Help please!

[Al Middleton]

Hi everyone,

I bought my bravo about 6 months ago and it has been a mare - first car i've bought and my inexperience shone through real bad - i thought getting them down on price was good......

Today, a light came on and has been flickering - since they didn't give me a manual with the car i don't know what the light means and id appreciate any help - its next to the handbrake light and is similar to the handbrake light but without the exclamation mark and instead of solid lines around the inner circle, its a perforated line, if thats the right word - please help as garages are shut for easter and i was planning a trip to the seasise, is that wise?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[cynic-al]

not got my car with me at the moment so can't look in the book. can you describe the picture a little more?

 

[Tom]

Brake pad wear indicator.

Time for new pads (and maybe discs).

 

[Anonymous]

or draw a picture of it it could be brake pad warning light (meaning you'll need to change your pads fairly soon, and you can physically inspect these. if its a major problem with brakes i'd expect the engine warning light to come on as well (it does on hondas anyway).

 

[Anonymous]

I was just looking at the manual today as my break fluid was low due to a leak!

It says in the manual that that symbol means:

"FRONT BRAKE WEAR (red) When the front brake pads have worn out. when you replace them, have the back brakes checked as well."

Hope that helps.

 

[Al Middleton]

Thanks very much for your help - is it something that needs doing immediately??? It's actually being sold and picked up on WEDS so shall i just warn the new owner? And is it expensive?

Thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

pads and discs can be done by a mildly competent diy'er. theres no bleeding involved, its just a case of unbolting the old and bolting in the new (keeping an eye on the fluid level was you push the pistons back in). the bolts will probably need to be sprayed with wd40 or similar the night before. i recently got new pads and discs for our pug 406 for £50 off ebay. collected them from a motorsport shop! a garage wanted £215 for fitting and parts (parts = £110) so i saved myself £165. no problems with them at all. no they dont have to be done straight away. not sure what the official word is (Tom will know better than me, i'm sure!)

 

[Tom]

They should be done pretty soon, when the light comes on it means the pads are really worn and past it.

 

[Dan]

mine did that, not expensive at all, i had a leak (due to slave cylinders) AND warn pads, cost £65 in all and i did myself. was very easy

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Dan, where did you get the parts from when you had a leak, did yo just replace the broken ones or did you do the rest?

 

[Dan]

Both my rear drum brake slave cylinders were leaking, they were very easy to replace, i replaced the lines with them.

the cost £10 each side, and i got them from my local motor factors called autolec. did the job.