Howdy all, new to the forums, did a search but didn't find anything, so here is my question...

I just bought a 98 Civic EX, the brake light on the dash flickers when driving, and a tap down on the emergency brake makes it go off for a few seconds. Mechanic who looked over the car before I bought it said that it was a problem with the contacts, or switch "under" the e brake lever, which makes sense to me given how it is acting.

Does this sound reasonable to you all?

How much would it cost to have fixed?

Is this a DIY project and if so, how much would parts run?

Thnaks
Dave

 

welcome to the forum!
about your problem.... ok this is what you do

step 1 get electrical tape
step 2 apply tabpe over brake light
step 3 forget it ever happened

 

no. Go to honda, buy a new switch. And its fixed. Maybe 20 bucks and 20 mins of ur time.

 

I am having the same problem... never figured it out. Every body said it could be brake fluid but mine is topped off.

 

OK, thanks, I take it that it is not hard to replace. I ordered one of the CD service manuals off of ebay, so when that comes I'll look it over and figure out where the dang thing is and how to get at it.

 

Some of those "idiot" lights are programmed to come on if you're low in brake fluid or low pressure in the brake lines....but if it's flickering on and off like you say, then i would go with replacing the switch...as long you have good pressure in your brakes, then you should be ok...if the switch doesn't fix, i say bleed your lines...

 

try adjusting your ebrake cable first if you have slack in your cable even slightly the handle coud be popping up and down slightly activating the switch, or see if the switch has a adjustment

 

Happened to me once and I found a quater under the parking brake.

 

i had my light flickering at me but while i was driving, but when id be sitting still sometimes itd stay on, sometimes itd stay off. theirs a sensor in the brake fluid reservior and the emergency brake sensor too. if ur low on fluid or gettin there itll flicker while your driving because the float is rocking up and down triggering the light, i ignored it for 4 days then the damn thing stayed on no matter what. put brake fluid in to the top of the reservior and it dont turn on anymore unless i pull the handbrake. hope this helps!