Dash Brake Light Won't Turn Off

Hello guys, this is my first post on the forum because I can't figure out how to fix this damned problem. Driving a 2002 Toyota Tacoma and the dash light for the brake stays on. I replaced the rear brakes and after two weeks it came back.

I've drained and filled up the brake fluid, I've messed around with the ebrake to make sure it is engaging and then of course the rear brake has been replaced along with the front a few months prior. I'm not quite sure what to do here. Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

Try unhooking the battery system for 10 minutes and reconnecting.

 

if I remember correct I had to mess with the ebrake lever at the dash and maybe the switch under dash to get mine to turn off.mine would come on random as I was driving.not a brake problem with mine it was also a 2002(push the ebrake lever in all the way while turning it jiggle it whatever it takes, see if it goes off then spray lower switch with dioelectric grease )

 

Isn't this just a temp fix? How would that be the cause of the problem?

I haven't messed with any switch under the dash, I'm pretty damn clueless when it comes to messing with cars, what should I be looking for when I go to check that out? And my light stays on 24/7 the moment I start the car, it doesn't turn on/off.

 

the other owner probly didn't use the ebrake and you pulled it and switch got stuck .try spraying the ebrake lever first making sure its all the way released.i just got under dash and found end of ebrake finding switch and soaked it if I remember correct it wasn't a big deal.just look under dash.i bet that's your problem.(there is a schematic somewhere on this forum that shows it )

 

this guy is good.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLW2ceduRr0

 

I’m not sure about this year of Tacoma but some will turn the light on if brake fluid is low. I know you said you replaced it but the sensor in the reservoir could be going bad. Maybe no resistance and switch closes causing light to come on. This happened to my friends Mitsubishi a few months ago and this was the problem. Cheap and easy fix.

 

I swear that video wasn’t up when I first started adding my comments

 

Thanks for the link ! My brake fluid was at Minimum - don't know what Minimum means in a Tacoma but obviously it's not enough. Filled it but the light was still on - had turn it off and on and move it a couple of times and it went off - guess that's how to reset it.

 

If it's still not fully solved . . .

This drove me nuts on my '03, so much I now have entirely new ebrake cables front to back.

It is most likely the front brake cable is slightly stretched. The way to tell: does it go out if you push the brake handle in? If so that will be it. The front cable is not pulling hard enough to trip the switch. Before you go taking it apart (it's a tedious but not difficult job) lay under the driver's side and look up, you will see an intermediary lever where the front cable pulls the lever to pull the rear cable. Make sure this is all in working order, but beware, you may have more than a little bit of rust mucking up the works, I literally broke the end of the rear cable threads off trying to get the nut to adjust.

Adjusting the rear cable tension probably won't help (didn't with mine) if the front cable is failing/stretching. What I did while I was waiting for the OEM cable to come in is put a small piece of fuel line over the actuator bar, it was just enough to depress the switch.

 

There is a specification on the number of clicks on the e-brake handle for proper adjusting. As mentioned above, if the lever does not stay all the way down the cable is more than likely stretched and pushes the handle off the stop where the switch is.

 

2003 FSM SS below but I usually run 7-12, brakes fully adjusted. The adjustment has no effect on when it's released though (or shouldn't.) I tried LOL

 

Follow the pull handle down under the dash and you should see a push button switch… that illuminates the red light in the combination meter as well as the low fluid in the resivoir.