Your brake light is on with no good reason... or so it seems. Have you been driving with the hand brake on? Are you low on brake fluid? If the answer is yes, heed our tips below.
Check out your brake situation as soon as you can if the brake light goes on. You don't need to stop driving immediately.
Turn the engine off and open the hood.
To find the brake fluid reservoir (also called the "brake master cylinder"), look for a round black rubber cap about 2 to 4 inches in diameter that covers a plastic container. Imagine where your foot would be if it went all the way through the car toward the engine past your brake pedal. This is where you will almost always find the brake master cylinder.
Check the fine print on the rubber cap. It should say, "Use only DOT 4 (or 5 or 3) brake fluid."
Remove the cap. If the cap is dusty or dirty, wipe it off with a rag so no dirt particles fall into the reservoir.
Check what kind of brake fluid your car requires. This is indicated on the rubber brake reservoir cap and in the owner's manual. DOT 5 is the highest grade available right now and can be used in any system. If your car requires DOT 4, do not use DOT 3 or a lower-grade fluid. DOT stands for Department of Transportation.
Fill the reservoir with brake fluid up to the "full" line. If there is no "full" indicator, fill it to the top.
Put the cap back on and wipe up any spills.
Turn the car on and the light should be off.
Wait, you're not done yet! Now call your mechanic and make an appointment for a four-wheel brake inspection to find out why the brake fluid was so low.
Make an appointment for a brake check immediately if the light goes off but the pedal sinks to the floor.
