Hello all, I've been a long time reader and have a question I'm looking for some help with. Two days ago I had a 2007 Aston Vantage delivered to me in NH by enclosed truck from Fla. It's a beautiful car, the first Aston I've ever owned. In the one mile I've been able to drive it from the drop off to my house I could not get the red "brake warning" light to go off on the dash. The parking brake is properly disengaged and I highly doubt a car with 3900 miles that just left the Aston dealer needs new brakes. I went thru the manual and it says it could also be low fluid level, but it looks ok to me. Any ideas? I won't be driving the car for a few months but would like to figure it out. Thanks all!

 

I know you said the parking break was disengaged but I know from experience that this flying handbrake can be tricky to disengage fully. So my guess is the handbrake was on.
Try a few more times to disengage it and see if the light goes off. I had the same issue when I first got my car.
Congrats on your new car. Enjoy in good health!

 

I agree. On both my old XK8, and my DB9, I have to release the parking brake "with feeling" to get the light to turn off. That means, don't just lay the handle down as you release the brake, push it down.

 

My old XK8 did it and my current DB9 does it too. Even with practice it sometimes takes me a few tries to get the dash light to go out. Make sure you hold the button for the full travel of the lever.

Congratulations on the new car!

 

I chased this down on my '07. The cause on my car ended up being a coil spring at one of the parking brake calipers had popped off, but was still on the caliper. Some needle nose pliers and cussing was all it took to get it reinstalled. I've also heard of improperly installed carpet under the parking brake handle causing this, too.

The one and only switch operating the brake warning in the dash is operated by a switch just under the parking brake handle. It's normally closed, and a striker (silver) within the parking brake handle (black) opens the switch, turning off the light. Tension from the parking brake cable is required to pull the striker onto the switch, and this tension was lacking on my car, since only one coil spring was working.

The parking brake handle cover is just velcroed on, so if both springs are attached, start there. BTW, you can check the springs without removing the wheels. Get a serious flashlight, and a long handled screw driver and gently poke around. The spring is only a few coils of heavy gage, and has about the diameter of a golf ball.

 

Since you are new to Aston's, you may not be aware that to fully release the parking brake you have to pull it UP after depressing the release button, not just simply press the button and lower it. Try that a few times....it has to come WAY up before you lower it.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I'm sure the brake is disengaging (or mostly). I was messing with it in the garage and I can get the brake to engage (so I can't get the car to move), then disengage by pushing on the footbrake, push and hold the button, pull up the lever and drop it to the floor. The car will then move. Weird, I'll take a look at the e-brake calipers as well. Thanks again!

 

Depressing the footbrake will have absolutely no bearing on handbrake operation. I promise.
You can ensure the hand brake is off by going for a ride, and when you're done touch the handbrake calipers. If neither handbrake is warm, it's was released for your ride.

So fundamentally, the striker inside the handbrake handle is not sufficiently contacting the switch below the handle, when the handle is released.

 

Sonny - I am having the same problem as you mentioned but I don't see the coil you mentioned. I checked the parking handle and confirmed that when released, the gray striker piece does not go down far enough to depress the switch. Do you have any pictures of the coil so I know what i'm looking for? Thank you.

 

Sorry, I don't. Even without pulling off wheels, you may be able to (with a flashlight) get a good look at your handbrake cable springs. If you don't see a difference from one rear wheel to the other, then it's time to get the jacks in place. The whole needle nose pliers repair DID require pulling the wheel.

 

I had same problem, but a 36K I really did need rear pads. Annoying message on infer center kept telling me "rear disc pads low" and would replace my digital speedo. Annoying while waiting for parts. On right side of info below phone sim is button marked "read". Pressed that and dash lite said had one message pressed button again and pads lows came back on, then no messages, and then speedo. Red brake lite still on but I can live with that till pads intalled next Monday.

 

Thank you, this comment saved me today while I was stuck at a gas station.