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"Break" dashboard light is ON in freezing wheather

It started intermittently last winter. Cold weather has downed on us now and it seems to have become nearly permanent:

Subaru Impreza 1993 - every time the car is left for an extended period of time in the freezing temperatures, the "break" warning lights up on dashboard permanently and never seems to go away (the same as the one that comes on and goes off every time the car is started).

I would start from heated home garage with no light, then half way to work the light comes on and would stay for the rest of the day. The, overnight in the garage, it disappears. And so on.

Breaks work just fine - same as in warmer months when the problem never shows up. Parking break is fully disengaged and works OK, too.

All in all, there seems to be no ill effect besides annoying red light on the dashboard. Is this something to be concerned with? What can

DK

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DK
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Very common. (2 of my daughters have Nissans that do this regularly) Likely the car is nearing a point of needing brake pads and the fluid is low in the reservoir. There is a float that warns of this. At night, the brake fluid contracts just enough with the cold to trigger the light. The light is dual/triple purpose and low fluid is one cause of its illumination. It MAY also indicate a brake fluid flush is due to too much water in the fluid. You can top up the reservoir, but I'd recommend having the brakes inspected soon or at least be aware the noise indicators may begin squealing soon.

Carl

1 Lucky texan
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Carl 1 Lucky Texan

Breaks broke, lots of smoke. Can't brake when brakes break. Give me a break, brake pads fake. Broke brake takes the cake.

--scott

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Scott Dorsey

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