Re: Brake warning light?!

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <a92b335d.35f3e511@aol.com> WARATAP@aol.com writes:

> Phil-  You have me a little confused.  _My_ problem seems like a bad bomb or
> leaky  servo?  I was thinking the former. E-brake light now stays on 20-30
> seconds after startup/driving. All fluid levels check out.  According to my
> owners manual, the red e-brake indicator can come on when the brake fluid is
> too low, insufficient hyd fluid in reservoir, or pressure for hyd brake
> booster is too low.

OK - full diagnostic procedure:

Park the car on a level surface and chock the wheels.  Run the engine
until all the lights are out.  Stop the engine, turn the ignition back
on and release the handbrake.  The alternator light will be on, but the
brake warning lights should all be off.  Now press the brake hard and
keep doing so until the warning light for low pressure comes on.  You
should get at least fifteen to twenty depressions - significantly less
and the bomb is bad, otherwise it's OK.

Once you know the bomb's OK, leave the car on level ground overnight
and start the engine with the handbrake off.  If the low pressure light
takes a while to go out, your (good) bomb has leaked down overnight.
This is the symptom _you_ appear to have.

The leak _could_ be from the overflow valve in the bomb - but it's
more likely to be from the brake servo.  With the system under pressure,
remove the hose that returns 'spent' hydraulic oil to the very top of
the reservoir.  If it's still dripping after three or four minutes -
the servo is leaking.  Otherwise we go back to the valve in the bomb.

--
 Phil Payne
 Phone: 0385 302803   Fax: 01536 723021
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