E-Brake problem

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 10:49 am

The light is triggered by a small electrical plunger switch right up at the handle, it's unlikely that the calipers/cable or anything other than the handle can trigger it.
From memory the switch has some adjustment in it, so it might just be sitting out a bit far and the handle is pressing it constantly.
Either that or the contacts are rusty/dirty.

as for the cable, the simplest adjustment is again, up at the handbrake handle, with the plastic covers removed you should see a hexagonal adjuster sticking up vertically, twisting this will take up some tension in a stretched cable, but it depends how stretched the cables are.

The other adjustment is to grab an allen key and check the rear caliper adjustment, have a look at some how-to guides on replacing rear brake pads on an MX5, the adjustment is part of that procedure, maybe whoever did the brakes last left them a bit loose.

If all those don't help, the cables are probably stretched which means buying new ones and putting them in.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 12:28 pm

Worth noting on the NA8 at least that the park brake light doubles as the brake system warning light when the park brake is off. Given when it's lighting-up it would be worth checking the brake fluid level to start with.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 12:49 pm

93_Clubman wrote:Worth noting on the NA8 at least that the park brake light doubles as the brake system warning light when the park brake is off. Given when it's lighting-up it would be worth checking the brake fluid level to start with.

ahh, didnt realise that.

In that case, 100% check that first.
Would also explain why the light is only coming up during turns, the fluid would be sloshing around and uncovering the low fluid sensor.

flamingsamurai · Postby **flamingsamurai** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:04 pm

Had the same thing happen to me last week, which was actually indicating a brake malfunction in the form of low brake fluid probably due to some slosh (which ended up being due to worn pads and rotors).

So yeah, the fluid level would be an easy check.

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 11:15 pm

93_Clubman wrote:Worth noting on the NA8 at least that the park brake light doubles as the brake system warning light when the park brake is off. Given when it's lighting-up it would be worth checking the brake fluid level to start with.

This is normally the cause 99 of 100 events of random handbrake lights.