Parking Brake Light

[93Subadan]

Hello all, I'm looking for information on how the parking brake light is wired. Does it turn on based on position of the parking brake handle or is it lit based on the brakes themselves? I had the light stay on this morning after leaving the car outside in the 30's (due to garage door problems) and am trying to figure out if it is a brake problem or a light problem. Thanks!

[Legacy777]

Check your brake fluid.

It comes on with the parking brake, as well as when you have low brake fluid.

[93Subadan]

Yeah, fluid is good and I just checked the MC and that seems good as well. I'm only getting the indication in the really early morning when it's been pretty cold. Whenever I start the car in the afternoon it's fine.

Is the sensor located on the side of the MC? I'm planning a lot of work on the brakes in a couple weeks, but I'm trying to figure out if I need to replace parts or if it may go away with a brake bleed.

[skid542]

It's a problem with the contact switch in the parking brake handle. When it's really cold it sticks and takes a little while to warm up to let loose. The switch just grounds a single wire to close the circuit when the handle is in the up position.

My OBW does this occasionally. It'l take about 5 mi for the light on the OBW to go out - about the time I pull into the parking lot at work... My old Legacy used to do this as well. I finally got irrated and just snipped the wire on the handle switch but if you had a little more patience a little brake cleaner would probably clean it up.

If your fluid is good, brakes work right, don't sweat it unless it really bugs you.

[93Subadan]

Thanks for the info - that's what I think is going on. I plan on installing a boot on the parking brake handle eventually so I'll write that wire down to be repaired when I break into the center counsel to do that.