what does this symbol mean?
ISO 2575 An exclamation mark inside a circle, with curved lines either side

Brake system warning light

A red warning light for the brake system.

Dashboard symbols vary by manufacturer. The vehicle's owner's manual or a qualified mechanic can say what a light means for a particular vehicle.

How to read it

The symbol is a circle containing an exclamation mark, between parentheses. Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations list it as the brake system malfunction tell-tale, in red or red-orange. Nissan's LEAF manual says the light stays on for a few seconds when the vehicle is switched on, and that lit at any other time it may indicate the hydraulic brake system is not functioning properly.

Also searched as: brake light, parking brake light.

Look-alikes

The ABS warning light uses the same circle between parentheses, with the letters ABS in place of the exclamation mark.

More dashboard warning lights

Sources

Last reviewed September 25, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research

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