When it rains



  • Hi guys,

    Small problem i think but not so sure so i thought i would ask, when it rains the handbrake light stays on for a while then goes away then returns, under heavy acceleration, checked fluid and its full, no leaks anywhere, i do have that ticking noise still and shes due in for a check up next tuesday, I have looked online and there are a tonne of warnings PULL OVER AND DO NOT DRIVE! sort of stuff but its only when it rains?!?



  • Check the switch inside the car by the handbrake to make sure the contacts are clean. That would eliminate one part of the system.



  • As far as I know, that warning light does 2 things….. let us know when the hand brake is applied and warn us if the fluid level is low. We don't have any kind of low pad warning sytem so can rule that out.

    As you checked the fluid level and it's fine I'd go with Mechanic and check the switch on the hand brake.

    Does sound like it's shorting out somewhere if it only does it in the wet. Could be a duff sender on the fluid reservoir too.

    Thinking about that ticking. Have your checked you tyres to make sure there is nothing stuck in them? I know it sounds stupid, but if you checked the brakes etc, and CV's aint too bad that leaves tyres. Prob just stupid me, but happened to me ages ago, had a constant tick, checked everything only to find out one day, just by chance, I had a nice long nail in there. tyre wasn't going flat but every rotation the nail hit the alloy causing the tick. Didn't even see it when I took the wheel off the car!



  • I have exactly the same problem with my ABS light, I have now narrowed it down to the front 2 abs sensors and one must be shorting with water, check the cables and connections to the switch



  • Thanks guys gonna get in there sat will post when it's fixed



  • Mornin all,

    long day of looking and i found the problem, not sure why the handbrake light was going off and on but have a look at this!

    now i figure that being a bit of a div this was the faault of the seller and that i will give him my 2 pennies about this outrage, right up until the moment i see the back pad. its quite obvious i did'nt fit em right and in my defence the new ones i put on yesterday do have a better fitting due to the small notch on either end. so thats sorted and thanks for you input. but now to the front and for the 3rd weekend in a row i have tried and failed to remove the front brake caliper, the bolts are seized and i have tried everything, any ideas?



  • i should add that those pads are 4 weeks old! :oops:



  • If you cannot get the calipers off you will need to get some heat on the bolts but you have to be so careful not over heat and damage the pistons on there by melting inside. Sounds like someone has not bothered using copper slip when they took them off last. Try heating a bit at a time with a blow torch and then try tightening slightly, it may break the seal the rust inside has made then try undoing them once that seal has cracked it will undo.

    If still stuck you may have to invest in the hubs from a breaker or just take it into halfords and let them shear the bolt off and deal with the aftermath.

    A New pin kit is only a couple of quid and is well recommended being replaced as they are the cause of the MX's eating front discs, they rust, seize then you get uneven wear and destroyed discs



  • Thanks chap, tried heating them and there's not much left of the bolts to get a good grip on she's in Tuesday for the clicking so I figure get the garage to replace the pads at the same time



  • Big bar.

    I think Famine and I used a 3ft long 1/2" drive breaker bar. Turn the wheels to get better access.

    Penetration fluid is good, the propane torch and fluid is better. Put the tip of the light blue cone of the torch to the interface between the bolt and the casting. For brake calipers, I'd say 15 seconds at a time. Then make sure you've got your long tube on your fluid can, and spray into that same area. The oil will cool the metal (and smoke a lot) but with the cooling, the capilliary action will draw the oil into the thread. If you repeat, be ready to give a good hard blow - you can set light to the exposed oil - but it's no big deal.

    On bolts where there's nothing critical in the way, I light 'em up for 30 seconds a time, and keep spraying the oil in until it's stopped smoking. It's the only way to get the chassis crossbrace bolts out, IMO.


 

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