Handbrake warning light

Hi,

Can anyone confirm what this is trying to tell me? I've gone through the manual and cannot find a definite answer in there.

99 1.8 petrol, a couple weeks ago I first noticed that specifically on turning right the handbrake light would come on accompanied by three warning beeps. The symbol would flash a few times then go out.

Over the next couple days this started to happen every time I turned right. After that it started to happen right turns, left turns, a bump in the road, until finally it was lit constantly and would bleep every 20-30 seconds or so.

Now it only bleeps when the ignition is turned on and the symbol stays flashing constantly. Nearest answer I can find is that this is a brake wear warning but others seem to be describing slightly different symbols, this is a non trip computer version so it's definitely the hand brake light that's coming on.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Dan

check brake fluid level
the light is for handbrake and fluid level

Thanks, will check the fluid level in the morning and report back.

Cheers,

Dan

It`ll be your Brake Pad wear sensors earthing out.Either coz your pads are worn,or,faulty wiring.I would get the wheels off to check properly.

Thanks for the suggestion Alan, but I think towcester is right. The fluid level was low and coincidentally as soon as I had posted on here, I also noticed excessive pedal travel.

Topped the fluid up and the warning has cancelled, BUT, this didn't cure the pedal travel.

I assumed that I'd let the fluid get so low as to draw air in, so I've bled the brakes with an easy bleed.

To be honest I didn't really get any air bubbles in the fluid and I bled all four putting about a litre of fluid through the system.

Pedal travel and response is much better, but still feels spongy.

Any thoughts anyone? Just not bled enough, or maybe something to do with the ABS? Looking in the Haynes it suggests that it could be air still in the ABS circuit needing specialist bleeding using a VAG or perhaps master cylinder seals?

go to Halfords and buy yourself a Gunson Easibleed pressure bleeder that goes to the tyre
pressure bleed brakes and that should do it
just a note the pad warning would be yellow circle with dashes round

Thanks towcester.

I have bled the system with a Gunson easibleed. Inspected the pads on all four wheels while I was at it and they all look recently replaced with plenty pad on them - I say this as I only bought the car in November, so don't know it's maintenance history that well.

get someone to push brake pedal and look to see if front flexi hoses are balloning as these do perish and can cause a poor pedal
to check if its air in the system pump brake pedal with engine not running till pedal goes hard
let off pedal and push again after 10 secs and if it feels the same then its not air in system

Thanks again, will try these tomorrow.