Nissan red brake warning light in car: stop the car now

Who: you, as soon as the red brake light shows outside the start-up check. How: brake gently, leave more distance than usual and stop at the first safe place. Nissan warns that with low fluid the pedal may need more effort and travel and stopping distances may grow. Result that matters: no longer driving on brakes that may not respond properly. If you have stopped: apply the parking brake and switch the car off. If the pedal feels soft or long while you look for a place: slow right down and use the hard shoulder or a nearby exit. Evidence to keep: time, place, mileage and how the pedal felt when the light appeared.

Who: you, with the car parked on level ground, the parking brake on and the engine off. How: open the bonnet and find the reservoir shown in the manual (its side depends on left or right hand drive). See where the fluid sits against the MIN and MAX lines without opening the cap. Result that matters: knowing whether the light matches a low level, which is the first step Nissan asks for. If the fluid is below MIN: do not drive; Nissan wants a dealer or qualified workshop to check the brakes before the car moves again. If the level is between MIN and MAX and the light is still on: do not drive on either; Nissan treats it as a possible brake or warning system fault. Evidence to keep: photo of the reservoir showing the lines and the level.

Who: you, before deciding whether to add fluid yourself. How: bear in mind that Nissan recommends leaving refilling and checking of the brakes to a Nissan dealer or qualified workshop, using only new fluid of the stated type with the cap cleaned first. The fluid is poisonous and damages paint. Result that matters: avoiding wrong or contaminated fluid in the system and not hiding a leak by refilling. If you choose to wait for the workshop: add nothing and note the level you saw. If you had already topped up because of this light: tell the workshop, as Nissan wants a full check if fluid must be added often. Evidence to keep: container and type of fluid used if someone topped up, and the date.

Who: you, from a safe place, through your insurer or roadside assistance. How: say that the red brake warning light is on in a Nissan Qashqai and give the level you saw. Nissan says driving could be dangerous and mentions having the vehicle towed. Result that matters: getting the car to the dealer or workshop without relying on those brakes again. If they send a tow truck: this matches Nissan's warning. If they suggest driving on: remember that with fluid below MIN the manual says not to drive until the brakes are checked. Evidence to keep: tow case number, time of the call and the fluid level you saw.