Brake Warning Light

[Guest montys]

Another question re SVA. I have read that you don't need to have a handbrake warning light for SVA purposes. Is this correct? I've also been told that you don't need to have a low brake fluid light although I find this hard to believe. Anyone got any ideas?

[Guest Fred2b]

I think you have been mislead, I'm sure you need both but the handbrake warning can use the same light as the low fluid level or the other way round.

Peter

[Guest chris brown]

I have read that you don't need to have a handbrake warning light for SVA purposes.

Correct you do not need a handbrake warning light but you do need a low fluid warning light and this must be able to be tested by the driver when sitting in the driver’s seat. This can be a spring loaded switch on the dash or as most tin tops do a switch on the handbrake. All this switch does is test the bulb and wiring from the float switch in the cap of the master cylinder reservoir.

[Guest yosamite sam]

speaking as a vehicle inspector for the last 15 years i find that hard to believe that a handbrake warning light is not required. it is by law required on new cars but in saying that my car did not have one fitted and did pas MOT's quite easily so i would say no - it doesnt. as long as it works correctly (the brakes) and there is a way of warning that the brakes are failing or failed it should be ok.

[Guest chris brown]

speaking as a vehicle inspector for the last 15 years

Then you should know the build requirements like the back of your hand.

Remember the old mini it had a switch on the dash with a picture of a brake pedal on it and no handbrake light. Well the law hasn’t changed.

Incidentally I don’t think the light is MOT testable either well it wasn’t when I was testing (4 years ago)

[Guest yosamite sam]

Then you should know the build requirements like the back of your hand.  

Remember the old mini it had a switch on the dash with a picture of a brake pedal on it and no handbrake light. Well the law hasn’t changed.

Incidentally I don’t think the light is MOT testable either well it wasn’t when I was testing (4 years ago)

yes i do know the law for cars now like the back of my hand - i test 400 a day every day for the last 15 years!! the old mini probably didnt need one then - but now laws have changed drastically - every year it gets very very tight, you would not believe. the mini would be tested on parts it had fitted from new - same as cars without indicators from new were not fitted would not fail an MOT now - because they were not fitted from new (IE vintage cars)

 

the rule of thumb is if its fitted it should work - if the MOT tester didnt look at the warning light he isnt doing his job fully. no offence but that is the way the book says. every part has a function and it must complete its job as it was designed - obviously the original question was do i need a light for the hand brake? - i did say that i would of thought so - but as i also said my car didnt have one fitted and went through numerous tests without worry, but every new car made now has a warning light fitted by law and it must be working to cover two items - a. the brake fluid failure and b. handbrake system failure.

 

HTH

 

terry

[Guest chris brown]

and b. handbrake system failure.

BS

[Guest salty_monk]

Very abrupt today Sir Chris...

[Guest timswait]

From the explanation the SVA inspector gave me I'd go with Sir Chris, ie you must have a low brake fluid warning, and you must be able to test the circuit, using a switch on the handbrake being an acceptable way of doing it. IMHO the easiest way for a Hood to satistfy these requirements being to use the same circuit as the Sierra. Also how does the warning light show whether or not the handbrake has malfunctioned? It just shows whether or not you've pulled the handle up (which is useful in itself).

[Guest Guy]

As long as you can see the fluid in the reservoir and it has a minimum mark then you don't need a red fluid level light , however you need a cap that doesn't have an electronic switch in it as any electronic part fitted has to be working.

 

If you don't have a light then you also don't need a system of checking it so no light on the hand brake is required. This is what I'm doing on my car but I've not gone through SVA yet.

 

This is from the SVA manual section 16.4, the key word is 'OR' i.e. you can use the 'see through the reservior' method OR the 'red light' method.

[Snapperpaul]

Very interesting.

Guy, as i read your SVA quote, i think you are correct.

 

As all our cars are different there is no garenteed correct way of doing it.

 

I personaly would feel safer with the warning light as being a driver of cars with all the whistles and bells i may ommit to do a pre flight check on the Hood and would hate to have a brake fluid loss in the middle of a run and not know about it til i hit the brakes.

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Hi all

 

Will throw this one wide open now!

 

My car failed it's first SVA at Beverly because it had "THE WRONG" hand brake warning light fitted. :gdit:

 

When I said could I just remove it he said no, even though the fluid reservoir fitted is see through!

 

I had to fit the the European symbol, looks like this (!) but in red, I had, and still have, the Triumph circular multi function warning light cluster fitted.

 

Fitted new light for test, passed, went home and took it off.

 

Ian J

[Guest Rooster]

Hi folks,

 

 

Guy, next to the text you have quoted, in the reasons for failure column it states "and" not fitted with a warning lamp.

 

Confusing isn't it.