Brake system warning light
A red warning light for the brake system.
Easily confused with
- ABS warning lightThe same circle between parentheses, with ABS in place of the exclamation mark.
- Brake fluid symbolThe brake fluid symbol, a circle between curved brackets with liquid in its lower third. As a red dashboard light it means the brake fluid level is low; on the vehicle itself it marks brake fluid.
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.
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.
What the manual says to do
Ford's F-150 manual calls driving with the brake warning lamp on dangerous: braking performance may drop significantly, and stopping may take longer. It says to have the vehicle checked as soon as possible.
When it comes on
In Ford's F-150 the lamp also lights when the parking brake is applied with the ignition on, and when there is a brake fault or low brake fluid, whatever the parking brake's position.
Look-alikes
The ABS warning light uses the same circle between parentheses, with the letters ABS in place of the exclamation mark.
Read next
- Next in Dashboard warning lightsEV reduced power (turtle) lightA warning light, drawn as a turtle, that shows an electric car has limited its power. Nissan calls it the power limitation indicator light; Hyundai calls it the power down indicator light and Kia the power down warning light.
- The same shape in Accessibility symbolsAccessible Icon (dynamic wheelchair symbol)A wheelchair symbol with the figure leaning forward and an arm swept back on the wheel, from the Accessible Icon Project. It marks the same accessible places as the International Symbol of Access; the project put it in the public domain.
More dashboard warning lights
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with circles or curves and waves.
Sources
- Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1038): Identification of Controls, Tell-tales and Indicators, C.R.C., c. 1038, Schedule IV, s. 101, Government of Canada, Justice Laws Website, s. 101, Table
- 2020 Nissan LEAF Owner's Manual, Nissan North America, Instruments and controls, warning and indicator lights
- 2020 F-150 Owner's Manual, Ford Motor Company, Instrument Cluster: Brake System Warning Lamp
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 26, 2026. How we research
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