6th Generation Civic 1996 - 2000 In the years from 1996 to 2000 Honda released it's 6th Generation Civic.
Chassis codes: EK9, EK4, EK3, EJ6, EJ8, EJ9, EM1

Parking Brake Dash Light

 
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Old Aug 12, 2013
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Parking Brake Dash Light

Hi Everyone,
The indicator, for my parking brake, is always on. Obviously, this is regardless of whether or not my parking brake is engaged. It first started to turn on intermittently while I was driving. Now, it is always on. Any suggestions?
Maybe the brake is lightly engaged despite my lever being fully disengaged? Maybe the sensor is faulty?
Thanks in advance for your help
Old Aug 12, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

More likely the switch is just stuck shut. Find the switch, clean it out, see if that helps. If not, replace it.



Looks like #2 on the drawing. Prolly a $10-$15 part @ the dealership
Old Aug 13, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

sounds like you are low on brake fluid, especially since it was intermittent while driving, I had the same thing when I had a leaky brake line on my hatch, check your brake fluid I almost guarantee it needs to be topped up.

What would cause to be intermittent is because the fluid moving around hitting the sensor making the light come on and off.
Old Aug 14, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

Marek91 got it right. My two reservoirs were both low. I topped them up and the light went away.
My new problem is that I just had my brake system flushed by PepBoys within the last 6 months. So, what's the best way to find a leak? I noticed that the smaller brake fluid reservoir has some black grainy junk floating in the solution.
Old Aug 14, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

There might not be any leak.
Brake fluid level drops as the brake pads wear.



The small reservoir is for the clutch.
Old Aug 15, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

how many miles ago was the brake fluid topped up last by pepboys? Its true brake fluid will go down with brake wear but it wont happen in 6 months more like a year or two Depending how heavy you are on the brakes, I had never had it go down that low to make the light come on from just brake wear, but you never know, since you topped it up, keep an eye on it, if it goes down again, then most likely a leak, if you have rear drums, i would first check the brake cylinders in the drums (look like pistons the brake lines connects too) then tend to develop leaks that are not always visible unless you actually take the drum off, if not leaking there, then maybe park on some dry clean pavement, and mash the brakes for like 15 mins with the car on, and see if you get liquid on the ground, if so that will give you an idea were it is coming from, then either patch or take it to a show and tell them you have a leak and were it is. When you hit you brake pedal does it seem soft? does it sink to the ground? if so those are really good signs of a leaky brake system.
Old Aug 15, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

ezone:
Thanks for letting me know that the small reservoir is for the clutch. Should I be concerned that there's gunk in the clutch's reservoir? Is it easy to flush and replace? My clutch feels fine.
marek91:
I didn't mark the mileage, but I would guess I put on 5,000 miles since my visit to PepBoys. Yes, I have rear drums (not discs). I'll (1) keep an eye on my brake fluid level and (2) try your idea of mashing the brakes while parked on clean pavement. No, the brakes do not feel soft; my brakes feel fine. The brake pedal does not sink to the floor when I depress it.
Old Aug 15, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

well hopefully its not anything serious, and you can flush the clutch line and clean your reservoir, will will just need to bleed your clutch.
this is a video on replacing the clutch master and slave, but it shows cleaning the reservoir and bleeding the clutch system. good video
[autostream]http://autostream.com/ibcivicforums/?page_type=firebirdplayerthumbnail&framepage=153&t ransactionid=1376586073-21618381245&posted_by=_www.civicforums.com&youtube _video_id=c-m5F0zEvyo[/autostream]
Old Aug 15, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

Thanks for the video on flushing the clutch fluid, that's exactly what I was looking for.
Old Aug 15, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

Originally Posted by localkineguy
Thanks for the video on flushing the clutch fluid, that's exactly what I was looking for.
no problem! any time ! hope everything works out for you!
Old Aug 15, 2013
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Re: Parking Brake Dash Light

Clutch fluid usually starts looking dark long before brake fluid, simply because a clutch is used far more often than the brakes and the system holds much less fluid.
There is usually a thin film of "crud" on the bottom of the reservoir by that time.
 
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