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MG MGF Technical - Handbrake dashboard light

Morning People,


My handbrake light in my dashboard keeps going on and off while I'm driving. I'd imagine this is quite a simple fix if you know what to do.

Anyone able to point me in the right direction?


Thanks in advance.

Jeff
J Pondexter

Mine has always done this since I bought it in new in 2002.

In my case, the switch is very sensitive and the slightest tension on the lever activates it.

Some people have suggested slackening the wiresthat go from the lever to the handbreak mechanism by turning the adjusters at the base of the lever.
Sam Murray

Hmm, define 'simple'... ;o)

There's a lot in the archives about this, but in my experience it's usually caused by the handbrake mechanism on the rear calipers beginning to seize up, causing the return spring to be unable to pull the cable back to 'rest' position, and the resulting slack in the cable allows the lever to bounce on the LED switch. The handbrake mechanism inside the caliper isn't easily accessible and has no provision for lubrication, so in a majority of cases fitting new calipers is the only guaranteed solution, however it may be possible to solve in the short term at least by exercising the actuating arm on the caliper by hand. Also, if your rear pads are low then fitting new ones may put the mechanism back into un-seized territory.

Re-manufactured calipers are not particularly expensive, and fitting them usually means no MOT parking brake performance failures for a good few years.
bandit

Ditto to Bandits reply, my rear caliper was the problem last year (drivers side) and has now started again which I suspect is the passenger side!!!

Oh well time to get the tools out again!
Simon.
S McGregor

This thread was discussed between 03/01/2010 and 15/01/2010

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