"Brake" Dash light comes on under Boost

[Broken7Bolt]

When i hit above 16ish pounds on my 16g, the "brake" light on my dash fades on. This is much more frequent when I just start to get knock, but does it on most pulls. If anyone has any input let me know, it bugs me as I think its my CEL coming on which through dsm link is setup to report knock

 

[agarc023]

Probably a stupid question, but there is enough fluid in the brake reservoir right?

 

[Yamaharyder600]

Do you have DSM link because the stock ecu alone won't flash the light if I'm not mistaken?

 

[newTSIguy]

You probably need more break fluid or your pads and rotors are worn down.

 

[DSMTyson]

If it only comes on during pulls and the your brake system is up to par, I wouldn't worry about it.

I've seen random dash lights come on during pulls in DSMs quite a few times.

 

[blkgst97]

Worn pads and rotors aren't going to make the brake light come on.

 

[96 420a-t]

Worn pads and rotors aren't going to make the brake light come on.

Not neccesarily. As they wear the fluid level drops. If it srops far enough a light can come on.

 

[TSiAWD666]

Worn pads and rotors aren't going to make the brake light come on.

Actually, they will. See, when the pads wear down (more so than the rotors, but the rotors too to an extent) the pistons extend more in your steady state. When extended, they have more fluid in the caliper, and so your brake fluid level goes down. You can get so low that the fluid in your reservoir can trigger the float with sloshing and so your brake light comes on.

Not obvious, but it is documented I think in the owner's manual.

 

[agarc023]

I say it's just low brake fluid

 

[DSMTyson]

Check your brake fluid. If it is fine, don't worry about it. DSMs usually have little quirks here and there.

 

[mondale]

It is a long shot but if you want to go through the process.. disconnect your parking brake switch, do a pull and see if it lights up. If not, reinstall the connector to the parking brake switch and disconnect the brake fluid level sensor connector. Do another pull and note if it comes on. If it ceases to come on when one of these is disconnected, then it the sensor and ground path of the sensor will be suspect. If neither of these will shut off the light, then your dash "brake" light is getting a path to ground that is bypassing these sensors. Since the light is weak, there is probably high resistance in the circuit, which makes we wonder if there is a wiring or connection point in this circuit that may be affected by the engine or transmission flexing while under boost. That would be the long shot situation. One last thing that may be the cause is a diode in the dash grid that has lost its ability to stop the lights ground from passing through. This diode would be between the "brake" light and the radiator light.
If all else fails, deal with it like the rest of the weird happening's that we have learned to accept on these cars.

**This process is only applicable if your fluid level isn't low, I would hope this was already checked before a thread was started.

 

[Broken7Bolt]

I appreciate all the feedback already, but the brakes are fine, i just did drilled and slotted all the way around with hawk pads and SS brake lines, and pressure bled the lines. Reservoir is full, and nothing leaks that way... I was guessing it was something electrical but I wasn't sure if this was a quirk that was common I didn't know of. Thanks though especially mondale for your long shot because honestly I think that's the path I'm going to go down first, and I do have a spare cluster... so I'll try swapping that. Its not a big deal I know but when I'm accelerating pretty fast I want to only be distracted by the CEL coming on, not the brake light heh.