Handbrake light comin on?

hey my hand brake light comes on in first and wen i rev out a little in second and some times in third what might it be?

Low brake fluid

tru i never thort of that it ia a little low thinkin about it is there any diff in brake fluids?

yeah, you will need to use a good quality dot 3 or dot 4 fluid that is compatible with other fluids.

but remember, filling the fluid up doesnt fix the problem. you need to find the source of the leak, knowing an excel, id say you'd be looking at the master cylinder.

I thought the handbrake light would simply be operated from a switch off of the handbrake. Maybe just the engine torque affecting the center console area and mucking around with the switch.

most cars also have a level switch in the brake fluid reservior. it was a very common problem on excels back when i was a wee mechanic.....

its ok guy thanks for ur help it was the barke fluid

that is a new one on me. I know of the level switch, but i thought the handbrake was a seperate light. Now i know that it can be the same light.
Good to hear it is sorted.

i have seen some instances where the handbrake light is separate to the brake warning lamp, but 89% of cars use the handbrake light.

yeah.................the more i think about it ......................the more i am remembering them being the same.

You guys are kidding right?? The handbrake works via a cable attached to the rear brakes on the car, not via brake fluid.

To SP...Lift off your center consol between the seats, and locate the handbrake switch on the handbrake leaver. It will have a wire coming off it.
Pull the switch off, and with a multimeter, test the resistance in the swich.
The switch may be closing the circuit intermittantly when it is ment to be open, and thus may need replacing.

I think the point being put across is the low level warning light is wired into the Handbrake Warning Light on some cars..... who knows why. Because the average car user would not know any different and assume every time the handbrake is still on or the switch is buggered. It is one thing that annoys me having several things branch to one item, making things even more complicated. If it was just one light for the low brake fluid level wouldn't it make sense, but yet again there have been a million things designed for cars that haven't made sense.

819FLY wrote:

I think the point being put across is the low level warning light is wired into the Handbrake Warning Light on some cars..... who knows why. Because the average car user would not know any different and assume every time the handbrake is still on or the switch is buggered. It is one thing that annoys me having several things branch to one item, making things even more complicated. If it was just one light for the low brake fluid level wouldn't it make sense, but yet again there have been a million things designed for cars that haven't made sense.

Good point Hanno...I didn't look at it like that. I would still be looking at the switch though.

not kidding at all mate. i understand that the handbrake does not use brake fluid, but the lamp on the dash is actually called a brake warning lamp, not a handbrake light. the level switch in the master cylinder is hooked up to the brake warning lamp as is the handbrake.

i personally don't see the point of having lights for every different operating system on a car, we would end up having instrument clusters the width of a dash.

would you also like to have a separate light for all of the things that the check engine light covers?

i agree that the switch could be stuffed, but if you check the brake fluid, which is quite an easy check, and if it is fine, then start ooking at the handbrake switch. just general progressive easy to hard diagnosis.

Cheers Rhys.

Sorry guy. I know where you are coming from now. I have only ever seen a 'Hand brake warning light' (hand brake), and the brake warning light (pads/fluid/brake propotioning valve) as separate lights.

---Hey, I think the handbrakes on again...

---- No that's the master cylinder brake light...

---- Oh wait no, that's the left brake pad is worn light.....

---- Actually,... I think it is the handbrake light, soz...