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Changed spark plugs, now brake light comes w/high RPM & low speed

N

Nick Buol

New CEG'er
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Messages
20
Location
Pleasant Hill, IA
Very strange. I changed the spark plugs on my 1999 Contour SE 2.5L V6. Everything went fine as far as I can tell. The engine runs fine and everything seems fine there, but at lower speeds (from 0 - about 35 MPH), when I step on the gas, the brake light comes on.

I can be at a dead stop, or rolling at 15 MPH, but if I excelerate hard, the brake light comes on and then flickers off as I get up to about 35 MPH. It doesn't matter where the RPMs are at, from 2000 - 6000.

If I press on the brake pedal both during when the brake light is on, or if it is off, the brakes seem to function normally and don't impact the brake light status (if it is on, it stays on, if it is off, it stays off)

The only thing that I can see if the acceleration/speed/RPM combination.

Again, the vehicle ACTS fine, but the brake light comes on. This started right after changing the spark plugs.

Any ideas of what would cause this?

Thanks!
 
the brake light on the dash comes on for two reasons

1. the parking brake it engaged
2. you are low on brake fluid


in this case you are low on brake fluid as discribed by the light coming on under hard accel/decel

check your brake fluid level and check for leaks or worn pads
 
I'll give it a look. I guess I thought that it was odd that it came on right after the spark plug change, but I'll remember to check the obvious first next time. I'll report back in a little bit...
 
I'm back. I had a little bit of brake fluid sitting on the shelf in my garage, so I put some in, a very small amount was all I had, but it must have been enough to put it just over the level needed.

Thanks for the obvious solution... I replaced my brakes (all four wheels) about 6 months ago, so they *should* still be good. I don't drive THAT much...

Thanks again!
 
Brake fluid is not something that just needs to be "topped-off" occassionally. If you're low on fluid, there is a problem that you need to look into. Leaking brakes can be serious business.
 
I didn't "top it off". I literally had maybe a tablespoon of the stuff that I've had from a different vehicle from a few years back. It was an absolute minimum amount of fluid that I added.

Thanks for the concern though.
 
Last edited:
Nick Buol said:
I didn't "top it off". I literally had maybe a tablespoon of the stuff that I've had from a different vehicle from a few years back. It was an absolute minimum amount of fluid that I added.

Thanks for the concern though.
Click to expand...

You should be ok as long as you keep an eye on things.

A side note regarding brake fluid -- it's hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs moisture. This is of particular note since most manufacturers these days put brake fluid in plastic bottles, through which moisture can be absorbed from the outside air over time. FoMoCo used to put its excellent brake fluid (had a very high dry boiling point) in metal cans a la Campbell's soup. I don't think you can find it that way any more. The point is, brake fluid in steel cans will store just fine.

Since you just used a small amount of fluid, any moisture that may have been contained therein is likely a nonissue. In greater amounts or concentrations, however, rust can be a problem, among other things, including significantly reduced boiling points. It's never a bad idea to pick up a fresh container of Dot 3 the next time you're addressing the fluid level.

All the best -- :cool:
 
Regardless of whether or not you think you're brakes are "fine" and "not leaking," I'm very sure they are leaking. I'm assuming your brake light didn't come on like this BEFORE you changed your spark plugs? (Which are, of course, 110% unrelated) Methinks you actually ARE leaking brake fluid at a very slow rate that is almost unnoticeable. It would not hurt to check some usual culprits. I recommend checking all your brake calipers and check the brake line connections below the reservoir. I'm currently leaking brake fluid at a VERY VERY slow rate at one of the brake line connections right below the reservoir. It wouldn't hurt to check, but it MAY hurt not to...
 
Do yourself a favor and inspect for brake wear and possible fluid leaks. There is a reason that the fluid is low. It is low from brake wear creating a larger capacity for fluid as the pistons in the calipers and/or wheel cylinders or from a leak somewhere.

Don't ignore it.
 
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