Red BRAKE

It's never a good thing when random lights start coming on your dashboard of your car.

Because usually that means something is wrong.

I'd noticed it a few weeks ago.

When I took a turn rather fast.

That out of the blue, on my dashboard a red light that read BRAKE flashed on.

And flashed off once I stopped turning the wheel.

So automatically I assumed, that I'd just taken the turn too fast.

And the light had flashed on to warn me of that fact.

I didn't think much of it.

But then....

The light that read BRAKE started flashing more often.

The last couple of days.

It seemed like every time I took a turn it would flash.

So I paid attention,

And noticed that the light would only flash on when I turned my wheel to the left.

As in, it would only turn on when I was making left turns.

And it only wouldn't turn on on left turns if I was driving slower than like 10 miles an hour it felt like.

But the fact that the light was turning on more often.

Had me worried.

Were my brakes wearing out?

It didn't sound like it or feel like it. That was all normal.

It was only when turning...

So maybe somehow the brakes had gotten out of alignment and were rubbing weird?

*shakes head*

Still, the fact that a light on the dashboard would come on.

Meant I should probably get it checked out sooner rather than later.

I brought up this little thing to a coworker.

And they were like "Usually the Red Brake light means that it's the emergency brake."

O.o

Why in the world would the Emergency Brake light be flashing on when I was turning left?

I hardly ever if basically never use the thing.

But perhaps maybe, the handle that controls the emergency brake was out of position?

But if it was...why would the light only flash on with the left turns? Wouldn't it flash on more often?

I checked the brake when I got back out to the car.

It was in position. Pulling it up did turn on the brake light, putting it back down turned it off.

But it didn't turn on otherwise.

So, to solve the mystery.

I went to the nearby Jiffy Lube to see if they could figure out why.

They did.

After explaining my situation.

And lifting the hood of my car.

It was discovered that my brake fluid was low.

Which means, that as my car turns, the sensor that senses when the brake fluid is low. Goes off.

Since the sensor is apparently only on one side. Turning to one side would slosh the fluid and set off the sensor.

The solution?

At some point I need to go buy some fluid and refill it.

As the people at Jiffy Lube said they couldn't.

Something about the thickness of the brake pads influencing how high or low the fluid would show in the container....

*shakes head*

At least it wasn't something major. :) Yet.

Therefore. Time to go find some fluid and finally get that red light to stop flashing at me.

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi