I have a 95 Toyota Carolla; automatic transmission. For the last couple of years, the parking break light doesn’t go out even when the parking break has been disengaged. Every once in a while it will go out while I’m driving, or will be off when I start the car, but it never lasts long and the light comes back on. The only down side to this of which I am aware is that it will not allow the cruise control to be used. If the light is on, the cruise will not engage and if the light is off and the cruise is on, the cruise will disengage when the light suddenly comes on. Any idea how to make the light turn off, or what is causing it to be on?
Besides telling you your parking brake is engaged, the light has a second function. It also tells you if the brake fluid is low in the master cylinder. Check your brake fluid level.
Also, when the brake fluid level goes down low enough to trigger the warning light, it would be prudent to check the brake pad wear.
You have put up with this ugly situation for two years?! When a $4 can of brake fluid will cure everything?! Shame on you! Take better care of your car, it will take good care of you.
ok, ok, now youv’e been beat up.
after you check the brake fluid level…
you HAVE ben doing that regularly; correct?
look under the brake handle. you know the lever you pull up. one way to test this, can you PUSH the handle down, and make the light go off? but when you let up on it, the light comes on?
make sure there is nothing under the handle. (like pens, pencils, lighters, kids toys, tic tac boxes) etc etc etc. look with a flashlight (it’s dark in there) even something small can jam in there.
if something gets under the lever it will prevent it from going all the way down, thus having the light come on, which causes all the other stuff to not work.
you have to look both under the lever, and on the back side of it, where the ‘teeth’ are that the little release button lets go of. that may have something under it also.
bump