Topic: Emergency Brake light's up sometime's Help!!??

[1985SR5]

  Help my E brake light comes on in the morning when it's cold outside and my engine is cold. Brakes are fine but the light pisses me off. I think it's probably just the emergency brake switch or button that turns the light on when you pull the e-brake!!?? The light comes on for about 4 miles out of my 7 mile trip to work.
 My truck is a 1985 SR5 EFI about 137,000 on the clock. 4x4 of course!
 Any help would be great! Thanks everyone!

  Brett

[jimbo74]

how is the fluid level in your master cylinder?

[1985SR5 [OP]]

 The fluid level is fine, and I believe there is a different light for loss of brake pressure? or brake failure. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the e-brake is in a whole different category?

[BLACKDOG]

I've got just a little slack in my cable, and my handle wiggles out just enough to release the light button, only about 1/4"   Might be your problem

[jimbo74]

the low brake fluid sensor will trigger the BRAKE! light on the dash..

you may have a short, or your switch isnt adjusted properly as well

[Rytan]

Ok now this is going to sound off base, but it happened to me. My brake light came on AND my charge light at the same time. Turns out the brushes in my altenator where worn down to nubs. So my question is, does the charge light work when you first turn on the key? Is your voltage meter reading about 14-15 volts when the engine is running? Like I said, this sounds way off base, but if your altenator is not charging well, then it WILL trigger the brake light to come on as well. I purchased just the brushes for less than 5 bucks and installed them in less than a half hour. Took care of both of my lights coming on.

[jimbo74]

Ok now this is going to sound off base, but it happened to me. My brake light came on AND my charge light at the same time. Turns out the brushes in my altenator where worn down to nubs. So my question is, does the charge light work when you first turn on the key? Is your voltage meter reading about 14-15 volts when the engine is running? Like I said, this sounds way off base, but if your altenator is not charging well, then it WILL trigger the brake light to come on as well. I purchased just the brushes for less than 5 bucks and installed them in less than a half hour. Took care of both of my lights coming on.

yup, thats a not charging issue

[tommyboy]

i have an 84 and my BRAKE! light in the cluster is always on what should be done to cure that and just like the other guy, my charge light also comes on when i first turn the key so does that mean i need a new alternator??

[Plekto]

Most likely.  But if it's still running, it may be better to leave it until it starts developing problems, as most of the cheap chinese made alternators are junk.(and as stated above, most of the time it's bad brushes, which you can fix yourself)

My only gripe is that the thing is the first belt on the engine and you pretty much have to take off all of the others to get at it.

[NorCalWheeler]

Ok now this is going to sound off base, but it happened to me. My brake light came on AND my charge light at the same time. Turns out the brushes in my altenator where worn down to nubs. So my question is, does the charge light work when you first turn on the key? Is your voltage meter reading about 14-15 volts when the engine is running? Like I said, this sounds way off base, but if your altenator is not charging well, then it WILL trigger the brake light to come on as well. I purchased just the brushes for less than 5 bucks and installed them in less than a half hour. Took care of both of my lights coming on.

I had almost the same problem when different I installed new battery cables. Both my change light and brake light stayed on after started. After looking around under the hood I noticed on of the wires that went to the alternator was covered in grease and was dirty. So I cleaned the wire and reconnected it and both lights went off. Than more recently my BRAKE light stayed on even after releasing the brake. So I played around with the handle and it was just me not twisting the handle the right way at the end to turn the sensor off. hope this helps

[jonathan82toy]

i have an 84 and my BRAKE! light in the cluster is always on what should be done to cure that and just like the other guy, my charge light also comes on when i first turn the key so does that mean i need a new alternator??

Your charge light is supposed to turn "on" when you first turn the key, after its started is when it should turn off. 

[tommyboy]

lol ya after reading some more i finally realized. thx for answering that tho man. oh and what bout the brake one? i added some brake fluid and it turned off but i think i need new pads and shoes too. is that right?

[Plekto]

Pads are cheaper than rotors or drums...

Mine seems to eat through front pads about every 8-10K miles.  I suspect that the pads are cheaper and softer lately/someone's cutting corners.  Of course, it might also have something to do with the fact that I was running the truck for two years with no back brakes(since fixed)....   

[dem]

Replace alternator.

[Yota-Freak]

my light did that too after i put a new ebrake cable in. the light pissed me off too, so i broke the damn switch off=)

[87pickup]

I have had 1 Vatozone alternator and 1 Napa alternator take a dump on me in the last month. The charge and e brake light both came on when each al crapped out. Why would the ebrake light be wired in with the charge light?

[Joey88RUNR]

All i know is when alternators go out quit charging, wierd things start to happen. once you replace it idles at 14 or so volts, its good. I would never put an alternator on my rig that is NOT Genuine toyota.