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'97 BMW 520 Brake warning light

  • 06-06-2007 1:51pm
    #1
    Mr C.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi,
    I was wondering if anyone could help me. I've got a '97 BMW 520. I'm getting a red brake warning light on the dash but don't have an owners manual. Just wondering if anyone could help me out. The light is an ! inside a circle with ( & ) on either side of it. From what I can gather it is a brake pad warning light. Can anyone confirm this? Also I've only got the car about a month so I'm not too familiar with it yet, can anyone tell me where the brake fluid resevoir is?
    Cheers,
    Mr C.


Comments

  • #2
    MercMad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,266 ✭✭✭MercMad


    A red light is brake fluid low !

    Orange light is low pads !

    You may find the pads ARE low, but not touching the sensor, and this results in a low fluid level and brings on the red light !

    If you do top it up, only put enough in to extinguish the light, otherwise when fresh pads are put in the fluid will overflow !

    Either way safer to get the brakes checked by an expert in case you actually have a leak !


  • #3
    Mr C.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Mr C.


    Thanks for your help.


  • #4
    milltown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭milltown


    Rule of thumb for dashboard lights:

    If it's red, get it checked out immediately. If it's yellow, it may wait until the next service (but I'd still look into it).


  • #5
    Owen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    At the risk of sounding incredible stupid, it's not your handbrake warning light that's on is it?


  • #6
    MercMad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,266 ✭✭✭MercMad


    Rule of thumb for dashboard lights:

    If it's red, get it checked out immediately. If it's yellow, it may wait until the next service (but I'd still look into it).

    .......yep, good advice !
    At the risk of sounding incredible stupid, it's not your handbrake warning light that's on is it?

    .........yeah thats worth checking too ! :D


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  • #7
    Fey!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭Fey!


    It means that you need to flush your brake fluid; take out the old fluid and put in new, as far as I can remember.

    I'll check my manual later and correct this if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the e39 recommendation is every 2 years.

    If I'm right, I think it will need for the light to be put out using a diagnostics system.


  • #8
    Mr C.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Mr C.


    Thanks again for all your help. I've been up to my eyes so haven't gotten round to sorting it yet. I've got the car parked up & am on the motorbike instead. It's not the handbrake light that comes on when the handbrake is engaged. Is there usually a second light for the handbrake? I checked the pads & the front ones are nearly gone so it could be the fluid level has dropped. Can anyone tell me where the brake fluid resevoir is? I've had a look round & can't find it.


  • #9
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 41,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Fey! wrote:
    It means that you need to flush your brake fluid; take out the old fluid and put in new, as far as I can remember.

    I'll check my manual later and correct this if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the e39 recommendation is every 2 years.

    If I'm right, I think it will need for the light to be put out using a diagnostics system.
    Are you are thinking of the annual inspection light represented by a clock icon?
    That can be reset using the SI reset tool.
    Mr C. wrote:
    I checked the pads & the front ones are nearly gone so it could be the fluid level has dropped. Can anyone tell me where the brake fluid resevoir is? I've had a look round & can't find it.
    The fluid reservior is under the drivers side pollen filter.
    Don't fill the reservoir if you are going to replace the brake pads soon.


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