# Dash brake light/abs

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 12, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691 "2018-11-12T14:26:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/1 "2018-11-12T14:26:25Z")

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06 equinox. red dash brake light is on. i can pull up brake handle and i hear a chime but the chime stops when i lower handle. fluid level is good. i had a bad LR bearing so i have new bearing/sensor. the RR circuit had an abs issue (code) so i changed the sensor and now the abs is working properly. no slow speed engagement on dry pavement. but the brake light is still on. rear shoes are good. and dry. and adjusted. front pads are good. even wear and lots of material. so now what?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/2 "2018-11-12T14:55:28Z")

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I am going to suggest it is a bad brake fluid level sensor. If the brakes work OK, the ABS works OK, and the parking brake warning works OK, that’s the last sensor in that system I can think of.

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/3 "2018-11-12T15:22:33Z")

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short of replacing the reservoir, can i jump the level sensor wires?

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**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/4 "2018-11-12T19:24:11Z")

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That’s a bad idea, because the sensor is there for a reason.

But what you can try to do is take the cap off and work the plunger up and down, and clean out any gunk that might be in the plunger. It’s not unusual for the plunger to be a little sticky, then when it drops down as the level drops under braking, it doesn’t come back up when you stop braking, which the computer interprets as a fluid leak.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/5 "2018-11-12T19:27:20Z")

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I don’t know if it is a capacitance sensor or a float sensor. A float sensor should allow you to jump it just to check it but agree with @shadowfax, don’t leave it that way permanently.

I don’t think you can jump the capacitance sensor at all. Try just disconnecting it for starters.

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/6 "2018-11-12T19:28:02Z")

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i also found that you can unplug the sensor and it the light goes off than it is a level sensor issue. which is what it did. but i have not driven it yet. but, it seems to me if the computer may not like it that the sensor is unplugged? or maybe it does not care. i found info that said if the brake light is on than the tcs/abs might not work? and i just replaced the RR abs sensor to fix the abs issue so i dont feel like going down a side road here and complicating things. brake light, abs light, tcs light. my dash looked like a xmas tree.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/7 "2018-11-12T19:37:09Z")

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Why not just replace the brake fluid level sensor?

[https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/chevrolet,2006,equinox,3.4l+v6,1431999,brake+&+wheel+hub,brake+fluid+level+sensor,1916](https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/chevrolet,2006,equinox,3.4l+v6,1431999,brake+&+wheel+hub,brake+fluid+level+sensor,1916)

Tester

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-brake-light-abs/128691/8 "2018-11-12T20:49:36Z")

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ya i noticed it was $50. every one i looked up online started at $12. till i zeroed in on mine. for 50
