Prior to the yellow warning light coming on, I was parked on a hill and had used the emergency parking brake. Could this be related to why the warning light came on? Car has 20,000 miles and has had regular maintenance from Toyota dealer. I did not drive the car with the brake on. Could I have done something wrong to cause the light to come on? Can I do something to fix this without going to the dealer?
It would be good to know what year Camry you have.
What does your owner’s manual call that light? If it is a CEL (Check Engine Light) then you need to have your car checked for any stored codes which will tell you why the light is on,. However it could be a light indicating a specific problem, but that may be year specific.
I am curious about your indication that you used the PARKING brake because you were on a hill. That would tend to make me think you seldom if ever use it and now it may have become rusted and not fully functional. It may now be dragging on brake because the rust is not allowing it to fully retract.
After driving a while, take your hand and carefully (it may be hot) feel each wheel, If one or two are a lot hotter than the others, it is a good indication of a dragging parking brake.
Please note: It is a parking brake and should be used every time you park. If you have ever tried using one in an emergency, you will know why it is not properly called an emergency brake. You would have a better chance of sticking your foot out the door to stop your car in an emergency.
Thank you for your reply to my problem.
The vehicle is a 2008 Camry SE (V6 - automatic transmission), and has 20,000 miles. The warning light is called a “Malfunction indicator lamp”. The owners manuals lists the following electronic indications for this warning light: The engine control system; the throttle control system OR automatic transmission control system.
The brake is called a “parking brake” instead of an emergency brake as I stated when I wrote about the problem.
Your car is under multiple warranties, namely the Bumper-to-Bumper, Powertrain, and Emissions warranties. Failure to properly address the problem(s) causing the MIL to illuminate can exacerbate any current problems and can lead to a cascading sequence of events that could result in extensive repairs.
Under those circumstances, why would you NOT go to the dealership for free repairs?
Thank you for your timely response. I will go to the dealer today.