Handbrake warning when turing right?

[Torquative]

Hey all,

this is an odd one.

When Im turing right with speed (with load on the car), for instance going round a right hand bend on a country road at 100kph or turing right into a side street at 15 or 20 kph, the handbrake warning lights up on dash and sets off the warning buzzer.

When I straighten up it goes away.

I thought it might be the switch so Ive taken off the handbrake cover and cleaned around the switch, but no luck.

It has been doing it since last week, which is when I had to remove the rear calipers to re-build them after frying the seals on a track day.

My question - could I have upset something when Ive removed one of the rear calipers, or does it sound like Ive got a dickie switch?

Its strange that its been doing it since I removed the calipers, and its only when turing right, not left ... and goes away when I straighten up, like Ive knocked a sensor or connector or something.

[f1tzy]

I don't know about the commodores but on my old car the hand brake light also signified low brake fluid

[andyman]

fitzy said, check level, make sure the float in the resivour isnt jammed down low,

also, that brake warning dosnt just signify handbrake as such, is also mean your brakes have failed or there is a fault

[Torquative]

ah hooray the track day aftermath continues

Maybe thats why its only doin it when turning right?

I'll check the fluid tomorrow during the daylight hours, I suspect now after the flush last week it may be sitting low.

Strange that the brake failure warning is EXACTLY the same as the one you recieve when the handbrake is left on and you start to move

[HoldenManDan]

ah hooray the track day aftermath continues

Maybe thats why its only doin it when turning right?

I'll check the fluid tomorrow during the daylight hours, I suspect now after the flush last week it may be sitting low.

Strange that the brake failure warning is EXACTLY the same as the one you recieve when the handbrake is left on and you start to move

lol that or you should stop ripping the handbrake when turning right, no need to show off your rally driving skills on the street!

If unsure of the warning lights and sounds etc maybe refresh your mind and have a read of the user manual. That should tell you what the prob is for sure.

good luck!

[Torquative]

alrighty, I didnt realise the "handbrake on" warning light was the same for "brake failure" or other issue thus why I asked, as I thought it was acctually the handbrake playing up.

Okay Ive topped up the brake fluid, I knew last week it was low-ish after the flush but apparantly it was lower then I thought. Dot 4 fluid is like a brown/clear type which is hard to see against the reservoir especially compared to the old blue coloured DOT 3.

But I honestly thought it was the handbrake on warning, didnt even cross my mind that with all the technology Holden still cant seperate a handbrake warning light to a brake failure light.

So ive topped it up before I got to work, see if it returns on the way home today. The pedal did firm up a fair bit this morning, wouldnt surprise me if I had an air pocket thats found its way back to the reservoir or something.

See what happens on the return journey, otherwise Ive done something else to a sensor ...

[andyman]

have a read, this explains all

[Torquative]

yes but thats not my complaint ...

That icon flashes up and the chime goes off BUT it goes away as soo as theres no load on the car, so when I straighten up after turning right.

For example during my morning trip this morning I didnt set it off once as I didnt have a fast right hander to put it into

[andyman]

yes but thats not my complaint ...

That icon flashes up and the chime goes off BUT it goes away as soo as theres no load on the car, so when I straighten up after turning right.

For example during my morning trip this morning I didnt set it off once as I didnt have a fast right hander to put it into

that above was only to show brake light info,

im thinking if there was to be a fault in the esp, that would bring up abs/esp/tc fault instead of this brake warning, you cant get access to a scan tool can ya?

[Torquative]

strangely the fluid fixed it.

Took it for an extensive drive today via the same "country roads" that had set it off yesterday and not one warning.

Buggered if I know how that works then again but its fixed so Im happy

[andyman]

strangely the fluid fixed it.

Took it for an extensive drive today via the same "country roads" that had set it off yesterday and not one warning.

Buggered if I know how that works then again but its fixed so Im happy

good to hear, how low was it for it to start going off, ?

[Torquative]

prolly 1/3rd left in the reservoir, maybe a bit more. If you know the Castrol brake fluid bottles I used down to where the neck flares out to the bottle, so the top of the label (if that makes sense)

[andyman]

prolly 1/3rd left in the reservoir, maybe a bit more. If you know the Castrol brake fluid bottles I used down to where the neck flares out to the bottle, so the top of the label (if that makes sense)

ok yep, sounds about right then

[Danoz]

Andyman, I SSOOOOOO want a copy of that workshop manual you have! Help a brother out?

[Benboy]

As you've probably realised, the brake fluid was low. It will now be necessary to bleed the brakes as you've probably ingested air into the system. Failure to do so could result in brake failure (at worse).

[Johnsy]

Me too andrew ! do you have the VE one also ?

[Torquative]

ive re-bled them since anyway

Failure to do so could result in brake failure (at worse).

hehe Ive learnt to drive with worse lol but thanks for the advice