I know many of you already know this, but for anyone who may not, and choose to ignore "Idiot lights" on your dash, please DON'T.
(We're talking critical lights, not Driver Information System)

Yesterday my BRAKE ( ! ) light illuminated, and a steady chime sounded. (the chime kept perfect rhythm with the song that was on the radio )
Obviously my first check was the e-brake, to make sure it was up all the way and it was.
I had full braking ability, the car stopped on a dime. The master cylinder was full.
Some people may have been tempted to think it was an electrical malfunction, and attempt to fix the problem by removing a fuse to stop the annoying chime.

I refused to drive the car last night until I could take it to a garage, which I did this morning, and learned the master cylinder had a slight leak in a seal. If left un-attended, it could have resulted in having NO BRAKES and an obvious catastrophy could have occured (green curse?).

The mechanic replaced the master cylinder, and cleaned my battery connections for $189.00Cdn, taxes in. Not bad. (This garage is a last of a dying breed: Smoking is okay indoors, girly calendars on the wall, and lots of greasy tools. The way it should be!)

The chiming has stopped, and the lights have gone out on the dash.
The $189.00 was a bargain for my peace of mind.

Please, if a light like this illuminates, your car is trying to tell you something. Take it very serioursly and have it looked after. It'* not an electrical malfunction until a qualified technician tells you it is.

Happy motorin'
Adam

We've had members in the past post questions about the location of the chime module because it was annoying them.

Any chime associated with a Brake warning lamp illumination is a clear sign of impending doom. Glad you got it taken care of quickly.

$189 is a cheap price to pay for peace of mind and safety on the road

Kudos

Like you say, those who choose to ignore the SES and CELs will usually pay a high price for their ignorance. When My CEL went on three years ago, I immediately checked it out, which resulted in a UIM and LIM gasket replacement in plenty of time to avoid damage to the engine.

Had I chosen to ignore that light, I would probably not be on this forum, since I would have had no need to look up info on my Bonneville, lol.

yea always "listen" to the lights
i just wish a light would've came on in my car, it wouldn't be wrecked right now

Your chime didn't go off because of the leak though. It went off because your master cylinder was getting low on fluid.

Good catch and glad you followed it through.