Focus offside parking brake

It's not a 'handbrake warning light', it's a brake system warning light. Your handbook will tell you that illumination after releasing the handbrake indicates low brake fluid level.

Putting the evidence you have provided together suggests a leaking rear wheel cylinder is possible. It might be possible to see fluid on the O/S rear brake backplate, and the fluid level in the brake reservoir may be low.

If that is indeed the problem, the best option is a rear brake overhaul, replacing shoes and wheel cylinders as a minimum. Try to find a reliable local independent garage or mobile mechanic. BTW, usual cause of wheel cylinder failure is corrosion caused by water in the brake fluid. The service schedule for the Focus calls for the brake fluid to be changed every two years. Has this been done?

Have you been driving the car with an MOT advisory for a brake fault, and a brake waring light coming on for nearly a year? I hope not...

Chris

Isn't it obvious from the MOT comment? Your parking brake is f***ed.

Thanks for the info. Brake fluid is above minimum level. There is no sign of fluid leak around any wheels or on the drive.

The brake light started an intermittent flash two weeks ago.

It might be that the handbrake cable has seized, this could explain the low handbrake reading and the flashing brake warning.

When it flashes, have you tried pushing the handbrake lever down? If the light stops flashing while you push the lever down then it would definitely point to seized handbrake cable or seized relay lever (in the actual brake)

The Mot advisory also points to a seized cable or lever, as brake fluid leakage would also give low footbrake efficiency (which you do not mention)

Or worn pads, of course, but I'd be very inclined to agree with the combo indicating a leaking wheel cylinder.

I do admire your optimism.

Have you removed that rear wheel?

What about the drum? (I presume it is rear drums)

Tried pushing hand brake lever down to the stop... light still intermittent.

At last MOT (local council test centre) tester only mentioned hand brake efficiency. I have to decide whether to do nothing and take it to the council test centre again this year or get a local independent to look at it before hand.

Thanks

>

Yep, almost certain it will be drums on a TDCi.

To the OP:

*Don't* try to remove the drum(s) by undoing the hub centre nut. Undo the four bolts that hold the drum and hub assembly to the hub carrier.

Chris

Thank you.

It looks like disc's on the front and rear and I can see and feel quite a step on the discs front and rear.

Discs on the rear? OK, so any loss of fluid would be much more readily visible, but even so, you won't see it without removing the wheel.

But if it's disc rear, the handbrake linkage and cables are probably seized. Sounds like you need new discs all round anyway, if there's noticable steps, but they won't be expensive.

A set of cables, a bit of time freeing and copaslipping all the handbrake up, new discs/pads all round, and a change of fluid, and all should be fine. Basic routine servicing, really, rather than "repairs".

Thanks for the info especially the cost. The car is ten years old so cost to repair / cost to replace comes into play. It still drives very well though.

Thanks for the info especially the cost. The car is ten years old so cost to repair / cost to replace comes into play. It still drives very well though.

[...]

Does it have ABS? I ask because all mk1 cars that I have seen only have rear disks if they are either 2.0 litre petrols, or have ABS.That's not to say others don't exist however...

The step will have nothing to do with handbrake efficiency. (Or footbrake efficiency come to that.)

The only way to determine if a disk is worn below allowable limits is to remove the calliper, and measure the disk with a micrometer. The step you can see and feel will be partly due to disk wear, but also due to corrosion growth on the 'unwiped' part of the disk.

I think the front disks on your car (assuming it is a late mk1) are 22mm thick when new. The wear limit is 20mm. I've measured disks that had a very noticeable step (and were an advisory on an MOT) but they were 21mm, so only 50% worn.

Chris

Intermittent light can (AFAIK on your car) only be caused by handbrake lever switch, low fluid or pad wear indicators (the last I have not seen on a focus, but probably some models have them)

Taking the rear drums off, is a normal part of a thorough service and would show up whatever the fault is, and a service should be carried out at least once a year.

with discs then the only thing that can reduce handbrake effort but not service brake effort would be cable and cable is a common fault. (I suppose there is a slim chance of a caliper handbrake part being faulty, but generally they just seize up the piston, which effects both hand and foot operation)

If it's '04, could easily be a Mk2?

Ignore me. Just seen that it's stated as Mk1.

Yes it does have ABS. It has the 115 engine version.

Thanks for the other info.