handbrake light, amuzing issue...

BennyC

BennyC

BennyC

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25 Sep 2006
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I have a L reg 1993 5 door corsa, done just over 40k, oh yus! was originally my grans but she gave to me as she didnt drive it much and i needed a car for when i passed my test.

As of late, when ever going round rounabouts or courners fairley tight ones at a reasonable speed (not excessive, just moderate speed), the hand brake light comes on (red oval with an exlamation mark in it)

once i straighten up it turns off within 3 seconds. Very strange, ive handbraked at a slow speed to try n sort it, but had no effect, it was of course subject to a few handbrake turns when i first passed, but they were months ago.

What do you guys recon is causing this?
 
Benny06 said:
Very strange, ive handbraked at a slow speed to try n sort it
Click to expand...

Is that in the Corsa manaul?

IIRC that means your brake fluid is low? Do you know how to check? I would certainly check it before driving off anywhere else to be safe...
 
I'm having a similar issue with my car, the HB light just won't go off though! It's only really started to develop as the weather got colder..I dunno if its just coincidence.
 
Seriously guys I had the same light come on when one of my hoses got a hole in it.

I am 99% sure this relates to low brake fluid levels.

Low brake fluid = can be dangerous....
 
My friend has exactly the same problem (R reg corsa, 22k miles), and the fluid is not low on that car. It started happening after the handbrake was pulled on whilst moving. I've not had a chance at looking at it yet, but I reckon it's a problem with the lever/switch.
 
Sounds to me like the little actuater(sp?) is loose or misaligned.
Obviously check the fluids first but if they are ok then rip the shroud of that covers the handbrake and locate the little plunger thingy that makes the light work. Relocate or unplug. JD.
 
i checked my brake fluid along with oil and washer fluid not so long back but ill check again to be sure. thanx guys, also, seeing as my cars so old theres a lot, and i mean a lot of body roll when i go round courners, especially with passengers. Ideally i'd like my suspension stiffened. Any idea how much this would cost? and would any garage be able to do it?

edit: just checked, and it does appear to be rather low!, funny because it was half full when i looked not so long back, maybe theres a leak or ive just been getting throught a lot of it.

Assuming its dot 4? 1 litre should be enough? i work for halfords so ill get it on the cheap.
 
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SOrry I can't be sure if a top up by yourself would be enough! When it happened to me it was one of the 4 hoses from the chassis to the wheels that split. This is easy to check.

Get 4 sheets of newspaper and place one behind (i.e. under the body) each wheel. Start the car and then hammer the brake pedal for a while.

Switch off and check the newspaper for any liquid - don't touch it though!

If you feel your brakes getting weaker or the pedal getting "squashier" then its a leak. If you are driving when this happens pull over and call the AA.

I took mine to Kwik fit and they fixed it up - i think it was a £20 job. Unfortunatly in the process they forged a brake report and then stole my car! Not mentioning any names, but if you live in Worthing I would suggest another branch...
 
ahh i c, after having just poped into work to get some fluid, and then come home to open the bonnet and remove the cap to find that it is full to the brim. Its a clear liquid looks like dilute urine, and the resevoir itself is white so is hard to distingush. Least i hope brake fluids that colour, otherwise someones being using my car as a toilet, lol

ill book it into a guy down the road whos fairley cheap and let him have a look at it, hope its not an electrical fault somewhere i dont want to have to cash out on my car as its not worth a lot, lol

edit: my brakes dont feel spongy at all they feel fine and are fully functional. my brake pedal itself isnt very stiff, but its no different from normal.
 
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I had this on a Orion with the light on. Checked the fluid and all was OK, so I was driving around town when I had to stop cause some old man cross the road without looking and the pedal went straight to the floor, where the driver front brake pipe snapped. Got it fixed.

5 months after same thing happened again, going down a hill the passenger side pipe snapped. Also check the rear cylinders for leaks.

Anthony
 
hmm cheers, ill check the valve thing by the handbrake 2mz, and will book it in to have it checked over, i dnt know a lot about cars, and im not standing outside in the freezing cold to try n fix it, lol
 
Thanks for this post!

My dads mondeo light came on whilst i was driving home from work (came on under heavy breaking:o )

Just checked the car right now, the break fluid level was low (just a bit over min).

Filled it up now though, all is good :)
 
For those getting this keep an eye on the fluid level after you have topped it up. Mine went down a couple of time & turned out to be leaking out of the master clutch cylinder which then needed to be replaced.
 
lol a guy at work ' i was going to fast round a courner and needed to slow down, my brakes werent workin well enuf, so i pulled the handbrake up and turned the wheel....'

and forth cometh the new front left wishbone :p
 
RE: Why does the brake fluid level drop?

It's a normal function - as the pads wear down the pistons in the caliper get pushed further out to compensate, this requires extra fluid in the system which is drawn from the reservoir. Most reservoirs and brake systems are designed so that you fill it up to Max after fitting new pads and by the time the pads are worn down to the lower limit the fluid level will be just hitting Min and the light will come on.

Check your brake pads.
 
Yep tis a low level fluid light aswell on corsas, same with most cars, had same trouble myself.

my problem now (got a 1993 corsa too) is my pedal goes low after sitting for a few hours, pump it and its all fine again.. no fluid lost, had new pipes and cylinders on the back and has no leaks.. gah cars suck lol
 
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