A friend's Perodua Kancil hand brake light indicator lights up even with the hand brake already release (while driving still light up).

Cannot be the brake not release.

What else could the light mean?

Thanks.

brake fluid not enough or time to change brake pads

I thought so too but needed to hear from car expert.

The brake pad, its something I never heard off. Can really be detected?

then go to the workshop and ask an expert la.

brake pad wear off thin oredi of course the light will come out la. brake system leak also will come out the light.

brake pad wear can't detect coz kancil doesn't have the brake wear sensor..most probably ur handbrake switch is loose or stick..others,just check ur brake fluid reservoir is it empty or not,if leak is not visible try send to shop and open your rear drum, check wheel cylinder for leak..

Dude, fitting those sensors r considered as luxury n unnecessary items for a budget compact like a Kancil.

TS,
Most likely ur handbrake release switch or its connection is faulty/loose. Think most mech or accesory shop guys can help u on tis.

You don't need sensors on the brake for that. Whenever brake pads wear out, the brake fluid in the reservoir will drop to fill the gap left by the worn out. The fluid level usually drops to min level and this will illuminate the so called 'brake warning' indicator. That indicator has 2 functions, one to tell you when the handbrake is up and the other when the brake fluid is low. This is how people usually associate this warning light with brake wear as it would trigger the low brake fluid warning.

The usual steps would be to check brake fluid level before anything else. If it is low, then check brake pads to see if the low level is caused by worn out pads. If not, then check for leakage. Only if there is nothing wrong with the brake pads/fluid level do you then check for handbrake sensor which seldom fails.

Another possibility is the floater thing in the brake resevoir (Im not sure what its called) if its not floating parallel with the surface, the brake indicator light will be on permanently

Thx sleepwalker for d explanation.

Yup, I already know tat most cars have tis feature at d resevoir unit itself (even my AE111 Corolla has tis), but there r a couple tat dun coz I cannot recall if my wife's ol 97 660 Kancil's unit has a electrical connector attached to d master pump/resevoir.

This post has been edited by Deja Vu: Feb 16 2012, 08:09 AM