning light come on while driving?
When you are driving a car, the parking brake warning light may suddenly come on, here are various possible reasons:
- Un short to ground as a result of continuous contact with one of the wires. Indeed, when it is activated, the parking brake is directly connected to ground. In some cases it is necessary to replace the handbrake switch, which may be damaged or get stuck in the closed position.
- One brake failure your car. Similar to the brake fluid warning light, it is imperative to lock your vehicle immediately in the event of a faulty brake system to avoid any risk of an accident.
The parking brake warning light is an important component of the dashboard, so you need to understand its usefulness in order to understand the condition of your brake system and be able to react in the event of a failure.
If you have any doubts about the level of your
brake fluid or for the correct functioning of your brakes, entrust your car to one of our trusted mechanics!
