Dashboard break light odd behavior

First of all - Well described PROBLEM and you should be comended as 90% of posters do not post enough information to diagnose squat. The brake light and ABS light work in tandem.By your description the ABS light is working properly yet the brake light stays illuminated when the car starts and the goes out when the brake is depressed is my understanding. ( I would asume that this is not the LAMP OUT indicator - Right ?? ) If its not the lamp out indicator light and is the brake light ( The same one when the Ebrake is pulled ) then I would assume a few things. A bad brake light switch on the pedal - Disconnect it and see if the light is OUT when you start the vehicle. If its out then the switch is probably shorted internally. If its stays on then there is an external factor - possible the light sensors in each of the rear brake light assemblies. These are known to go bad with water intrusion. With brake light switch connected check to see if ALL three brake lights are working - EVEN the third brake light. If one of them lights are out then you have probably found yer culprit - the rear lighting sensors putting your light on and will have to be addressed at the light that is not working. Hope this helps and good luck

There is a float on the cap that goes on the reservoir above the master cylinder. If the fluid is just a bit low the light will go on. To be on the safe side, don't assume that you're brakes are getting worn, take it in to make sure that there isn't a brake line getting ready to go out on you. You don't want to loose your brakes right....

Let me explain a little bit more. As the brake pads get worn. the fluid level drops because there's more space in the braking system, so the fluid leaves the reservoir to keep the brake lines & brake cylinders full. When this happens, the float in the reservoir cap drops. This activates the light on the dash. Follow what Mike says then check what I've said. Now one thing to know, brake leaks are not the same as a radiator hose that has a small leak. When a brake line starts to leak, you'll know because your foot will keep on going to the floor. If you put a small amount of brake fluid into the reservoir & the light goes out & assuming that you have a good emergency brake, just drive through your neighborhood, not on busy main roads. If the light should go on again, have someone follow you up to the place you do business at if it's right around the corner. If not, have it towed or get 2-4 car ramps to drive up on so you can get under the car. "Honda's sit low". If the lines all look good, [dry], Next check the wheels for fresh oil on the inside & the outside of the tires. On a 1998 Honda Accord, you have front disc brakes. If the caliper has started to leak from a seal going bad, you might be able to see it when looking at the wheel from under the car. If not, you'll need to take the tires off one at a time. As for the rear's, you'll have the older style drums, not disc type brakes. You usually have to take the car it for the drums to be removed. At any rate id you follow what Mike has said in his post, then you followed what I have said, adding an ounce or two, maybe three & the light stay's out, then your front brakes are wearing down & you should be looking to have your front pads replaced & the rotor's either turned or replaced. [New rotors cost about $17.00 each at most auto parts stores & the complete rotor & pads for the front can run around $45.00-$65.00] That's for the do it your selfers... Good luck & hope I was able to help you out.... Dan

I have same issue except the light stays on even e brake is down all lights work and fluid is full but it's not going out when brake is pressed but when I push my clutch to shift it goes out I release clutch and light comes back on...why...also when I push my clutch to start my car my headlights and dash lights will flash I release pedal and the stop it does it till I start car also driving down the road my car will entirely shut down..lights and everything motor too then kick back on ....why is my car doing this I have a 1995 accord ex coupe 2.2 sohc vtec

The rear right headlight assembly has a black sensor box with a white square connector two screws hold it in, once you have the box out, using a knife to help remove the connector Now remove the PC board, which pops out very easily. On the passenger side, the module will have what looks like 3 coils, if it’s the passenger side, two for the driver side but they're not really coils. The driver side has only two, and the module is smaller in size. “Measure across them they should read open”, it’s a reed switch inside a coil, if current going to the light bulb passes through the coil the reed switch closes and opens. It made to be open until current passes through the coil. They put it inside the it feels the EMF of the current going to the light, beats me how it works my guess if your light comes on and goes off it could be the dirty connector issue too. Check each one the coils( really your checking the reed switch) that if read a dead short with an ohm meter, IT IS BAD You can maybe use a reed switch from an alarm sensor or what is used in the motor circuit of the 10 foot satellite dishes. YOU CAN NOT SEE THE REED SWITCH IT’S HIDDEN INSIDE THE BLACK PLASTIC OF THE COIL, YOU ONLY SE THE TWO WIRES FROM EACH END. My guess is they made this circuit to detect bad connections to brake bulbs, so you know they’re starting to die, and you can then say WTF, and check your bulbs and maybe clean them, so they won’t die, and you die when someone hits you