hi, so i just got a brava 1.2 sx on a 2001 'Y'. one or two niggles....

1. high level brake light inop, bulbs removed when i stripped it. what sort??

2. wipers don't work on intermittent unless i hold the switch.

3. temp gauge reads halfway all the time and has gone all the way to red but the car has been ok

otherwise a great little car and am very pleased with it - just got rid of a ford cougar for it and it really is so much better. get the above sorted and i'll be well happy

Well im guessing on number 2 being a relay problem and number 3 a possible thermostat problem (I'm no mechanic do its an uneducated guess)

Daft question but to number 3 have you checked your antifreeze levels??

Hi there,

Good luck with the car, but you MUST immediately check your cooling system (water and antifreeze). It sounds like it is too low anyway so top it up, but you have to be very careful that you don't overheat and blow the cylinder head gasket. It's a common problem on these engines if they aren't looked after properly, and with older Bravos and Bravas this is often the case.

If it's running OK then hopefully the head gasket hasn't gone (but if it is going you will lose water from the system as steam out the exhaust). There are other reasons for loss of water - in my case it is the heater matrix behind the dash that I have partially cured with a sealant but will replace soon. If the matrix is going you should get a bad smell (antifreeze) coming from the vents when you first turn the heater to Hot.

Your cooling system probably needs a good overhaul (drain, flush, drain, flush, replace thermostat (cheap and easy) - you may find lots of grotty orange sludge settled in the bottom of the radiator).

If you do this and still have cooling system problems you may need the head gasket doing - not too scary or expensive if you find the right mechanic and haven't cooked the engine.

As for the high level brake light... you need to track down a complete original unit - there are other threads on here about that.

The wiper thing could be the stalk...

Next time it goes to red, slam your hand on the top of the instrument cluster. If its still red, stop and shutdown, then when you apply ignition, if its only halfway, it is the good old contacts on the instrument cluster.
Wierd as nobody else has suggested this as it is not uncommon on bravo/brava/marea.

I'm sure I saw somebody on here who had tried to fit a different instrument cluster to their car and it was giving weird readings on the gauges. Just thought I'd put that idea out there as another avenue to explore....

Iain

Becky070 said:

hi, so i just got a brava 1.2 sx on a 2001 'Y'. one or two niggles....

1. high level brake light inop, bulbs removed when i stripped it. what sort??

2. wipers don't work on intermittent unless i hold the switch.

3. temp gauge reads halfway all the time and has gone all the way to red but the car has been ok

otherwise a great little car and am very pleased with it - just got rid of a ford cougar for it and it really is so much better. get the above sorted and i'll be well happy

Click to expand...

1: 501 bulbs/ leds. Also called capless bulbs. Easy to change

2: Wiper motor needs replacing, pcb on the motor linkage has shorted out

3: You need a new temp sender/switch, around £15 from Fiat

If it's a facelift Brava the bulbs should be replaceable individually (501 bulbs, like M20B25 said) If it's a pre-facelift model the bulbs are integrated into the unit and you need a whole replacement unit unfortunately. Or get creative with some leds and resistors

The wipers COULD be a worn/dirty park contact. Might be worth a try to give them a clean. (For a guide on how to reach the wiper motor, see one of my old posts: https://www.fiatforum.com/bravo-brava/220341-brava-marea-front-wiper-problems.html?p=2615782)

The temperature problem needs looking into, as said. Check the coolant levels.
Did the overheating occur at low speeds or standstill? And does the temperature normally stay at the middle mark while driving? In that case it might be the radiator fan that has bit the dust and needs replacement.

Becky070 said:

Gregovic said:

If it's a facelift Brava the bulbs should be replaceable individually (501 bulbs, like M20B25 said) If it's a pre-facelift model the bulbs are integrated into the unit and you need a whole replacement unit unfortunately. Or get creative with some leds and resistors

Click to expand...

didn't realise there was a difference, how do i know whether mine is or not..

Click to expand...

Don't worry you have the face lifted one. Older Bravo/a's have different grilles, engines, speedo and trim. General rule is if its pre 99 its a pre facelift

Example:

Here is a 1996 1.4 SX


And here is a 2000 1.2 SX (with bloody awful wheeltrims) Note the different grille and coloured mirrors


The very last cars were different again, with fogs, spoiler, alloys and elec mirrors as standard. Recognised by lack of badges on the wing and the coloured recess around the numberplate


Had them all at one stage or another