(!) - What does this dashboard light mean?

[Jack]

I know that my rear shoes will need doing soon and recently the dashboard light with this icon (!) started flickering a bit on occasions. There is a (P) icon which is presumably to denote the parking brake (or handbrake) is on. The ( ) icon with the dotted brackets round it denotes that the pads are wearing low (or so I think), but what does (!) mean?

[BikerGran]

It merans your brake fluid level is low - better check it quick!

[e692wtt]

It may mean the brake fluid level switch is faulty ;) . If some brake fluid has got into the contacts (usually when topping up the brake fluid, people rest the cap upside down) then this sort of thing can happen soon after.

Visually check the brake fluid level to be sure, before starting to panic.

[Jack]

Cheers - I'll check it.

You know the brake fluid gradually falls due to the pads wearing right? Well, does it also fall as the rear shoes wear? I ask as I will be changing them shortly and don't want to top the fluid up to the max if I need to then take some back out when fitting new rear shoes.

[e692wtt]

The fall in brake fluid level from wear on the rear shoes will be barely noticeable, I'd say (as they should self-adjust, and the volume of brake fluid in the rear cylinders will stay pretty constant whereas the amount of brake fluid in the front brake cylinders will increase as the pads wear).

[B18 GPC]

this led also indicates things such as - oil level , and water coolant temperature etc...

i think oil level anyway.. it flashed on KKW alot , with the oil light...

also break pad warking light... ? i know KKw had plugs on the pads for them , but no wires... :eek: :banghead:

[BikerGran]

My Owners Handbook says that symbol is for the brake fluid. Doesn't say anything about it warning about other things.

[Jack]

Brake fluid was low - topped it up and now no light! Thanks for that.

I set last Sunday aside for the rear brake shoes (I always spend about 2 hours on trips to Halfords or whereever to get bits or tools I didn't realise I needed!) and before I started I thought I would quickly change the rest of my glow plugs (up to now had only changed the easy one on the near side of the engine).

I finished changing them at 5:30pm!!! At least I didn't break any of them off but it has to rate as one of the most fiddly jobs ever! One thing I did, which could be a good tip is that once you've got an old plug out (by screwing it in and out, in and out until it's fully out), get one of those telescopic magnetic pick up tools (a car aerial with a magnet on the end!) and gently put the magnet in the plug hole. The amount of metal filings it picked up was unbelieveable (and they would have ended up in the engine). It would not pick up the alloy head filings but it's better than nothing. Anyway, this issue should be on a different thread so I'll stop there.:laugh: