Emergency Brake light comes on after slowing down, before stopping

[358R]

The other day i took my wheels off to check something unrelated, put them back on. Now, when I'm slowing down, right before coming to a complete stop, my ABS light comes on. I'm guessing I either knocked something loose or I didn't put a wheel back on well enough. I don't feel that the ABS is engaging. Thoughts?

 

[MrQ]

Front or rear? What exactly was the unrelated reason for removing the wheels and what was removed, if anything, other than the wheels.

For the front, you may have unintentionally loosened the connector on the frame rail for the ABS or damaged the sensor itself. I'd pull the wheels off and check the sensor.

 

[358R]

Front and rear. Was putting the center caps back on (95 cobra wheels). Only the wheels were removed.

 

[358R]

Correction, it's the emergency brake light. I'm an idiot. Apologies.

 

[MrQ]

Then I would check your brake fluid level. Usually low brake fluid is the only thing that will set it off other than having the parking brake depressed or a faulty parking brake switch.

 

[358R]

Brake fluid is indeed low. At or under 50%. I'll add fluid and report back.

Additional information: it also appears to happen under hard acceleration...which would make sense as it would be sloshing around in there.

 

[Turdle]

oh, check all brake pads. Being that low shows either high wear or a leak-

As brake pads wear, the calipers do not return as far, and fluid takes the place of moved piston volume.

 

[358R]

oh, check all brake pads. Being that low shows either high wear or a leak-

As brake pads wear, the calipers do not return as far, and fluid takes the place of moved piston volume.

Pads are new-ish

 

[koda2000]

If your pads are fairly new, low brake fluid points to a leak somewhere. Caliper piston/seal leaks? The rear brake line across the rear axle is common point of failure. The brake fluid has to be going somewhere.

 

[358R]

After topping off the fluid, the light has not returned. I'll investigate the possible leak further and report back.

 

[358R]

Have not been able to locate a leak. Will keep an eye out.

 

[MrQ]

Have not been able to locate a leak. Will keep an eye out.

Could be just an oversight from when the brakes were bled or the mastery cylinder was replaced.

On vehicles this old...after a while you stop asking where the fluids went.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto. When the brakes were done the fluid level might not have been double checked after driving, and it was fairly low then. Do check the line connections though, and keep an eye out for any leaking.