mikeybonz

2000 xj cherokee E brake light won't go off.

Was sitting in my driveway the other day on a incline and had the e brake on. I went to leave and released the e brake but the LIGHT is still on.

Any help?? I saw something away back. Thanks. Mike

skife

Pull the center console and unstuck the switch

93gc40

OR add fluid to the reservoir.. That light is also the idiot light for all brake issues.

RTorrez1

As 93gc40 said have you checked the fluid level? How do the brakes feel? Have you done anything to the brake system before the light came on?

mikeybonz

Fluid look very low.recently brakes have felt different like alittle hard to stop. went to store bought the dot 3 as the cap indicated. Filled it. Light still on.

How do I get under the center console without ripping it out to see if switch is stuck. Which it seems to be loose anyway.

Thanks. Mike

mikeybonz

After filling reservoir should the light go off right away or over time? Seen somewhere I might need to bleed the brakes again to get the light off? Just wanna be safe and make sure it's good to go.

RTorrez1

What do you mean that they feel different and it hard to stop? Does the peddle feel spongy? If to You can try bleeding them. You can also pull the rear drums and make sure that the are adjusted correctly. With a little luck bleeding all 4 wheels and adjusting the rear will take care of your problem. Try those things and let us know if it helps. If not we can go from there.

Marks2000XJ

It does sound like the switch to me. Center console is easy to remove. Once you get it unscrewed you have to finagle it a bit to get it over the shifter and brake lever. Shifter handle just pulls right off with a good tug.

You will see the wire going to the switch by the e-brake handle once you get the console removed.

mikeybonz

I found the switch with the wire going to it. It looks the the black switch can pull right up but I tried and don't want to brake anything.

I tried to play with it to see if the light would go off but it hasn't. If it's the black switch is this something they sell at a autoparts store also, would I need to replace the wire into the new plug or should it slip right on??



I should note brakes do feel sponge. Had front brakes and rotors done over 8 months ago.

Light randomly came on one day after the truck was sitting on a hill. I disengaged the brake but the light was still on.

Never seen my reservoir that low honestly.

RTorrez1

Yeah, If the brakes feel spongy I would readjust the rear and bleed all 4 wheels. Also the switch wouldn't cause the brakes to feel spongy. That is why I really don't think that it has anything to do with you problem. I don't know if you ever bled your brakes. But the correct way is to start with the passenger rear, drivers rear, passenger front then the drivers front. I am more then sure that adjusting and bleeding will take care of your problem. The best part is it is free except the price of some brake fluid. Let us know if it takes care of it. One last thing that you may or should I say that you should do is to check all of the brake lines and wheel cylinders and calipers for any leaks. Since you said that this is the first time you have ever seen the fluid so low.

Turbo X_J

Find the leak man, brake fluid doesn't just get low.

DFlintstone

There are two reservoirs. Was it the small one for the rears that was low? It's normal for the auto adjustor on the rear to not work. Btw, allot of shops will do a free brake inspection. Bettn' your rears are "in arrears)

Marks2000XJ

Do what these other guys are saying about bleeding your brakes. Also here is a photo of the switch. It just screw to the side of the lever. Easy to replace. It could be bad internally (the contacts) so messing with it may not make the light go off.

mikeybonz

Not sure what I did but came to fast stop at a red light and when the truck came to stop the light for the e brake went off. It is now working properly when I engage and disengage e brake. Maybe it was the low fluid in the small reservoir that set off the light. Still going to have brakes bleed and looked at on Monday to be safe. Thanks again guys

skife

maybe the float in the resivior was stuck