Brake warning light - on and off while driving | FerrariChat

Brake warning light - on and off while driving

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by George Moore, Jan 3, 2018.

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  1. George Moore

    George Moore Rookie

    Oct 31, 2017
    30
    Full Name:
    George Moore
    Hi All,

    Car is driving great but sometimes under hard driving the red brake failure light comes on the dash - only for a split second then disappears. What could the problem be? Everything seems to be working fine ...

    Also happens on heavy acceleration or on slopes. So thinking might be fluid shifting...

    Anyone else have this issue?

    Thanks
     
  2. George Moore

    George Moore Rookie

    Oct 31, 2017
    30
    Full Name:
    George Moore
    Oh forgot to say it’s on a 2008 F430 with 22k miles
     
  3. cavlino

    cavlino Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 6, 2002
    1,737
    Ottawa, Canada
    Full Name:
    Carm Scaffidi
    Could be a number of things but I would suspect your brake fluid is low or has air in it and needs bleeding.
     
    whatheheck likes this.
  4. honda.vfr

    honda.vfr Karting

    Jun 22, 2012
    134
    Ostrava, CZ (EU)
    Full Name:
    Milan Pukl
    This..I would check the brake fluid level at first .
     
    f355spider and whatheheck like this.
  5. krazykarguy

    krazykarguy Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2014
    716
    Fort Mill, SC
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Also check the brake pads at all four corners. A stuck pad can get ground down so much that the piston volume has depleted your reservoir below the low warning threshold. Low brake pads in general will lower the fluid level substantially - especially on multi-piston calipers.

    You have to remember that if everything is working properly, the hydraulic brake system in almost all cars is fluidly (but not atmospherically) sealed. Low fluid indicates either a leak (unlikely) or low pads (much more likely).
     
  6. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    I had a similar issue a long time back. I had my mechanic read out codes from the brake CU and there was never anything in there. It was worse on rougher pavement, and better on billiard table smooth stuff. In any event, after my last major, I had the gold connector kit installed, and the problem went away. How, the GCK had anything to do with brake check lights I have no friggen idea.
     
    cavlino likes this.
  7. 24000rpm

    24000rpm F1 Rookie

    I bet $100 this car is a stick shift car! I'll continue to tell you the reason why you have intermittent warning light if you confirm my prediction.
     
  8. cavlino

    cavlino Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 6, 2002
    1,737
    Ottawa, Canada
    Full Name:
    Carm Scaffidi
    I never thought about the stick vs F1 angle, but I do know that the stick's clutch uses the fluid from the brake master cylinder so I guess that is what you are hinting at.
     
  9. 24000rpm

    24000rpm F1 Rookie

    ah ha! exactly.

    Get this, my stick 360, has a leaking throw out bearing, when I remove the gearbox, there's oil all over the place. Then I realized why I had the flickering brake light when making a sharp turn and disappear for a while after I added more brake fluid. It will re-appear when the the throw out bearing leak dropped enough brake fluid.



     
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