Help please.

[ILOVELAMP]

So yesterday I picked up a ford puma, a 99 1.7. Its a lovely car has been well serviced and only covered 29k miles. Anyway on the drive home one of the warning lights starts to flicker, it goes away and then shortly after comes on and stays lit up for few seconds and goes again. This keeps happening evertime I drive it. The warning light is the light for the brakes and according to the book its most likely low brake fluid. So I checked the brake fluid this morning and its just above MIN. Ok no problem, I'll go fetch some brake fluid later and top it up.

My question is, if topping the brake fluid up doesnt resolve the problem what do you think the problem might be? I've driven the car a good 60 miles or so since buying and it stops fine. The light mainly comes on while braking and sometimes flickers going over rough potholed roads. Thinking maybe its just the fluid going below MIN and causing the light to come on intermitantly?

Also what brake fluid should I get, is halfords dot4 the right stuff and good enough for the job?

Cheers for any help.

[Fidgits]

try the brake fluid (get the one reccomended in the manual) - if it still does it, most likely one of the ABS sensors are on the way out.

[ADEuk]

A faulty sensor will not cause fluid loss!!

Top it up with DOT 4 and monitor the level.
Be aware the brake fluid resevoir feeds the clutch hydraulics too.

[anonymous-user]

Prob. just low on fluid, may have a leak so just top it up & monitor it. Personaly once topped up if it stays OK I'd flush it out with fresh fluid.

[anonymous-user]

Just thought, is this warning light the same one for handbrake on? Could be that switch. I may be talking bks as can't remember!!

[phumy]

Does it have brake pad warning sensors? if the light only flickers when you brake then it could be that the pads are very close to telling you theyre low.....just a thought

[Fidgits]

ADEuk said:

A faulty sensor will not cause fluid loss!!

no one said it would..

[ILOVELAMP]

Dave_ST220 said:

Just thought, is this warning light the same one for handbrake on? Could be that switch. I may be talking bks as can't remember!!

Yes it is.

[anonymous-user]

ILOVELAMP said:

Dave_ST220 said:

Just thought, is this warning light the same one for handbrake on? Could be that switch. I may be talking bks as can't remember!!

Yes it is.

Then check that too, top the fluid up & hope there isn't a leak(brake piston/clutch). Good luck

[ILOVELAMP]

phumy said:

Does it have brake pad warning sensors? if the light only flickers when you brake then it could be that the pads are very close to telling you theyre low.....just a thought

No it flickers occasionaly on bumpy roads, the light stays lit whilst braking and then turns off but it doesnt do it everytime I touch the brakes.

I think I will top up with dot4 and then if things havnt changed by the weekend I will book it in with my local friendly mechanic. I cant see it being a problem to continue driving in the mean time if a top up doesnt resove the issue but the brakes still work fine, right?

[anonymous-user]

Sounds like low fluid to me, you brake fluid goes forwards, triggers sensor. Park it on a hill-that will tell you

[ILOVELAMP]

Dave_ST220 said:

ILOVELAMP said:

Dave_ST220 said:

Just thought, is this warning light the same one for handbrake on? Could be that switch. I may be talking bks as can't remember!!

Yes it is.

Then check that too, top the fluid up & hope there isn't a leak(brake piston/clutch). Good luck

Your winking smillie is making me nervous

[anonymous-user]

Although hills and possible dodgy brakes may not be such a good idea........

[spdpug98]

If the fluid is low that may mean that the pads are also worn, maybe check them first as if you fill the fluid to the top then have to change the pads you will have to take out the fluid you have just put in

[anonymous-user]

spdpug98 said:

If the fluid is low that may mean that the pads are also worn, maybe check them first as if you fill the fluid to the top then have to change the pads you will have to take out the fluid you have just put in

Good point, IIRC these cars can be quite heavy on the front discs/pads too.

[ILOVELAMP]

Dave_ST220 said:

Although hills and possible dodgy brakes may not be such a good idea........

You might be onto something there

Anyone I hope its an easily fixable issue, I love the car so I hope its not going to cause me alot of hassle over this.

[ILOVELAMP]

Dave_ST220 said:

spdpug98 said:

If the fluid is low that may mean that the pads are also worn, maybe check them first as if you fill the fluid to the top then have to change the pads you will have to take out the fluid you have just put in

Good point, IIRC these cars can be quite heavy on the front discs/pads too.

I dont think its the pads, car was only mot'ed last month. No advisory concerning the brakes.

[B'stard Child]

ILOVELAMP said:

Dave_ST220 said:

ILOVELAMP said:

Dave_ST220 said:

Just thought, is this warning light the same one for handbrake on? Could be that switch. I may be talking bks as can't remember!!

Yes it is.

Then check that too, top the fluid up & hope there isn't a leak(brake piston/clutch). Good luck

Your winking smillie is making me nervous

I think the clutch thing is important - from memory Pumas can often have issues with leaking slave cyls and they are fed from the brake reservoir of fluid

[mini me]

Check tha pads anyway. As said previously low pads will result in low fluid level. In fact low fluid can only really be due to low friction material or a leak so you need to have a look anyway. May not be low enough to fail an mot but still low enough to make the fluid level sensor click on and off during moments when the fluid is moving around in the reservoir e.g. bumpy roads and heavy braking/cornering.

[ILOVELAMP]

Ok folks, thanks for all the replies. I shall top up with fluid and see how things go from there, If the levels drop again I shall take it in to be checked over.