E-Brake light stays on... ?

[Legacy4Life]

Well, I'm up in Northern New Brunswick right now, on my way up to Labrador City! Lots of snow here! Tomorrow will be fun... 400 kms of snow covered gravel back roads!

Here's my problem though. As I was driving up this evening, I came upon an icy section. Just before I got to it I used the brakes to slow down. When I applied the brakes the right side was on ice, the left side was on pavement. Nothing there... but when I hit the brakes, I noticed that the E-Brake light came on. I didn't really think much of it at the time, I figured it would go off next time I restarted the car. But it didn't... it's still on.

So I checked the fluid levels, they're fine, it's about half way between min and max. I also know for a fact that the hand brake is working properly and even when it's off the light stays on. The light actually gets a little brighter when you pull the hand brake and a little dimmer when you release it.

Any suggestions as to what would be causing it to come on? It stays on all the time... when it's parked, running, lights on/off, and it's on when the engine is off too (and the key is in the on position).

[Wiscon_Mark]

Sometimes that light goes on if it detects faster than normal accleration, etc. Where you doing crazy burnouts on the ice maybe?

note: If this is the case, though, it shouldn't stay on. So it's a long shot.

[ivwarrior]

My first thought was low fluid level, but if you've checked the fluid, that's out. Is there a float in the brake fluid reservoir? Check to see if that's stuck down for some reason.....

[Legacy4Life]

I don't think it's the float, there is still room to push it down further... does it actually have to down all the way for it trip?

Also, I noticed that there seem to be two brake resevoirs, a larger one (about 4 inches diameter) and then a smaller one a little further back towards the firewall (2 inches in diameter). Are they for the same system?

[ivwarrior]

Your car's a manual trans, right? That second one is the clutch master cylinder.