Brake Warning Sounds/lights

[Caff]

X reg 1.8TDi Galaxy

Braking hard on a lane in mud to avoid an oncoming car, the brakes made a clunking sound rather than the judder I thought normally happened when ABS takes over.

Testing later on flat but wet ground got same result. Perhaps coming from driver's side ( not sure without having co-driver).

Haven't had much need for ABS so not sure if this normal

 

Yesterday on wet road i test emergency braked. Not sure ABS even worked but braked OK but.. got exclamation warning light not ABS one and 3 audible peeps. Once braking stopped there were no lights and no sounds and breaking felt fine and normal.

 

Can't find info anywhere on the significance of the beeps etc. Can anyone help please as this car constantly at service dept of dealer and they don't provide courtesy car!!

(This car has been in for numerous repairs and replacement of the aircon, the central locking, the electric windows, the glowplug and the "plastic-ware" on the seats... in the last 15 months since purchase).

 

I would be grateful for any thoughts. I'm wondering if my local and friendly Rapidfit might be the place to go to sort it.

[ridway]

I had a similar warning when I braked hard on one or two occasions. The ABS seemed OK though, and there was no clunking noise. The fault warning was found to be because the fluid level was down due to the brake pads being all warn (74,000 mile) to their limit. Fitting new pads solved the problem.

 

The noise you are getting could be due to wheel tramp/ bouncing triggered by the ABS coming into action, under heavy braking, the suspension is very soft on the front. Failing that it could be a ball joint or bush wear.

[Dave-G]

I've had/done same as ridway. Most likely low brake fluid level(it gets even lower as brakes are applied),suggest maybe all 4 pad sets are low,but if there is plenty of meat on them top up the level...............with a very long pippette or pipe 'cos its difficult to access!

[Caff]

Thanks for those thoughts. Been out in the pouring rain again today testing. She brakes in a straight line and well.The judder is less pronounced so perhaps my first encounter the near prang was major effort from the ABS and the suspension protesting as you suggest Ridway. (a lesson there for me!),

 

Looked at the brake fluid reservoir. The level of the fluid is on the join on the vessel so in between max and min.

 

Looking at the pads on the rear perhaps 5mm and on the front 10mm. Perhaps it's time for new pads. I get 3 beeps when I brake very hard and the warning light only comes on briefly occasionally. Normally braking gives no repsonse. Well except genuine braking.

 

What were the list of initials you gave Fredt? I suppose I haven't got them as I don't recognise them :D Definitely no traction control.

 

I think I need the CD mentioned on a previous posting. I can't find where I read about it. Could you point me in the right direction? Took the plastic engine lid off today and found that friendly Ford had left off one of the attatching gizmos for it. Really reluctant to go back to the garage.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[Caff]

Sorry if this is a silly question, but, :D , how do you know whether your car has any of these features? We bought second hand and I'm sure we'd have been told as a selling point but you never know! It's an X reg.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Caff - I think you will only have ABS; all the others were not available on diesels at this age (I have an X-reg TDI too).

Also - I think the noises/judder you got from ABS were normal. The first time I felt ABS working was this January on ice when my car (at the time a Renault Scenic) just slid down a hill and gracefully bounced off a kerb (tyre sidewall made contact first) at about 5 mph! It was quite interesting feeling the ABS work when all 4 wheels came to an immediate stop which presumably also caused the ABS computer to register zero mph when the car was sliding.... I was lucky that nothing was coming the other way. Half an hour later someone else did the same as me, straight into a car coming the other way. As it was on a slope and neither could get traction, the road was then blocked. Someone phoned for an ambulance which promptly came haring down the road and crashed into the 2 cars that were still locked together! The police then finally made an appearance and closed the road.

[Caff]

Finally got to Rapid fit yesterday and they tell me that the warning sound is to tell me that the ABS is working.

I left the crate with them and they checked it all out and said "See you in 7000 miles, that's how long your pads and disks have got left" Expensive...

So apparently I've been worrying for nothing! Better that way round than ignoring things.

 

thanks for all your advice. I shall be keeping an eye on this forum from now on :D

[Guest SA Intruder]

Hmmm... Tyre fitters, exhaust fitters. Doesn't quite ring right with brakes?

 

Anyhow, shop around. Rapid Fit are expensive, and like KwikFit will "extend" the job to increase their personal revenue where possible.

 

Pads and Discs are neither expensive, or difficult to replace. Assuming you need discs - did they give you a full report, including measurements of disc thickness or runout against the set limits? No, I didn't think they did!

[Caff]

No you're right. They didn't!! I didn't ask them to, they didn't charge, they're very local and friendly. And, don't tell them but I will be doing the work myself. :D Rapid Fit are very competetive round here. Perhaps it's all expensive!

[Guest SA Intruder]

Check out GSF and Europarts for competitive prices on those bits.

 

You can generally buy OEM kit from them, as well as pattern parts.

[Caff]

Thanks will bear that in mind.