Reasons why your brake light comes on without touching the brakes.
As one of the most important systems in your car, brakes can be the difference between life and death, so it is no small matter if the brake system warning light on the dashboard comes on. It is particularly scary when the light comes on while driving. There are a number of reasons why this could happen, and only one is a quick fix that doesn't require you to get your vehicle seen to by a professional. For all the rest, it indicates a dangerous situation that needs immediate attention.
Dashboard lights are there to warn you of issues with your car, and in modern cars there are a variety of warning lights that indicate problems with the brake system. The easiest thing to do is to check the meaning of the specific warning light in your owner's manual. Here are some potential reasons why you may be getting a warning light:
A general rule of thumb is that if a dashboard light is amber, it is advisory and means you should be aware of an issue and deal with it sooner rather than later. If it's a red warning light, you'd best deal with it as a matter of urgency. With that in mind, if you're wondering whether it's safe to continue driving with a brake warning light on, here are some things to remember:
Some of the reasons that any of your brake warning lights might turn on include low brake fluid, an engaged parking brake, an ABS fault, malfunctioning bulbs, worn-out brake pads, or a sensor error.
The brake fluid reservoir is located under the hood and is generally near the back wall of the engine bay, although the location may vary depending on what make and model your car is. On Hyundai Santa Fe models, it's near on the back wall ahead of where your front passenger would be seated. The Jeep Gladiator brake fluid reservoir is also in that vicinity but located more towards the middle of the engine bay. Most modern cars use a translucent reservoir to make it easy to examine the fluid level. There will be a clearly marked 'full line'. Older cars will require you to remove the cap and look inside for the 'full line'.
It's not recommended that you drive when red warning lights on your dashboard are illuminated. Amber lights give you a little more leeway as these are more to draw your attention to something that may become an issue if not attended to. In general, an amber warning about brake pads will give you a few hundred miles to arrange for their replacement.
Morgan has always had a love for the written word, which is why he obtained an Honours Degree in English Language Studies. Having spent several years as an editor for a variety of trade magazines, he decided he wanted to try something a bit more exciting and hands-on. This led him to CarBuzz, where he has been writing and editing reviews and blog posts since 2018. A level-headed academic, Morgan enjoys reading about the latest tech in the automotive industry, even though he drives an economical hatchback.