handbreak light coming on whilst driving. please help

[GraceAnais]

hey guys...yet another problem with my ford fiesta (1996)... he handbreak light keeps coming on whilst i'm driving epecially down hills or round bends!!! it's not cos the handbreak is loose either...it just won't go off even if you make sure the handbreak is fully down - then it will go off and not come on again for few days, then it happens again.

also oil light keeps coming on now and again even though the oil is fine!! any ideas guys? thanks in advance. answerbank is like my little own car surgery!

[PhilLew]

Your 'handbrake light' will also be your brake fluid level light. check you have enough fluid in the resevoir.

Your oil light comes on when there is low oil pressure this can be caused by a lack of oil but could be a faulty oil pump or blocked oil filter or pick up pipe.

Try changing the oil and filter and flushing the engine out while you are doing it. This should help.

[jake-the-peg]

The other possibility ( I don't know if it applies to the fiesta) is that some cars have brake pad wear detection.

The bake pads have little contacts embedded in them so that when the brake pads wear down to expose them they make contact with the disk and you get a warning light.

On some cars it's the same light as the handbrake.

Basically it's likely to be a general purpose brake warning light telling you to have someone look at your brake system before you have a nasty shock

[woodchopper]

Pardon me for saying - The Handbrake light on a car like this - ( P ) the brake warning light is like this ( ! )
If the light coming on your car is this ( P ) as far as I'm aware that is soley for the handbrake applied.
The ( ! ) light is your brake warning indicating low fluid, worn brake pads amongst other things and needs immediate attention - the other ( P ) light as I've said is soley for the handbrake and is probably due a faulty switch at the handbrake itself.
I've never heard of the ( P ) light indicating low fluid level etc. before.
As for your oil warning light could be a faulty oil pressure sensor - cheap to replace.

[GraceAnais]

thanks guys...kinda worrying that my brakes may be going. i'll book it in the garage this week! also the (P) and (!) are the same light so maybe this explain why it is coming on. thanks for your help; lets just hope i can get it booked in before anything bad happened. GA

[woodchopper]

We learn something new everyday :o)