hand brake light - help please

[tracta]

need some help please

on the weekend I replaced the front brake pads. this morning I noticed that when I put my foot on the brake pedal it lights up the hand brake light. I did spill some brake fluid when I was changing the pads, is it possible that this has got into the elctrics somehow ? or is it likely to be the elctrics behind the dash - just seems to be odd that it only happened after I did the pads.

cheers for your thoughts.

[NJV6]

Did you top it up after you spilled some...

[tracta]

nah it was still full ( quite a bit was forced back up )

[albundy]

What sort of vehicle are we talking about.

[albundy]

Just had a thought. It if it is safari and there are vaccum issues it will show by lighting up the handbrake light when depressed. The brakes should also feel heavier to push. Is this happening? Or it may need re-bleeding.
Al

[tracta]

haha good point, its a 91 nissan terrano.

[albundy]

Diesel or pertol. petrols have no vac assist and that year didn't have any sort of ABS, I think, check with the nissan workshop in town. The diesels do have a vac pump but not sure if they assist brakes or not. Flick kiwipete a pm and ask him if they have vac assist brakes, if so go back to my last post about the fluid.
Al

[tracta]

will do, cheers.

[Sadam_Husain]

Re-check the brake fluid level coz there often a low fluid level warning as well as a handbrake light

[kiwipete]

Diesel or pertol. petrols have no vac assist and that year didn't have any sort of ABS, I think, check with the nissan workshop in town. The diesels do have a vac pump but not sure if they assist brakes or not. Flick kiwipete a pm and ask him if they have vac assist brakes, if so go back to my last post about the fluid.
Al

You are right on the money Al, they do indeed have vac assisted brakes.

[meatc]

Re-check the brake fluid level coz there often a low fluid level warning as well as a handbrake light

Would be my vote.

Where did you spill the oil from? If it was from the resiviour then the level is prob low when you force the fluid down the lines. It all will have settled back a bit once installed and the pistons push back out a bit.

If you released the bleed valve to get the pistons back (shouldn't have to) they may need a rebleed

[doby]

Think I might have a vaccume issus with my safari brakes. Have brand new pads, discs & just bleed them (Safari TD42 turbo) When its at idel & you put your foor on the brakes the (!) light comes on . Where is the first place I should look?

Cheers.

[albundy]

Try checking all your vacuum lines from the vacuum pump on the back of the alternator back to your brake master cylinder.
Al

[Heath]

My father in laws Isuzu Wizard has an issue with the handbrake light staying on all the time. He has checked the obvious (switches,fluid levels) but what else causes this light to stay on?
Its an auto if that makes a difference.

Heath

[sibainmud]

All of the above is correct. The light has 3 ways of being activated. First step, disconnect the two wire plug off the master cylinder tank, see if that stops the light. if not there is a vacuum switch near the air filter that is connected to the small tube coming off the vacuum pump on the back of the alternator, disconnect that next, see if that works. the only other switch in the system is the hand brake micro switch. the hand brake and the vacuum switch are switched to ground and the reservoir switch has two wires, one coloured and the other black which is the ground supply to the micro switch at the master cylinder.

These steps will tell you which one is at fault.
If it is the reservoir, try pushing the float to the bottom and let it float again. Some times these do stick in the closed position.
But it sounds like the vacuum switch or the booster diaphragm has a leak, so when you put your foot on the brake it looses vacuum and causes the light to come on.

I hope this helps.
Cheers,

[playingInTheDitch]

hey sibainmud
that sounds like it might help with my handbrake light being on all the time. suspect its the handbrake microswitch but it wouldnt hurt to check the rest

Cheers

[charo249]

The above is correct light activates when handbrake is on, when fluid level is low or when vacuum pump isn't working. If you aren't that mechanical, remove the alternator (vacuum pump is on rear of alternator usually) and take to an auto sparky to check out, chances are if the vacuum pump is struggling the alternator will also be on its way out, especially if you drive in muddy/dusty conditions.

[canadianwood]

need some help please

on the weekend I replaced the front brake pads. this morning I noticed that when I put my foot on the brake pedal it lights up the hand brake light. I did spill some brake fluid when I was changing the pads, is it possible that this has got into the elctrics somehow ? or is it likely to be the elctrics behind the dash - just seems to be odd that it only happened after I did the pads.

cheers for your thoughts.

Hi just wondering if you fixed your issue. My 1995 mistral is having the same issue> did you have a vacuum leak or was it something else?

Best wishes

Canadianwood

[Rik]

But it sounds like the vacuum switch or the booster diaphragm has a leak, so when you put your foot on the brake it looses vacuum and causes the light to come on.

I hope this helps.
Cheers,

my 96 td27 r50 has these symptoms a bit dangerous at times when Im maneuvering in a car park slowly or at the boat ramp reversing, the light comes on and have a solid brake pedal and just about end up in the drink with the boat trailer but it is fine when revs are up higher, anyone recommend a shop around tawa wellington to look at it for me for a good price,unless some one wants to some pocket money or beer,cheers Rik

[timmay556]

All of the above is correct. The light has 3 ways of being activated. First step, disconnect the two wire plug off the master cylinder tank, see if that stops the light. if not there is a vacuum switch near the air filter that is connected to the small tube coming off the vacuum pump on the back of the alternator, disconnect that next, see if that works. the only other switch in the system is the hand brake micro switch. the hand brake and the vacuum switch are switched to ground and the reservoir switch has two wires, one coloured and the other black which is the ground supply to the micro switch at the master cylinder.

These steps will tell you which one is at fault.
If it is the reservoir, try pushing the float to the bottom and let it float again. Some times these do stick in the closed position.
But it sounds like the vacuum switch or the booster diaphragm has a leak, so when you put your foot on the brake it looses vacuum and causes the light to come on.

I hope this helps.
Cheers,

This fixed my issue. The hose from the alt to the left front guard had fallen off. Made my clutch pedal heavy also. Cheers mate.