Brake Warning Light:

[BobMurphy]

Having bought a 2001 24 valve 1HD-FTE Amazon I'm having to learn all about it in short order.

The handbrake wasn't working (it was, of course, sold with a new MOT ) and while I had the rear brakes apart I decided not to mess about and replaced the corroded disks & siezed calipers as well as the handbrake shoes and some of the fiddly bits (Simon Holton - top bloke !).

Having bled the rear brakes and one of the front calipers as well, I now have the handbrake warning light on.

Question: Does this light refer just to the handbrake lever or is it a general brake circuit warning ??

I suspect I've upset a shuttle-valve somewhere and now need to re-balance the dual-circuit brakes.

I don't have an owners' guide so I'm working in the dark to some extend (the Ellery Manual isn't much help).

I deliberately didn't buy a Scottish car because of all the road salt, this one came from Yorkshire. However its just as bad as my '95 underneath. Today I spent an hour with a variety of tools and a gas torch freeing-off one of the front brake bleed nipples.

I'll never learn!

Its a lovely car . . . . Until you get underneath .

Bob.

 

[PETE BELL]

hand brake switch or fluid level ? after that im not too sure ,i bled my brakes today after fitting four new calipers and it went well -no trouble yet ,the light only came on when the fluid level dropped to low

 

[Trevor]

Don't know if this related in any way, when I had my 70 I had an intermittent and really annoying triggering of the same light. It turned out to be a vacuum sensor switch (or something like that) behind the brake master cylinder.

I got a replacement one from Karl and problem sorted.

 

[uHu]

The Brake warning light is a general brake circuit warning. If the handbrake is off (and the switch works), it's either fluid level or booster pressure. But if it is booster pressure, I think the ABS light comes on as well. Does the booster run when the pressure drops (after 1-2 full pedal strokes)? How is the level - you can see the level going down by maybe 1/4" to 1/2" when the booster charges from 0 to full pressure.
Warning: Without the booster working you hardly have any braking force at all - only very weak brakes on the front wheels only, and only if you really push the pedal hard. Not driveable.

 

[BobMurphy]

I bled the brakes again today with the engine running. After a couple of pedal strokes I got the ABS light flashing and a warning tone (or was that the booster pump running??). The ABS light disappeared and all went quiet as soon as I stopped pumping.

The fluid level is just below the Full mark, I have topped it up as I've gone along.

The brakes work very well (I drove it round the yard and tried a few rapid stops before venturing out onto the road) but the red handbrake symbol (bottom, far right on the dash) is still on. The handbrake lever is fully down.

I have a Toyota Intelligent Tester II and thought that I'd look for an error code - but I can't find an OBDII socket anywhere . Its supposed to be in the Driver's footwell but I can't see anything that looks appropriate amongst the mass of wires. Has anyone got any ideas ???

The new handbrake mechanism is adjusted to be 'just rubbing' at the drums but the handbrake lever goes vertical before anything happens (and then its not very much). I need to work out how to remove enough of the centre console to get to the handbrake lever adjuster; again, any ideas (Its a 'VX' with a 6-CD auto-changer in the cubby and the separate heater for the rear seat passengers) ??

I must keep looking for an Owners' Manual, I don't know what half the stuff around the dash actually does .

After repairing the Jack Handle assembly I was able to wind the spare wheel down. As expected its very badly corroded and the tyre is bald around the outer edge (its been a front - with tracking issues ).

The four tyres on the road wheels are quite good - but I've never heard of Federal Couragias before . Also, I can't find them in 275/70R16s anywhere so I guess these are now discontinued. They are 'Summer Tyres' as well.

So . . Five alloy wheels from a breaker (just under £500), blasted, primed, powder-coated in 'silver sparkle' and lacquered (£240) and five 275/70R16 BFG T/As ordered (£900). GULP!, well its my 'NEW' car . . . . At least I'm now OK for winter.

I'll keep the 'Couragias' as summer road wheels and use the BFGs in the winter and when towing horses. I'll probably get the original five alloys powder coated as well as they are a bit tatty and have been given a coat of silver paint for the advertising pictures.

The joys of buying a 13-year-old car .

Bob.

 

[adrianr]

Can't help much Bob. Suffice to say you'll make it a great car once more.

 

[adrianr]

Is there anything on this site for you vis a vis manuals: http://daemon4x4.org/portal/downloads.php

 

[andyw]

Bob,

I was told on here that the handbrake does not have any adjustment under the centre console, so it's all done via the adjusters on the rear axle.

 

[uHu]

Bob,

I was told on here that the handbrake does not have any adjustment under the centre console, so it's all done via the adjusters on the rear axle.

Yes, right. You need to get the FSM, looks like it is the one named 1998-2007 on page 3 of "Toyota Workshop & Repair Manuals" on the link above.

The procedure for the handbrake looks a bit complicated at first, like the steps are in the wrong order. I didn't get the handbrake right until I actually followed all the steps, even though i didn't understand them at first

 

[Paddler Ed]

Federal Couragia's are quite a popular option here in Aus with some of the guys, so don't knock them to quickly.

Also with the Toyota Brake warning lights, see if someone has a spare sensor/switch that goes in the master cylinder where you top up the fluid level; ours had broken on the 4Runner, and the brake light would come on fairly frequently, swapped the switch and it was all sorted.

 

[BobMurphy]

Federal Couragia's are quite a popular option here in Aus with some of the guys, so don't knock them to quickly.

Yes, they look fine and I'm keeping them on the alternate set of wheels. Just need to find a 275/70R16 to replace the clapped-out spare.


Brake warning light sorted - it was me . . in the evening light I was looking at some discolouration in the fluid reservoir and mistaking it for the fluid level. Its now properly topped-up and the light is out. The accumulator pump works fine (thankfully ).

I managed to free-off the chewed O/S front brake bleed nipple, cleaned it up on the wire wheel and put it back with anti-seize paste, PTFE tape on the threads and a rubber cap. I'll order a replacement pair (or four). Eventually it will all be like new .

Thanks for the input, everyone, I am a lot better informed now.

Right. . . . That handbrake . . . .

Bob.