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MG MGF Technical - Hand brake warning light

Dear all,

The roads here in and around Naples are to say the least a little bumpy. Consequently the hand brake on light illuminates frequently,a gentle nudge down extinguishes it immediately. Is there a spring or return mechanism that I can adjsut to keep it from popping up?

As ever many thanks

Elona.
E J Davies

This may well be one of your rear calipers beginning to seize. The handbrake operating elements can sometimes be recovered by lubricating and exercising the caliper lever. Otherwise it may mean replacing that side's caliper before the next MOT.
Charless

C,

thank you, perhaps I did not explain correctly the handbrake handle physically rises and the light illuminates when I go over a bump or uneven road. The brakes do not come on at all.

Elona
E J Davies

Yes, this happened to mine as the handbrake operating mechanism stops moving freely on one side, only one return spring is trying to pull the handbrake lever back to it's resting position. It might be something else but the above is quite a common fault. The foot braking is not affected but the handbrake is only operating one of the two rear calipers with normal force on the disc. Practically this may not affect parking, but it will be picked up as uneven or inadequate handbraking at the MOT test.
Charless

A spring in the rear caliper handbrake assembly pulls the lever back causing the cable to be tensioned and the hand brake lever held against the light switch.
When there is seizing in the rear caliper, the lever is not pulled back, the cable is loose and the hand brake lever bounces around on the switch.
Geoff F.
Geoff Farthing

Guys,

As ever thank you, and as ever a follow on question or two!

Is it possible to free up the seized caliper or does it require a full replacement?

Do I need to get a specialist to do this? Not taht there are many in and around Naples!

Is there a "how to" or something similar available out there?

As ever many thanks

Elona
E J Davies

This guy replaced the calipers, but then had a go at refurbishing the old ones.

http://www.the-t-bar.com/en/forum/21-david-aiketgate-s-guides/176-handbrake-rear-calliper-how-to-refurbish-temp
Sam Murray

Just adjust the handbrake cable at the rear of the handbrake lever itself.. we see lots of Fs and TFs with this problem... it's a simple fix and nothing to do with the callipers..

Mark.
M T Boldry

This thread was discussed between 27/03/2013 and 21/06/2013

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