Red light flashing on DIS. '!' mark inside a circle with brackets around it??

[DJ_Troopa]

I reversed into parking spot at work,i hit the brake, lifted the handbrake, and a red light began to flash at bleep on my DIS.

It's an '!' mark in a circle with brackets around it. Colour of the light was red. It flashes 3 times and bleeps 3 times with it. I drove 20 mins to work and when i hit the brake it was fine. I tested it in the car park and it only happens when i reverse and lift the handbrake??

Any ideas??

PS. i had all my brakes changed with fluid about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Alex C]

does the handbrake actually work?

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Yup the handbrake is fine. I've been looking on Google and apparently it could be a handbrake switch sensor??

 

[DJ_Troopa]

I stole the following picture from Google Images. It looks like this................. it flashes and bleeps 3 times and dissapears............

 

[Alex C]

yeah... well whatever it is, i think its a handbrake related fault

Have you noticed if your Haldex is still working?

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Yeah Haldex is fine. Haldex was serviced 3 weeks ago along with the brakes on the same day.

 

[superkarl]

means the car is going to self destruct

 

[aragorn]

Scan the ABS controller for faults.

 

[DJ_Troopa]

means the car is going to self destruct

LOL i hope not!

Scan the ABS controller for faults.

How can i do that? I've already scanned the car for faults via my Liquid Gauge but nothing came up.

 

[DenCar]

Just looked in my handbook, its a priority 1 warning (In Red) there are only 3, yours means "Fault in the brake system". It means danger, stop the car and switch off and get assistance, thats what it says in the ownwrs handbook. The other critical ones in red are for coolant and oil.

DC

 

[beachbuggy]

That one will be your brakes have a fault and more than likely your brake fluid is low. Check the brake fluid level, almost certainly that. If it is top up, and if it happens again you have a leak.

 

[DJ_Troopa]

WTF! I only had my brakes done 3 weeks ago with new fluid It only happens when i reverse and pull the handbrake up though? Really odd.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Westy]

Take it back to the garage who did the brakes 3 weeks ago mate. Get them to sort it for free.

 

[beachbuggy]

check the fluid, only sensor on the brakes are the wear indicators and the fluid level. If the brakes have been changed then it's unlikely to be the wear indicators unless there is a loose connection but they're on the front.

If you've had new fluid then then they would have had to bleed the system and may not have doen the nipples up tight and no one likes loose nipples!

Also if they wound the rear brake calipers all the way back in when they changed the pads, then as you apply the handbrake the rear calipers will push out and draw more fluid in so reducing the level, if it's at that point on being just around the fluid low level it may trigger the DIS light.

Simple to check.

 

[Ian W]

Happend on mine when I had a fluid leak, first was from a bleed nipple, second was when the slave cylinder went.

 

[DJ_Troopa]

I'm defo taking it back to the garage, i've already spoken to my mechanic and he said to bring it down. I hope it's nothing too major!

Ian - How much was slave cylinder out of curiousity just in case i may need to prepare myself for it? How did the slave cylinder go? Is it a wear & tear part aswell?

 

[jojo]

When the warning comes on the dash, hit the left button on the dash cluster and it gives you a general idea of what the car think is wrong, at least, it did on my S3 after I refitted the 312mm brakes. Was indeed low brake fluid.

 

[beachbuggy]

Slave cylinder is about £35. Fitting it is a whole different story! 4-5 hours labour soon ads up.

I have a hunch that using an ezibleed to bleed the brakes and using more than the recomended 15psi can blow the slave cylinder seals. Seen it twice now recently after brakes been bled.

Of course it could be coincidence.

 

[<tuffty/>]

LOL i hope not!



How can i do that? I've already scanned the car for faults via my Liquid Gauge but nothing came up.

Liquid gauge only shows engine faults...

<tuffty/>

 

[jcs356]

It's not the pad sensors - that's just an amber warning. Most likely to be low fluid/leak.

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Well i just checked it in the car park. I move forward and apply the brake and lift the handbrake = nothing.

I reversed and applied the brake = nothing, then i lift the handbrake and the light came up. I pressed the button on the dial cluster and it said stop vehicle immediately and check brake fluid level and hydraulic level pressure or something like that??

 

[beachbuggy]

Like said, fill the brake fluid up.

 

[DJ_Troopa]

I think it might be leaking as me and my brother have found oil looking spots in the driveway for the past few days. We thought it was oil from his M3 or my S3 but it wasn't. It's all coming together now, must be a brake fluid leak!!

Gonna get it checked out tomorrow morning before i start work. I will keep this updated

Thanks all for your help, really appreciate it!


Ajay

 

[s3dave]

Cheers jo didnt know that...

 

[KB]

mine did this and it was indeed the fluid was low!

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Well i went to the garage this morning before i've come into work. The fluid was running low even though it was full 3 weeks ago. We checked under the car and couldn't find leaks. It didn't help that it rained so the underneath of the car was soaking wet so was hard to spot any kind of leaks.

It's now been filled to the top again. Will see how it goes and if it happens again then it will get a thorough check to see where the problem lies.

Thanks for your help everyone, much appreciated.

 

[pj123]

Check the pipe coming out of the base of the master cylinder has not been rubbing on the pipe very close to it. I cant remember if its a pipe for the power steering or the aircon but its very close and can wear through the brake pipe. I think the fault occurs if care has not been taken when the timing belt has been changed that pipes are moved back to their correct position. Just found this..

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Check the pipe coming out of the base of the master cylinder has not been rubbing on the pipe very close to it. I cant remember if its a pipe for the power steering or the aircon but its very close and can wear through the brake pipe. I think the fault occurs if care has not been taken when the timing belt has been changed that pipes are moved back to their correct position. Just found this..

Thanks for that! Good info there! Will have to check this out tonight.

 

[Ian W]

Check the pipe coming out of the base of the master cylinder has not been rubbing on the pipe very close to it. I cant remember if its a pipe for the power steering or the aircon but its very close and can wear through the brake pipe. I think the fault occurs if care has not been taken when the timing belt has been changed that pipes are moved back to their correct position. Just found this..

This happend to me, no brakes 25 miles from home was not fun !