Red Brake light just came on,what steps do I take to find the problem?

[ski.dive]

Red Brake light just came on + Screen says  ''Low Brake Pressure''-Service required.

 

What steps do I take to find the problem?

 

What all do I check? :huh:

[Ronnie]

Are the brakes still working or has the brake pedal gotten hard and you can hardly stop the car?

[ski.dive]

''Are the brakes still working or has the brake pedal gotten hard and you can hardly stop the car?''

 

Ronnie

I did not pay attention [ I was freaking out] , but it seems that they did NOT get hard.

I turned off the car. pumped the brakes 30 times, fluid reservoir was almost full after the 30 pumps.

 

I started the engine & RED light and warning still showing, I drove it and  1/4 mile down the road the RED light went off, but 1 mile later the Red light came back on.

 

Drove it like that for 4 miles and made it home.

[Ronnie]

You will know it if the pedal gets hard when you are driving the car. It will feel like it does when you pump the pedal 30 times with the key off. If the pedal gets hard when you are driving the car you should park the car as soon as possible. It is very dangerous to drive it that way.

 

If the yellow light coming on at the same time the red light is coming on?

 

The first thing I would to is to pump the pedal 30 times with the key off and fill the reservoir to the Full Mark in the reservoir. Remove fluid if needed to get it right on the mark. There is a float switch in the reservoir and underfilling the reservoir can trip the red light. Overfilling it might trip the red light as well. Filling the reservoir correctly will help eliminate the float switch as the problem.

 

Next, when the red light is on, listen closely and see if the pump is running or if it is off. Let me know what you find.

 

If the red light is just flashing intermittently when you hit the brakes the problem might be a bad accumulator.

[ski.dive]

Latest,

 

I did not hear a continuous pump running.

 

I turned on the motor, RED light was on for 20 seconds and it went OFF???

 

I drove it for 15 minutes and used the brakes...NO Red light????

[ski.dive]

OK,

 

 

1] I pumped 30 times with key off, it was 1/4 inch over filled, I Removed some fluid and got it right on the mark.  

 

2] I then started the motor, the RED light was on for 20 seconds but then went off.

 

3] I looked at the brake fluid again and it was below the full line with the motor running,

 

Is it supposed to be right on the mark only when I pump it 30 times and bellow the mark with the motor running?

[2seater]

Yes, the level should drop as the accumulator charges. It should only be at the full mark after depleting the accumulator pressure which returns the fluid to the reservoir. This is completely normal. You can get an idea of the condition of the accumulator by observing the fluid level with the system discharged, by pumping the pedal, key off, and then letting the system charge with the key on until the pump stops. A fresh standard accumulator reservoir fluid drop will be slightly less than 1/2", a half-depleted one will show approx. 5/8". The greater the drop in fluid level, the less gas-charge is left in the accumulator.

[Ronnie]

OK,

 

 

1] I pumped 30 times with key off, it was 1/4 inch over filled, I Removed some fluid and got it right on the mark.  

 

2] I then started the motor, the RED light was on for 20 seconds but then went off.

 

3] I looked at the brake fluid again and it was below the full line with the motor running,

 

Is it supposed to be right on the mark only when I pump it 30 times and bellow the mark with the motor running?

 

All that is normal. As 2seater said, the fluid will drop below the full mark when the pump been running and has pressurized the system. DON'T add more fluid unless you have pumped the brake pedal 25-30 times do relieve the pressure in the system.

[ski.dive]

OK,

I just did the Accumulator Test according to the instructions.

 

Result #1,

    I turned the key on and it took 32 seconds for the brake pump motor to stop,the fluid level changed by 1 inch

-Is 32 seconds too long for the brake pump motor to stop?

 

Result #2,

    I opened the hood to listen to the pump motor run,

I then pushed the brake and as soon as I released the brake, the pump motor came on.

The brake pump motor seems to be coming on every time I press and release the brake pedal?

 

So do my results show a weak accumulator or can it be something else?

[Ronnie]

Your tests results indicate that you need a new accumulator. You should get at least 2-3 pumps before the pump starts. If you keep driving your car for an extended period with the pump coming on each time you hit the pedal you run the risk of damaging your pump.

 

Also the accumulator acts a reservoir to hold a reserve of pressure so you will have some pressure before the pump has time to start. Here is more information about the accumulator.  Accumulator Function Explained

 

Someone here on the forum might have a good used accumulator that they are willing to sell. Or you can order a new one from http://spinningwheels-sc.com/

[DAVES89]

I have a couple of good used accumulators but they are not for sale. I like the idea of using the stock balls and it doesn't make sense to me to sell just the ball and figuring freight with as cheap as Spinning Wheels is selling a new one for.

 However when I sell a pump/motor I have always included a pressure switch and ball. No one else selling parts does that and I may rethink that as well.

[ski.dive]

Spinning Wheels is out of stock on Accumulators

 

Copied from their web page:

 

HYDAC ACCUMULATOR BALLS-TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK.

GET ON OUR LIST SO WHEN THEY COME IN, YOURS WILL BE RESERVED.

 

I'll keep looking , maybe eBay will have an accumulator.

[Ronnie]

They always show that they are sold out. If you call and get on their list a shipment might arrive in a week or it could be a month or more. You don't have to pay until they ship the accumulator to you.. I -think- their current price is about 150 plus shipping. Total is around 165.

[Ronnie]

Spinning Wheels is out of stock on Accumulators

 

Copied from their web page:

 

HYDAC ACCUMULATOR BALLS-TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK.

GET ON OUR LIST SO WHEN THEY COME IN, YOURS WILL BE RESERVED.

 

I'll keep looking , maybe eBay will have an accumulator.

 

I've sent you a private message about an accumulator.

[2seater]

I have been away and just saw this. Is the fluid drop actually 1"? If correct, it must have about zero gas charge left but apparently enough to push the fluid out so the level changes. The worst of the ones I have drop just under .7", approx. 1/3 gas charge left. If it depleted to that level, I would like to add it to my collection for comparison. Maybe trade for a low end one from my collection if you haven't found a new one.

[ski.dive]

I have been away and just saw this. Is the fluid drop actually 1"? If correct, it must have about zero gas charge left but apparently enough to push the fluid out so the level changes. The worst of the ones I have drop just under .7", approx. 1/3 gas charge left. If it depleted to that level, I would like to add it to my collection for comparison. Maybe trade for a low end one from my collection if you haven't found a new one.

 

Thanks, but Ronnie had an good accumulator that I'm buying from him.

[2seater]

 

Thanks, but Ronnie had an good accumulator that I'm buying from him.

 

10-4 on that. A good accumulator, and a brake flush, will make the brakes feel more solid. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.