VDC light and brake light. 2016 Quest.

[PoMansVan]

We've been having a steady VDC light occasionally come on and most recently the "Brake" light on startup that goes out the first time you mash the brakes on our 2016 Nissan Quest SV with about 44K miles on it. We bought it "Certified Used" from a Nissan dealer in April 2017 with 32300mi on it.

The brake fluid reservoir is approaching the "add" line, but it's pretty close to between add and full, a tad closer to "add".

I pulled a front and rear wheel to check the brakes and the pads are pretty well worn, but could probably go another 10K miles+. The rear caliper pistons are extended a fair amount. The rotors look like new yet. Gotta love "certified used" when within 10K miles of purchase, you need 2 new tires and within under 12K miles, new brakes.

Could these lights be related to the amount of pad wear and brake fluid level? I've not experienced this with any of my other vehicles in the past. Just wondering if this is a Nissan thing? It's been a while since I've owned one. The last Nissans we owned were back around 2001 (2 different Sentras).

Thanks.

[Ace2cool]

Could be a number of things. First would be to add fluid. If that fixes it, great. If not, you may have a damaged ABS sensor.

[PoMansVan]

^ Thanks.

I think the lowish fluid level is due to the fact the pads are fairly well worn and the caliper pistons are extended out, using up the fluid. I mail ordered a full set of pads and plan to do just a pad slap since the rotors all look so good yet.

[far raf]

Not sure if my 2005 experience applies, but I drive my pads down to the specified minimum before replacing and never had brake light come on on the Quest due to low pads.
Is this the same light as parking brake, I cannot recall (parents drive the van these days)? There may be something wrong with the e-brake sensor then.

[PoMansVan]

Just an update, but indeed my intermittent VDC light and BRAKE light were due to low brake fluid level. I topped up the fluid reservoir and the lights went away. I'll have to bleed some fluid out of the calipers when I get around to swapping the pads, or just pull some out of the reservoir, or it will overflow when I compress the caliper pistons.

This is kind of a neat feature IMO. You get an early warning that you need new pads. Atleast that's how it worked out for me.

[far raf]

Guess you had low fluid level when new pads were installed to begin with. Glad it was that simple! I am heading into replacing the alternator on mine, and that is a messy job with draining the coolant, plugging transmission fluid lines and removing the rad just to get there. Oh boy!

[PoMansVan]

Could be. I know the eBay aftermarket pad set I bought were SO thick, I had to compress the caliper pistons all the way in to get them installed. After everything was buttoned up, I had to suck out a little brake fluid from the reservoir because it was overfull. You can push the little level switch up/down right in the filler neck of the reservoir.