Red Brake Warning Light Stays On

[Waiting4M3]

I have the same symptom, brake warning and low wiper fluid warning stays on for 1-2 minutes after starting the car and immediately starting to drive, and then both disappear at the same time. If also seems that if I use summon 1st to get the car out of the garage, then the duration of the warning lights is shorter.

I took delivery on Thur 7/5. I didn't notice it on my 1st day, possibly because every time I start the car I end up sitting around for a bit and play with some settings. They told me there was a FW push to my car the morning before delivery. I'm on 2018.24.1.

 

[gambit48]

I get both too. Very intermittent. The brake light goes on much longer (or appears randomly after driving a while) and at much higher speeds.

 

[Thaiverson]

Just picked up my car yesterday and have the same issues (brake light and low washer fluid warnings). The first time, I got the washer fluid warning without the brake warning. Second time, I got both warnings at the same time. Hope a firmware update will fix this. Even though I picked up my car on 7/7, I am not on the latest firmware... I am on 2018.21.9

Are folks with issues on 2018.21.9 like me, or 2018.24.1 (latest firmware)?

 

[jimgentili]

I'm on 2018.24.1

 

[jimgentili]

Picking up my car from Service Center now...

The result:

"This is a known firmware issue. We've topped off your fluids and checked you brakes. we can confirm everything is working as it should. There will be a firmware fix in your next software update."

 

[dahlw]

Ahh that explains it.

Just got my car this weekend and noticed the same issue this morning. Your post saved me a trip to the service center.

 

[Waiting4M3]

I also noticed that this only happens if my car has been parked without charging for a while. If it's been charging it almost never happens. I suspect that unplugging it wakes up the car, giving it more time to "settle" the sensors before I start driving.

 

[CAM#3]

Mine too...for about 1 min after I start driving and the goes away. When it on (indicating that parking brake is manual set on) and I check on the screen, it says off, even when light is on.

 

[Joe322]

Maybe same issue here, but here is what I am seeing...

When I park my new Model 3 (picked up today) I notice that the brake light stays on. When I walk away the car does not turn off. If I try and manually power off the car on the safety and security screen the screen goes black and then comes right on again.

This is the big part I noticed though. When I put my foot under the brake pedal and lift up the brake light turns off. Once I do that the car powers off normally. My guess is there is a problem with the brake pedal sensor.

I have a service center appt next week to find out for sure.

 

[mongo]

Maybe same issue here, but here is what I am seeing...

When I park my new Model 3 (picked up today) I notice that the brake light stays on. When I walk away the car does not turn off. If I try and manually power off the car on the safety and security screen the screen goes black and then comes right on again.

This is the big part I noticed though. When I put my foot under the brake pedal and lift up the brake light turns off. Once I do that the car powers off normally. My guess is there is a problem with the brake pedal sensor.

I have a service center appt next week to find out for sure.

Yeah, sounds like the brake switch is out of adjustment. Are you far from the SC? The fix should only take a couple minutes (if the design is similar to my wife's non-Tesla) wondering if they would do a sevice call...
Not good to have brake lights on when you don't want them (along with brake lights draining the battery, wife's car would sometimes have the reverse lights on in drive also...)

 

[Joe322]

Yeah, sounds like the brake switch is out of adjustment. Are you far from the SC? The fix should only take a couple minutes (if the design is similar to my wife's non-Tesla) wondering if they would do a sevice call...
Not good to have brake lights on when you don't want them (along with brake lights draining the battery, wife's car would sometimes have the reverse lights on in drive also...)

I luckily drive by the SC every day on the way to work. Didn't think about the light being on while driving. Might have to stop in tomorrow as a safety issue.

 

[mongo]

I luckily drive by the SC every day on the way to work. Didn't think about the light being on while driving. Might have to stop in tomorrow as a safety issue.

Sounds like a plan
Does the 3 have the same overhead car display that shows if the brakes are on? If cruise won't engage, that is another indicator they are on...

 

[TomHudson]

Great information, guys. Just got our silver Model3 on Wednesday and it started the brake light + washer fluid thing yesterday afternoon. Kind of freaked me out, but I did notice both warnings were gone this morning, then back again earlier this evening. Since I hadn't used any washer fluid and figured they wouldn't deliver a new car with low washer fluid, my guess was it's a glitch, especially when both warnings happened and went away together.

Insert sigh of relief here.

Loving this car. Tonight somebody asked if it was able to keep up with traffic on I-94 driving it home from Chicago on Wed....as if it was a golf cart or something. I just laughed and told him I'd take him for a drive soon. I'll go to a highway on ramp and say something like "gotta be careful to try to get up to highway speed before merging" and then freaking PUNCH IT. That should be a hoot.

 

[neilj]

My brake warning light stays illuminated for about 2 minutes after starting and then goes off.
Model 3 is only 2 days old.

Any thoughts. Service center said not low brake fluid. Sadly its been waiting at the service center to get diagnosed more days then its been on the road.

Anyone have the same problem? Guessing its a sensor issue?

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I have the same issue today. Got my Model 3 a few days ago. Both error lights linger and then turn off after about a minute. Did you ever get a resolution for this?

 

[Atoms]

My brake warning light stays illuminated for about 2 minutes after starting and then goes off.
Model 3 is only 2 days old.

Any thoughts. Service center said not low brake fluid. Sadly its been waiting at the service center to get diagnosed more days then its been on the road.

Anyone have the same problem? Guessing its a sensor issue?

Yes, picked up July 13th. Occurred several times now. If this is a filter issue, these programmers need to learn about filter initiation to prevent glitches. My audio has crackling sounds like the speaker wire is lose or the speakers are torn. If this is a digital filter issue, this also is an issue with initialization and recovery from upsets. I also hear clicks between music which means they don't have an appropriate fade in and fade out. Even 100ms fade can make a big difference in audio glitches at transitions. Its like they have some young inexperienced programmers handling sensors and audio if these are not hardware issues.

 

[mongo]

Yes, picked up July 13th. Occurred several times now. If this is a filter issue, these programmers need to learn about filter initiation to prevent glitches. My audio has crackling sounds like the speaker wire is lose or the speakers are torn. If this is a digital filter issue, this also is an issue with initialization and recovery from upsets. I also hear clicks between music which means they don't have an appropriate fade in and fade out. Even 100ms fade can make a big difference in audio glitches at transitions. Its like they have some young inexperienced programmers handling sensors and audio if these are not hardware issues.

Yah, my Asus laptop's speakers pop every time it toggles the amp on/off to save power....

 

[chipsajoy]

I am so relieved to know I’m not the only one having this issue. I took delivery Saturday July 14 (2 days ago). Windshield fluid low light came on yesterday and again today. I thought it’s weird they didn’t top off the fluids when they delivered the car, but it’s no big deal. I picked up a gallon of windshield fluid and poured half of it in to top it off. This morning the brake warning light came on for several seconds right after I started the car, then went away, so I didn’t think too much of it. Then it started coming on every time I got in the car and put it in reverse trying to back out of a parking spot. Then when I was driving home, both brake warning light AND windshield fluid low lights came on. This is AFTER I had topped off windshield fluid. They both stayed on for a good minute until the speed went above 10mph. I thought something’s definitely wrong and started googling it. Glad I found this thread. However, I do have the most updated software/firmware version 2018.24.7 that supposedly was pushed out earlier this week so I don’t think it fixed the issue. I reset the screen/system by pressing the little steering balls for 10 seconds on the wheel before leaving the car for the night. Will see what happens tomorrow. If this still happens I will have to call SC.

 

[opiuman]

Wheres the low washer fluid indication? I don't see any mention of it in the manual for the status lights.

 

[dangTM3]

Hmm... I also got the same issue. Picked up my Model 3 on July 15th in Costa Mesa (SoCal). I'm also on Version 2018.24.7.

 

[chipsajoy]

The lights came back on this morning. Called service center and this is what they told me to do as the issue is car giving me false alarm.

From your car control icon, go to "Safety & Security", "Vehicle Power," "Power Off", confirm, then sit in your car for 2-3 minutes (I did 3 minutes) without touching anything (don't step on brake, no touching screen, etc.). This will power down the vehicle like powering down a computer. Then after 2-3 minutes, step on the brake and hold for 15 seconds to re-start the system.

After I did this, the brake fluid light and windshield fluid low lights did not stay on like before. I'll report back if this happens again. In the meantime, please try this method and see if it works with your car.