what is this dash light symbol!?

[K///Mikes]

its the symbol next to the brake pad wear ---> (!) i kno it has to do with the brake system, could it be low fluid or maybe a loose sensor? ive searched for almost and hour and no luck any where! when i drive it comes on periodically and goes away, so im thinkin loose sensor, but what does it mean? i really need a bently manual lol

and so far it has had ZERO effect on the way the car drives or brakes!

thanx....again lol

[E36is]

brake pedal switch.

[everlast]

My brake pedal switch failed, and that didn't come on. I thought that was brake fluid, which could be serious.

[pawcio]

in some cars, i'm not sure if in the e30, that warning light is linked to both the e-brake sensor and the brake fluid level sensor.

[K///Mikes]

Hmmm I kno my brake fluid looks low but the light comes on when I go over bumps and also goes away, it never stays on and it doesn't come on when I hit the brakes, I'm gonna top up all my fluids 2morrow n see if n e thing else changes, I just wanted to kno what exactly that light ment, thanx for the help!

[pawcio]

Originally Posted by K///Mikes

Hmmm I kno my brake fluid looks low but the light comes on when I go over bumps and also goes away, it never stays on and it doesn't come on when I hit the brakes, I'm gonna top up all my fluids 2morrow n see if n e thing else changes, I just wanted to kno what exactly that light ment, thanx for the help!

brake fluid can slosh around near the sensor when you hit bumps in the road so that makes sense. fill it up and it will most likely go away.

[K///Mikes]

this doesnt seem to be a fluid problem cuz the way the light flashes its like a loose sensor, it flikers sometimes, does anyone kno what that symbol actually means!?

[Tony313]

Mikes that exact thing is happening to my car now i have a 90 325i 4 door i wanna figure it out as well plus my coolant light is on but i seem to have enough fluid in there so i dont know whats up

[E30M42cab]

Some of the newer BMW's (newer than E30's) have that symbol stamped on the brake fluid reservoir for people who can't ready their owners manual. I think I got one off a E39... it has the same symbol stamped in yellow paint on the brake fluid res. Fit's e30... plug and play.

[everlast]

I checked my owners manual: brake fluid level. Did you check your brake fluid level like you said you were going to?

[pawcio]

Originally Posted by K///Mikes

this doesnt seem to be a fluid problem cuz the way the light flashes its like a loose sensor, it flikers sometimes, does anyone kno what that symbol actually means!?

if its low fill it up and see if it goes away. not the first time i've seen a flickering (!) due to low fluid level. if you fill it up and it doesn't go away we'll go back to the drawing board but fill it up to the proper level first.

[K///Mikes]

Originally Posted by everlast

I checked my owners manual: brake fluid level. Did you check your brake fluid level like you said you were going to?

thank u, yes i checked it looks low not quite at the min level but definitly not at the full level, going to add brake fluid 2morrow and report back!

Pawcio: thanx for the re-insurance, hopfully this solves this problem!

[everlast]

Note that the fluid level lowers with pad wear, so if you haven't done brake pads in a while, the level will be low which is in itself, harmless. But in my experience if the fluid is that low, pads are usually required too. Something to consider before ol' man winter hits.

[K///Mikes]

Juss did all 4 pads and rotors about 2 weeks ago, gonna fill up the brake fluid when I get home from work!

[everlast]

When you did the brakes, you presumably had to push the caliper pistons in to get the new pads in, which should have pushed the fluid to a higher level. Maybe they were pushed all the way in, and have gone out since then to the new pad position. If this happened, it may have pushed fluid all over, so if you see any liquid around the cap / on the paint, best clean it up.