Brake light when spinning tires???

[scorpio_vette]

92 mx3, non-abs, 1.8L.

noticed recently that if i gun it off the line and end up spinning the tires, that the Brake light on the dash comes on. it goes off again after a few seconds, but why on earth would spinning tires cause the brake light come on???

[mitmaks]

Is your brake fluid full?

[MrMazda92]

Wheel hop. Fluid being jostled in the reservoir goes slightly below the sensor and boom, brake light.

mitmaks hit the nail on the head, top off your brake fluid(don't overfill it)

[scorpio_vette]

it is full. any other ideas???

[mitmaks]

check to see if your ebrake is dragging or maybe cable needs to be adjusted.

[mx3matt]

BAD FLUID LEVEL SENSOR?

[scorpio_vette]

e-brake seems to be working fine, but i do have a problem with the rear driver caliper. i think the soft line might be collapsing, because i had to step on the brake pretty hard one day, and my rotor turned a real pretty damn near see-through orange. and so did the pad. LOL haven't had a chance to figure out what exactly the problem is, and don't drive but maybe once a week. but i have noticed that if i use mostly engine braking and stay off the brake except very gently, then i don't seem to have any problems. but if i try to use the brakes normal or "fun", then that rear one goes up in smoke again. so i have to replace the soft line and the caliper, and the pads and rotor which i just put on less than 3,000 miles ago.

but not sure how that would affect the brake light while spinning, considering it's the front tires that are spinning, and i'm not using the brake when the light comes on.

suppose it could be the fluid level sensor not liking the hopping that comes with spinning the tires. would make sense considering nothing else on this car seems to wanna work right. But I've decided to keep this piece of crap as my beater with a heater (well.....what little heat it makes. LOL) because it's kinda fun. I picked up a nicer/cleaner mx3 that I'm keeping indoors and hoping to fix up by summer, so i can have a nice/clean summer mx3, and this faulty, rusty, dented, gallons-of-oil-per-mile as my winter beater.

[MrMazda92]

Hmm, check your brake proportioning valve? That is, for the overbraking in the rear left corner...

Or, maybe the problems are linked. Check the length and tension of the left handbrake cable... If it's too short, it would definitely explain your problem with glowing rotor/pads, and possibly explain your brake light turning on.

I remember that MoonEggs told me he has a problem during winter, with his handbrake lines freezing and the rear calipers locking up when the handbrake is apparently off(i.e. the handle is down).

I haven't experienced this myself, but it's a starting point if nothing else...

An easy test of the handbrake cable being the cause would be to unhook the cable from both rear rotors. Drive a few miles, braking normally(not babying it, but driving as you would any other car), and post your findings!

[scorpio_vette]

sorry that I haven't gotten back sooner. started having problems on both rears. pretty sure it's the soft lines. I went to replace the rear pads and start trying to diagnose the problem. I was unable to compress the caliper (i know. turn them in, not press in like on domestics). then I had the bright idea of releasing the bleeder a bit, and when I did that, I was able to turn the piston back in. however after turning it back in and closing the bleeder, I was unable to get the piston to compress the brakes again. no matter how much I bled, fluid would not come out anymore. so it's as if the brake hose is acting like a check valve when I really stomp on it hard.

But that is all pointless now. I recently picked up a part time job, so i've just been taking country roads and downshifting, so i could baby the brakes. well somebody cut me off yesterday, and by the time i got where I had to go, the rear brakes were up in flames. literally.....fire. so i grabbed a fire extinguisher and put them out, and after they cooled and all the fluid leaked out, I carefully drove home on a empty back road with nothing but engine braking and parked it. Not putting anymore money into this car anytime soon. This car has been the worst car I've ever owned. From parts availability, to cost, to simplicity, this car doesn't seem to be the best thing ever made. And unfortunately my dumb a-- picked up another one with a clean body, clean engine and all electronics working thinking that I would fix it up and use my current one for spares or as a winter beater. But I've lost the taste for this car for now. Think I'm just gonna walk away from them for now and get my old jeep running again. only gets 15mpg, but at least they don't break down every day, and parts are as cheap if not cheaper than chevy parts. not to mention readily available.

[mitmaks]

Sorry about your luck with mx-3's. They are great cars, but you have to take care of it just like any other car. Sounds like you've bought a beater, and that's just what you have-a beater. Don't expect to have a nice daily driver if you buy a beater from someone who has used it, never changed fluids or did any maintenance.
Parts are not that expensive. You should check out rockauto, shop around, you can get many parts from local junk yards.

[scorpio_vette]

Sorry about your luck with mx-3's. They are great cars, but you have to take care of it just like any other car. Sounds like you've bought a beater, and that's just what you have-a beater. Don't expect to have a nice daily driver if you buy a beater from someone who has used it, never changed fluids or did any maintenance.
Parts are not that expensive. You should check out rockauto, shop around, you can get many parts from local junk yards.

yeah it is a beater. and i've owned quite a few different beaters. but this one just seems to be on a decomposing mission. LOL

i've shopped around for parts, and have pretty much come to this conclusion. If napa can't get it, or if their price is to high, then ebay. I've never actually used any online auto parts stores. as for junkyards. I haven't found any around here that have those. half of them don't even know what the hell it is, and the others keep getting into arguments with me that either a) that car never came with a V6, or b) that a 1.8L is a 4cyl, not a 6cyl. but none of them actually have the car anyways. LOL

i'll check out that rockauto.

[mitmaks]

Most of junkyards won't have mx3's they're too old and they don't want to stock car thats 20 years old. There is local Pull N save yard, you go in there with your own tools and pull your own parts and prices are cheap.
Also, there's a lot of great members on here that are helpful, if you need any parts you just post in WTB section. Chances are someone has it and sometimes will even ship it for free if item is small.