Dash warning lights

[Damo9K]

Hi all,

This sunday I went for it and replaced all the vacume pipes in the engine bay and checked back to the dashboard gauges.

Removed the hands free kit which is no good for my phone and and sorted a few niggles like the fact that the instrument panel was not screwed in on one corner (someones been there before) and a bulb was out.

Since doing all of this i now have a warning light on the display which i don't know for sure what it is cos i've lost/misplaced the car manual

It's at the bottom one in from the right and looks like this (!) sort of! with a circle around the exclamation.

The strange thing is that the light flickers and then goes out when I accelerate fairly hard and comes on again as soon as i lift off.

At a guess id say it's a brake warning light but not sure.
Have re-checked the vacume hoses and all conections in the engine bay, it may be somthing dislodged in the dashboard - ill have to stip it again to check.
Or it could be somthing to do with the breaking system but this a bit of a coincidence and i'm fairly sure it's somthing ive done!

Can somebody tell me what that warning light does actually mean.

Any help apreciated

Damian

[Derek]

As you've guessed it is to do with the brakes. It should come on when the handbrake is applied and go out when you release the handbrake. It will also illuminate when the brake fluid level is low which is probably what is happening in your case. As the car accelerates or brakes the level in the reservoir will slop about which may be why it goes out then. You should check the level of fluid in the reservoir ASAP. If it is low then either the pads are nearly worn out or there is a leak of fluid. What ever it is best check it - better safe than sorry.

[Damo9K]

Derek thanks for the reply.

Unfortunatly it's not the handbrake light - thats a seperate light on the left of display(i did check that) and I also checked the brake fluid level (right to the top)

I have a feeling it's to do with brake servor / engine speed as i believe that runs off the manifold but i just can't see any pipes that are incorrect.

Thanks

Damo

[Derek]

I thought i knew which light did what, after all I see them every day, but now I'm not so sure
I'd better have a look at them at luch time to remind me.

[Derek]

I checked the dash lights - the one in question indicates that the fluid is low OR the ABS pressure has dropped but that would also light up the ABS light.
Have another look at your brake fluid, I once had a 900 on which the warning light behaved like yours. There seemed to be plenty fluid in the reservoir but in fact the float was full of fluid and partly submerged.

[Damo9K]

Thanks Derek,

Will have a look at that.

Strange thing - the light is starting to be off more than on now
It may of course be the brake pads are going and it is infact a coincidence I won't be able to check that till next sunday.

Will update then

Ta

Damo

[CarlyKeith]

I had to do it. My 1994 CS manual says " Brake Warning Light will come on if, fluid level is low,or, if ABS fitted will come on with ABS light if theres a drop in in the servo pressure."

[Damo9K]

Thanks CarlyKeith,

That confirms what I was thinking and what Derek was saying.

Lost without my saab manual!!

Will look at the servo/fluid and vavume pipes once again.

Ta

Damo