Brake light and "brake lamp" lit up yesterday. Topped off master cylinder (a bit low) and lights went off for a short time. Now they are back on. Anyone else have this issue? ( 1987 Accord )

Thanks

 

Just so I can follow, I'm slow.

One is on the car icon (like the door is open). This is usually for when a bulb is out. There can be issues with the sensor but lets start with check the bulbs in the rear...not just the brake lights but the running lights as well.

One is "Brake"....like the e-brake is on. It can be for the e-brake or low brake fluid. Is the fluid still full?

Amd for my own reasons, I kind of like the 3rd gens. What kind is this? LX, DX, LXi, trans, doors?

 

No, you're not slow at all. There are two brake lights. The upper one that just says "brakes" that lets you know when the Emergency brake is on or the fluid is low. There is also the small horizontal one down low in the instrument cluster, that says "brake lamp". It's the lower "brake lamp" light that is staying lit up. All of the brake lights and bulbs are working fine and the fluid level is fine. That's what has me baffled.

Thanks
Russ

 

The brake lamp warning light is just for the two brake lights in the trunk. The e-brake light will turn on when the master cylinder reservoir is low.

The brake lamp light will turn on when there is a change in resistance between the two brake lights that are in the tail lights. The high-mount light is not part of that circuit.

There is a black box connected to the driver's side tail light that switches the brake lamp light. Unplug it to see if the brake lamp light turns off.

The next step would be to clean the ground that is also near the driver's side tail light.

 

Sounds like the "brake" light is off and you just have the "brake lamp" light on"???

Actually on the 3rd gens there is a sensor on both tail lights....I think one is brown and the other is black (been a while)....the pass side has an extra term for the "high mount/third brake light"....yes, I know this as I've had my fun with these 3rd gens....even have some spare sensors somewhere in the garage....anyway

Again these sensors measure the resistance of the "wires/bulbs" so please check all of the bulbs ......even the ones is the very corner of the lens and the ones on the trunk (never did say of this was a hatch/coupe/sedan)...check with headlights on and headlights off....please.

From there if the bulbs are all good we can get into testing the sensors....do you have a volt meter that can read resistance and that? Or I can go way out on a limb and give you some of the other issues (not a bad sensor) that I have run into with the 3rd gens.....I was so mad at the 89 LX that I was ready to sell it years ago just because of an issue with this light....but I finally found the wire that was bad, so I still have it