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Why does my brake light come on while driving?
I’ve noticed my brake light turning on every so often while I’m driving. It’s worrying me since it’s becoming more frequent. What does it mean when the brake light comes on?
Tiffany Leung · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Sorry to hear you’re having car issues!
If your brake light is coming on while driving, you may be running out of brake fluid or experiencing an issue with the brake system. While there’s no need to panic, we recommend you see a mechanic as soon as possible to diagnose the problem.
The most common reasons for your brake light turning on while driving can include:
- Engaged parking brake — Sometimes when you try to disengage the parking brake, it catches instead of disengaging fully and triggers the brake light. Check that it is fully disengaged.
- Low brake fluid level — When the brake fluid is too low, the light is triggered to let you know it needs to be refilled. Sufficient brake fluid is needed to apply force to the brakes.
- Faulty sensors — A problem with the brake fluid sensor or parking brake sensor can falsely trigger the brake light even if everything is working properly.
- ABS problem — The brake light could indicate that there might be an issue with the ABS system. This would require a technician to diagnose.
It can be stressful if you’ve checked the brake fluid level and the parking brake and found no issues. This is where having roadside assistance on your insurance policy will give you peace of mind.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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