It only comes on for a few seconds in the morning, but EVERY morning at the SAME onramp to the freeway. I'll be driving up the onramp and the red brake light comes on while i'm stepping on the GAS, not the brakes, and of course stays on as i am slowing down to merge into traffic, then goes away for the rest of the day. i believe it has something to do w/ the master cylinder but its not my car so i keep putting it off. here's a shot i got of it this morning...had the camera ready cuz i knew it was gonna come on.

edit: what my dad tells me: "you probably don't have the parking brake released"..... of course it's released, dad!

 

Check the flux capacitor..

j/k.. Doesn't the GS have a worn brake pad sensor? maybe the pads are too thin.

 

mmmm, plus i drove through like a foot and a half of rain today and the brakes were totally non-functional as i flooded the wheel well/brake calipers. not good.

 

wow, now that's VERY bad..... water didn't get into the cabin???!

 

I had similar problem on my RX and it turned out the brake fluid level was just above minimum and the incline (uphill for me ... ramp for you?) caused the low fluid sensor to light up the dash indicator.

Salim

 

where my sister's old RX's brakes were worn the brake light would come on interminently....

 

Lexus is VERY sensitive to brake fluid levels; I've experienced the same situation in the past with both my last SC and my current GS. In both situations, topping off the master cylinder was effective. (No clue why it was slightly down but no evidence of leak nor any recurrence in either vehicle.)

 

That little sensor in the brake fluid reservoir is either receiving 'full' or 'empty' ..

Try adding some brake fluid.

 

Exactly what I thought when I read '...at the SAME onramp to the freeway. I'll be driving up.....'

Check the level first, then add some fluid if the reading is low. Just clarifying.

 

My 2001 GS also has a brake light problem, I'm taking it in on Monday. My sunroof is creaking so this will be addressed too and when I drive the car when its really cold (under 10) I get a howling noise from the rear

 

meZoom, I would use a different onramp.

No, just kidding.

If topping off the brake fluid doesn't fix it, have the parking brake set up checked. Alot of people don't use the parking brake. It should be used whenever possible, even if on flat surfaces. This keeps the mechanism adjusted and working. The sensor may be stuck and the vibrations set up by that particular onramp and your style of driving at that point may be enought to set it off.

I hear you on the wet brakes, does it ever do it when the brakes are bone dry?

steviej

 

nope, never on dry days. i flooded the wheel well pretty bad yesterday, there were many cars who stalled out in the middle of intersections. i was kinda scared. Hehe, I returned the GS to my dad a few hours ago so now it's all his job!! what a great child i am, ay? i do believe its low fluid though. i always use the parking brake on the GS but dunno what the regular driver's been doing...
thanks guys!

 

Somebody once told me that if you do not have a leak in your brake system and your fluid is low, that means your brake pads are worn and should be replaced. When you push the cylinders out to make room for the new pads, the fluid will be pushed back into the reservoir filling it back up. By adding new fluids now, your reservoir may be overfilled and can spill when you replace your brake pads and have to push the cylinders out for the pads at that time.

It makes sens to me since the brake fluid is non-compressible and if it's not leaking anywhere, then it must still be in the system.

 

my, what a difference a few millimeters in the brake pads makes, eh?

 

meZoom,

take those "few millimeters" multiply that by the surface dimensions of the pad, now multiply that by 8. That equals some serious volume.

Your story reminds me of my friend. We call her puddles. She always seems to drive throught he deepest ones and makes it.

sj