Brake warning lite,whats it for?

[leslloyd]

This lite has just started coming on,not the park brake one.
Can't find out anything about it in Haynes,although it's shown in the wiring circuit.
Brake fluid is full and brakes seem fine,and they were only relined a month ago.
Anybody know what its warning me about and were the switch is
colin.

[social]

prove me wrong, but could it be when they bled your brake lines, that there was still some air in it? just an idea of what it could be, i personally never had the light come on

[harry3]

something is wrong, go back to the brake place where they did the job

[jatsvl]

check that your brake lights are working.

[leslloyd]

Thanks for the suggestions,
checked brake lites,yes they're working.
Now when i turn ign on no brake failure lite?
Maybe it'll come on when i drive it.
I've checked and theirs a wire coming from under the master,don't know what function the lite indicates tho.
So will re-bleed as suggested,ta
Manuals,hopeless!The other job that needs doing is the bonnet release.Just getting the plastic release handle part out from under the dash is proving impossible,guess what,nothing in the manual either!
colin

[jatsvl]

from memory you need to push the white plastic towards the firewall firmly until POP! sometimes they are a bit difficult but once you get it off you will wonder why was it so hard.
if you are going to replace the cable and handle use a hammer to knock it forward don't hit it to hard thou.

[jatsvl]

sorry m8 memory is not what it use to be!
obviously remove the lower cover, get a largish screwdriver and lever the handle and white plastic towards you (not the firewall) until it pops.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The brake fail warning light basically tells you that the pedal has traveled too far. When the brakes were done, they obviously pumped the pedal to push the pistons back out but pushed to too far down. The little switch that the wire comes off is the warning switch. Undo it until you hear the master cylinder click then do it back up.

The way it works is it is a spring loaded pin that sits against the master cylinder piston. When the pedal goes down too far the pin pops out into a groove in the piston and the light comes on. When you undo the switch, the piston pops back to where it should be and the light will go out. The brakes may seem fine but you will have less fluid volume moving in the lines if the light is on.

[leslloyd]

Well thanks to the two of you,i've had the hood cable for 6 months so will have another go today.

Went out last night,initually the lite was out but after 5 minutes it started to glow again,gradually at first and over 5 mins it built up to full brightness,strange would have thought it would either be on or off.
Can you describe how to remove the switch,all i can see is a black plastic fitting with 2 wires attached,and it feels pretty fragile.
cheers
colin

[leslloyd]

Well i've had another try at the switch,and noticed a slight oil weep running down the circular booster and down to the chassis rail.And corrosion forming,paint stripping there also.And on closer sighting the oil level has dropped off 1/2"+.
Is this a do at home job,any special tools required?Oil unions give me the creeps.
cheers
colin.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

It sounds like the seals in the master cylinder have gone. You will need to replace it. If you are not confident in doing it, take to someone.

[leslloyd]

Ok,have got some prices,full replacement $213 includes booster.
Kit,seals etc $43.
Is it just a matter of removing the 2 larger nuts,slide out the master and leave the booster in place?
And does the piston then just pull out to leave me to simply replace the seals.
cheers
colin.

[leslloyd]

Should have said i have cracked the 3 unions on the master so they won't be a problem
colin.