My handbrake light turns on while doing hard acceleration in 1st and 2nd when the car pulls the hardest. The brake isn't on, but it's like a wire is being pulled back and hitting something to cause the light to turn on. Just wanted to see what you guys thought before I have to set up an appointment with Scion.

 

I have the same problem... My brakes are shot and I'm a tad low on brake fluid. How's the brake fluid level on your car? My guess is that when you accelerate hard it thinks it's low on fluid for a second... I ordered the StopTech Stage II kit and I'm hoping after I change out the brakes and drain the factory fluid and put in the new fluid this problem will go away...

 

yeh u need new pads bud!

 

Also, how's the tension on your handbrake? (How far do you have to pull it up)... Mine has to be pulled all the way up for it to do anything, that's something else I have to fix when I put the new brakes in... I'm just trying to compare my situation to yours to see what is causing the Brake light to appear for a seconds when there is hard acceleration...

 

check/change your brake pads.

 

Shouldn't my breaks be making a horrid sound for break pads to be the problem?

 

no.

and it's BRAKES

 

Nope, mine aren't and the front pads are completly shot...

 

See, what I don't understand is IF it is the pads, why is the light only turning on during hard acceleration?... If the pads were that bad wouldn't the light just stay on at that point?

 

it's the brake fliud being low.. sloshing around..

now stupid people would see that and refll the sucker.. not realizing what caused it to be like that in the first place..

what is it in the first place? your pads.

 

^ That's pretty much my situation... Fluid is low, and pads are shot... Hopefully, my brake kit will be here on Monday...

 

now as long as you realize WHY your fluid is low.. that's all i'm trying to get across

 

Yep, as soon as I noticed the light turn on the first time - the fluid was the first thing I checked... Then when I saw that the fluid was low I took a look at my pads... I just figured that the Brake light would just stay on (not when hard accelerating and causing the fluid to move around)... I'm not even at 20K and I need new brakes ... lol...

 

yea...me too...15k and i need some. The stock pads dont hold up too well on the track, they melt after they get up to temp lol. I ordered the Stoptech Stage 1 cause i couldnt afford the stage 2...even tho i would've loved some cross drilled rotors

 

And as I always say (in the millions of threads about this very question... which should be searched before posting a new one ), it is a brake light. There is no handbrake light. The light comes on with the handbrake, low fluid, an issue with the brake system, etc. It is not just there to let you know your handbrake is on.

 

seems to happen to a lot of people i thought something was wrong but i just ignored it and it went away so dont stress out or anthing

 

Ignoring a brake system warning light is a great idea......

 

+1, ignoring warnings FTL lol

 

Well the brake fluid is about 1/4 inch above the minimum level. Maybe I need to put some more fluid into it, and then get some new pads later on.

 

IF the fluid is that low, it is because the pads are pretty worn. You need to check them and most likely replace them. Check the inboard pads, as they will tend to wear faster.

If you fill the reservoir, then you need to suck some back out later when you do change the pads or you will create a big mess when you compress the pistons.