Jack Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 My handbrake light doesn't work or doesn't come on. My handbrake cable has been changed and the handbrake doesn't come up very far and it is fully up so I don't know if it is not coming up far enough to come on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 They are a bit flaky anyway, you can fix it easily but its a faff. First test the bulb, this is done with the ignition on so the red lights all come on on the dash, you put your foot under the clutch pedal and lift the pedal up so it hits its dead stop, the handbrake warning light ought to come on. If the bulb is ok then you need to take the passengers seat out, remove the runners off the floor, and the sill trim, pull the rear seat base out and then fold the rear carpet out the way, then you will be able to get to the handbrake and the wire. Shine a torch down the hole and see if the cable terminal has popped off or not, if it has the cable underneath needs to be removed and then the two 13mm bolts can be taken out of the inside of the trans tunnel and then remove the actual handbrake lever. fix the contact switch/plug the wire back on. Re-assemble. If it still does not work then its a break in that brown cable between the handbrake and the place it joins the main loom at another connector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Thanks Paul I will try that in the morning. If it is just the bulb then do I need to take the dashboard off? Otherwise it is the fiddly option Thanks again Paul good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Its never the bulb..... Also the handbrake ought to come up around 5 or 6 clicks, any less and I don't think you can get enough leverage past the centre pivot on the handle to make it work effectively, I went through a phase of adjusting it so it only came up 3 clicks but the handbrake never felt as though it was "on" enough and it did crap handbrake turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Why do you need it, it didn't come on on my last Manta, and I had that car for15 years, a quick glance at the handbrake lever will give you the answer, or the car won't move when you drop the clutch to drive off tells you the handbrake is ON. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Personally, I like things to work as they ought to, its got the system fitted so it might as well do something. Besides, this Manta lark is a hobby and since a hobby is basically an enjoyable way to waste time what better waste of time than to get a small red light to glow when you pull a lever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Why do you need it, it didn't come on on my last Manta, and I had that car for15 years, a quick glance at the handbrake lever will give you the answer, or the car won't move when you drop the clutch to drive off tells you the handbrake is ON. It's nice for everything to work as it should what's wrong with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Personally, I like things to work as they ought to, its got the system fitted so it might as well do something. Besides, this Manta lark is a hobby and since a hobby is basically an enjoyable way to waste time what better waste of time than to get a small red light to glow when you pull a lever. Tried your tip Paul with the clutch and unfortunately didn't work but not a big deal at the end of the day Thanks anyway mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapierdave Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) If you lifted the clutch pedal upwards & the Handbrake warning light didn't come on then it's probably either the bulb or or the bulb holder isn't seated right. Edited June 22, 2015 by Rapierdave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Its never the bulb..... Also the handbrake ought to come up around 5 or 6 clicks, any less and I don't think you can get enough leverage past the centre pivot on the handle to make it work effectively, I went through a phase of adjusting it so it only came up 3 clicks but the handbrake never felt as though it was "on" enough and it did crap handbrake turns. Also my handbrake does 4 clicks right to top, you have to pull hard for the 4th click. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) It's nice for everything to work as it should what's wrong with that? I agree with you 100% Jack, I didn't mean you personally, maybe I should have put " why do we need it" and not "you" and I still say " Why do we need a light to tell us that the handbrake is engaged?" I didn't need it on the last Manta, that's why I didn't bother fixing it, It works on my Cavalier, but I really have no need of it because I know if my handbrake is engaged or not, I don't need a little light to tell me. Have a nice day Jack, and get that light working Edited June 22, 2015 by Julian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 If you lifted the clutch pedal upwards & the Handbrake warning light didn't come on then it's probably either the bulb or or the bulb holder isn't seated right. Is it a fairly fiddly job to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumster Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Hi Jack, it's a doddle, 5 minute job, once you get to the stage in the pic below................. Seriously, once you get the binnacle off which is not too difficult, I suggest you check all the little clip in bulbs there are about 10 of the buggers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 remove the runners off the floor, Paul, if you have an easy, fool proof way of doing this enlighten the rest of us, because usually the screws are frozen solid, even worse than the seats bolts, which are esay to snap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) The problem with the runners is that a lot of people don't use the right screwdriver and also don't heat the old hard underseal up with a small blowlamp/heatgun before having a crack at taking them out. I always use heat and a large screwdriver bit in a 3/8 socket and ratchet assembly and they always come out, when I refit them I use loads of graphite grease so they will move in future. The ones I have the most trouble with are those that have been touched by someone else and rounded off or the ones with really rusted heads. Then its a case of drill them out and weld nuts to the stubs to get them out once the carpet is out the way. Its like the sideskirt screws, once I discovered that if you heat the screw up with a powerful soldering iron they come out of the white plastic grommits with no hassle it revolutionised my ability to take skirts off whole and intact. Edited June 23, 2015 by paulmanta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 I am taking a run to Chris Colliers garage soon to get my Manta serviced and I might ask him to investigate this light? Handbrake seems strong enough even though it only does 3 clicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 How does the lifting of the clutch pedal make the handbrake light go on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 There is a little button switch on the clutch bracket that feeds into the handbrake warning light system, it is supposed to warn you when the clutch pedal adjustment is too high by lighting the handbrake lamp. Its quite crude and you normally know its not right anyway because the pedal is miles off the floor ! It is only handy as a test for the lamp in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Its quite crude and you normally know its not right anyway because the pedal is miles off the floor ! Hahahaha! I do find these crude things interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 My light won't go off, I don't know if thats more annoying!! Whats the issue with mine Paul? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 My light won't go off, I don't know if thats more annoying!! Whats the issue with mine Paul? Probably one of the switches is permanently earthing, unplug the clutch one and see if its that, if not it could well be the switch on the handbrake lever, much more of a pain to get to as described above. To test that there is a plug/join in the brown wire that goes to the handbrake, if you look in the radio hole follow the single brown wire sort up a bit and to the right you will see a male and female spade connector, unplug that and see if the light goes out, if it does its the handbrake switch that has a problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 I have not had a Manta yet with a working handbrake light, I did look through the manual to see what it said about the handbrake light but it doesn't let yo know how to get it working. Do you reckon mine is definitely a bulb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.