I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Handbrake light
Hi,
I recently did the brakes all round they they feel great. Today I jumped in the car to find my handbrake warning light would not go out. I have needed the handbrake cable tightening for some time but ive had to get other things done on the car so haven’t had the chance to get to it. The handbrake doesn’t hold well on any bank so I put it in gear which is fine for now.
Would this be the cause?
I have check the brake fluid and its just below the maximum mark and I’ve heard that a sensor relating to this level also controls the same light, so I’ve eliminated that as the cause. A picture of the brake fluid reservoir:
Dot 4 is the one to use, guessing it should be ok to use with what you have, it superceded dot 3 a while ago and should mix👍
Really need a complete change of fluid if it’s years old, some say every 2 years change.
If you are having handbrake problems and you’ve worked on the brakes? Always good to slacken the handbrake off at the lever, do the brake work, get adjustments done at each hub with the adjusters then adjust the handbrake back up. Go for a drive recheck everything and fine tune if needed at each hub again and the handbrake cable.
I agree with Mick AP; the warning light is feasibly just the fluid still being a little low and the weak handbrake is best fixed by loosening off the lever end before adjusting at the calipers.
Over the years they can get into a state where the lever is adjusted too tight and the crank arms on the calipers never spring back all the way and consequently the handbrake is weak because it has so little travel. My current Mk.1 was like that when I got it - brake wouldn’t hold on even a gentle slope.
If you loosen the lever adjuster, then back off the 4mm allen screw adjusters for the rear pads you can check if the crank levers on both calipers can spring right back and move through their full sweep. Might need a bit of assistance if they haven’t moved much in years. And you can temporarily unhook the cables at the caliper end to make this bit easier (I find it easiest to unbolt the little bracket each cable fixes to and they just come loose). Then when it’s all freed off you can put it back together, reset the 4mm adjusters then adjust the handbrake lever end and your handbrake efficiency should hopefully be as good as new.
Yeah I did the brakes but I didn’t slacken off the lever. I haven’t readjusted them yet either using the allen screw on the caliper after doing them so its probs that.
Il get round to having a go soon and il replace the fluid as I don’t know when it was last done. Thanks a lot!
I believe there are 3 ways that the light operates.
Fluid level low in m/c and float switch activated.
Handbrake on and handbrake switch activated.
Starter motor is turning. Warning light is illuminated by earthing through a transistor in the dash.
Some causes of constant light are:
Wires under handbrake surround chafing or handbrake switch jammed by coins or other debris.
Float switch in m/c stuck or it’s wiring shorted.
Aftermarket alarm or immobiliser issues which compromise the starter signal wiring.
