[ChicagoGirl96M]

My brake light on the dash has been coming on pretty consistently for the last month, every time I hit the brakes. I knew the pads needed to be replaced, but thought something else was wrong as well, because of the light. I replaced the front pads and rotors this weekend, and now the light hasn't come back on at all. I've never heard of any type of sensor that detects brake pad wear, so what's up with the light? My pads weren't worn all the way down, so I shouldn't have been pushing enough brake fluid down there to trigger the sensor for low fluid.

 

[Malicious]

It's either for low brake fluid or a bulb burnt out.

 

[Jason]

Mine was doing the same thing! It only did it when it was cold, and the car was at a stop, so I had a feeling it was the fluid, and it was...

as far as yours, like malicious said, low fluid, or bad bulb!

 

[ChicagoGirl96M]

Nope, fluid's fine, it's been bled recently, and the light doesn't come on anymore. It would come on whenever I would hit the brakes before, but hasn't come on since the new pads and rotors.

 

[dsr30]

some higher end cars have such a sensor but the only one ours has squeals when the brakes r low.

 

[Fastest95PGT]

As your pads get lower, more fluid gets into the caliper so they can still grab. They don't just open back up to a full pad size or else you'd create play in the pedal where it wouldn't grab which could be dangerous.

So I'm also betting your fluid got just low enough while your pads were getting pretty worn out which triggered the light. Now that you have them changed, (and likely filled the fluid during/after bleeding), it is back up to normal again.