Handbrake light flickering whilst driving

Hi guys,

As the the title really, I have just started driving my mk1 16v, so maybe I have missed an earth or something? Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance 

Bob.

But some fluid in brake reservoir and then starting looking for where it's leaking from

The light is a warning of low brake fluid so either fluid is leaking out, rear wheel cylinders are prone to leak, leak on a brake line. Or could be the plunger switch on the hand brake, you can see it when then the Hand brake is on.  

Thanks for the replies chaps, I found one of the rear wheel cylinders leaking. Got a new one yesterday. So should be sorted this week.




 cheers bob.

Well what an adventure…I thought I would tackle the wheel cylinder last week which I picked up on Saturday from Eurocarparts in Croydon. So on Tuesday evening I put the kids to bed and headed down to the garage.

The actual task of changing the wheel cylinder was not bad and only really took about an hour including bleeding the brakes aswell. (thanks to my trusty Gunson Easybleed).
I thought I would go out for a test drive, something wasnt right. I poodled down the road slowly and tested the brakes, which worked for a short moment and then nothing…… no brakes.
Fortunately I was going slowly and managed to bring myself to a stop using the hand brake. Got out and there was brake fluid all over the road and the inside of the rear wheel!!!!
I took the car home at about 2mph and put it in the garage as it was getting dark.
Apon investigation the next day I removed the wheel and drum, basically one of the pistons had popped out one side of the cylinder.. oh great.


I grabbed the old cylinder and noticed the below, that the new one was considerably shorter than the old.

Using the old cylinder and the new pistons I managed to get myself going again BUT obviously this is not good…..!!!!!!!!, I know I should have checked the part before I installed it and it was my responsibility to do so, but it all fit in the right holes etc etc so I cracked on.

I will be writing a letter to Eurocarparts to inform them as I could have been going a lot faster and it could have ended in tears…..
The guy at the counter was apologetic BUT could not find any different parts on his system so I got my refund and left.

I have subsiquently ordered a new one from VW Heritage, and will be checking them thouroughly before I put them back on.

Be careful,

Bob.

There is 2 types of wheel cylinders as you have discovered, I do find that both eurocarparts and gsf seem to give you the wrong parts quite often when I used to go to the shop, I now shop online and check the part numbers before ordering.
Glad you and the car are alright, might also be worth asking if they could replace your brake shoes as covering them in brake fluid is not good, they could at least give you a can of brake cleaner to clean up the shoes.

Yeah golden rule - when you replace parts, always compare old and new part to ensure its the same. I've lost count of the number of times GSF or ECP have supplied the wrong part. And that's with their seemingly sophisticated computer systems etc.

PS Also, forgot to mention, a flickering handbrake light could be the handbrake lever isn't sitting properly on the switch. Easy fix!