Break wear light turns on and off - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Bmod986 · 02-01-2012, 08:55 AM

So my break wear light is turning on and off. I don't know why because my breaks look pretty good and there is no metal on metal noise. I drive normally down the road and take a conner and get the light. Even though I didn't hit the breaks and my 2000 isn't equipped with the stability control. So the break wear light stays on until i turn the car off, and in some cases i have to let it sit for a few minutes and then it turns off. So i don't know if i might just have to change the break pads of if the sensor is loose. Thinking about it, i don't know what the sensor looks like. But anyway wanted to know if anyone has some insite on this. Appreciate the help. I will see if i can get a video on it. I doubt it but i will try.

gomarlins3 · 02-01-2012, 10:03 AM

Check your brake fluid level.

MileHighBoxster · 02-01-2012, 08:41 PM

When my last Boxster started doing that, I had the dealer check the brakes and he said (at that time) that I had approximately 5,000 left. I would check my fluid and have someone look at the pads. Remember if you need to have pads replaced it's not much. However, if you go beyond pads you are looking at a much larger expense for rotors also.

Bmod986 · 02-12-2012, 12:32 AM

So my brake fluid seems ok but my break light stopped acting up. I don't know why it stopped or why it started. All i want to know is if this was one of those times when something got loose and then it kind of poped back into place after hitting a bump. Im not sure but I always keep an ear open to the sounds my car makes and I will avoid that metal on metal as much as I can. But for now my car seems to be fine. Thanks for the replies guys. If i do find the culprit I will let everyone know.

landrovered · 02-12-2012, 05:20 AM

It is a short in the wire that goes to the brakes. I would simply cut the ends off and twist the two wires together in order to turn the light off. If you go to any track day you will likely melt them anyway and if you simply look at your brakes periodically you will know if the pads need to be renewed.

husker boxster · 02-12-2012, 05:34 AM

This would happen to me back in the days of my 01S right after washing the car. I'd give the calipers a good cleaning to get the dust away and sure enough the first time I'd step on the brake, the light would come on. Would stay on for a while until the excess water went away. I suppose the water was completing the circuit causing the light to come on.

landrovered · 02-12-2012, 08:09 AM

The circuit is complete until the brake pad wears to the point that the wire is cut through. The light comes on when the circuit is broken.

Bmod986 · 02-13-2012, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landrovered

The circuit is complete until the brake pad wears to the point that the wire is cut through. The light comes on when the circuit is broken.

I still am kind of blotchy on how this brake ware system works so I have to take a closer look at it. I have a question though if it works with two cables that break to show that the brakes are gone. Then wouldn't the light stay on all the time and not randomly. But I will get a closer look when I get my new lug nuts. Thanks

landrovered · 02-13-2012, 02:00 PM

When the brakes get hot it can melt the plastic surrounding the wire, water or bare wires touching metal can cause a short which temporarily causes the light to come on, it dries out or the wire moves and it goes off. Also the brakes might have worn most of the way through the wire and it is not completely broken through yet, same thing can happen. There is a lot of air moving around the brakes, wires can wiggle, there is a lot of vibration as well. Stuff happens to little wires in a hurricane while there is an earthquake and a monsoon.