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Originally Posted by chishifu
hey guys, me new to this so bear with me plz =P
ok, i drive a 98 sentra gxe, and the e-brake light has been hasseling me for a while, but i don't seem to notice a difference, just one day while driving it popped on. I kinda wanna fix it myself, but i'm only 16 =P so whateva, Any tips on what/where to look for the prob and how to fix it? like how to recognize what problem i have and stuff, if you guys think it's too complicated, then tell me to see a professsionel =P thx
Chishi
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You're talking about the brake light right (I don't remember there being an e-brake only light on the 98 models)? If it is, it could be anything from a leak in your brake hoses, low brake fluid, or a broken component in your brake system.
You can check a number of those things without much technical knowledge. You probably want a good hydraulic jack and a pair of jack stands though (it'll make things easier). Basically you want to check the following, preferably in order:
1. Open the hood and check the brake fluid basin (a small translucent container containing yellow fluid. It should be labeled "brake fluid"). If the container is less than 1/3 inch full from the top, put more brake fluid in there. It isn't necessary to keep the basin topped off at all times, but if you're low on fluid it isn't a bad idea.
2. Put your car in Park (or in 1st/Reverse gear in a manual transmission car), pull the e-brake, jack up the front wheels and take them off (if you don't have jack stands, just jack up one wheel at a time). Remember to loosen the lug nuts BEFORE you jack up the car. Once you've done that, take the wheel off and look at the brake assembly. If there are any puddles or leaks in that area, you need to replace whatever is leaking (if it's the caliper, it needs to be rebuilt).
3. Do the same with the rear brakes. The rear brakes should look different from the fronts on your car. Don't worry about that. Just look for any leaks.
4. With the engine running and with it in neutral or park, pump the brake pedal. The pedal should get firmer with each pump. If it doesn't, there's a chance that your master cylinder needs replacement.
5. Press down on the brake pedal and turn off the engine. The brake pedal should stay firm for about half a minute before it stops giving resistance and the pedal goes to the floor.
Those are a few basic checks you can run to see what's wrong. Unfortunately, everything but adding brake fluid is going to require a bit of work and a good tool set. If you're going to do any of those things, there is a Factory Service Manual that you can download in the B14 section of this forum. You can also spring for a Haynes Manual, which will cover pretty much all maintenance stuff as well as most repair work. If you don't think you can do it, it's probably a good idea to take it to a professional. But either way, it's a good idea to check for stuff yourself so you can: 1. Tell the guy at the shop what's wrong and save him valuable repair time. And 2. Diagnose and maybe fix the problem in the future, if it happens.
Good luck, and welcome to NissanForums.com!
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