Micra issues

[Arnold]

ok i've got a couple of queries about my micra which im wondering if anyone can help

1) When i go round some roundabouts or corners, the warning light on the dashboard lights up! Im not doing them at G force speeds or anything. What sort of sensors would be picking this up for the warning light to come on?

2) Also when driving slowley, i can hear metal scraping sounds coming from my front right wheel. They've happened for a while but recently got a whole lot worse. It definitly sounds like something's rubbing, but its not the tyre on the arch or anything like that!! Someone told me that it could be a warped brake disk..Anyone else experienced anything like that?

Thanks people!

 

[kev_mono72]

1 - check your break fluid

 

[Herr_spl1ff]

Sounds almost exacly like your pads have worn out! I'm assuming the warning light on the dash is the brake one? This indicates a multitude of sins from handbrake applied to low fluid levels & worn pads.

The noise could well be the metal backing to the pads scraping on the disc. Unlikely to warp it but could leave some nasty scores...

Check your pads, if they're low, check your discs too for wear/scratches. Unless they're deep, don't worry too much, they will just wear grooves in you new pads If they look serious, new disc time...

Hope that helps.

 

[Arnold]

Thats sound advice lads, makes perfect sence for the warning light to be on, and for the noise to be there

Will check that out later

Cheers

 

[K10Daz]

Also check the disc cover! That had rusted and buckled in and was rubbing off my brake disk!

Daz

 

[micra man]

Which light is it that comes on?? My oil light started doing this with my old engine when going round corners as the oil was low. Could be the brake fluid though if its the handbrake light.

 

[Arnold]

Yeah it was the handbrake light. I guess ur right about the fluid, i can check that in a minute. The oil has recently been filled up / changed

I'l post an update in a bit

 

[Arnold]

Ok the brake fluid level is around half. Shouldnt be that i dont think?

 

[James]

Shouldn't ever really drop below max unless there's a leak. I'd get some DOT4 if i were you mate

I had the same problem, I had a leak at the box that pumps it to each brake, it had stripped some of the paint off in the engine bay (gotta love brake fluid).

Tightened them up, and it's been on Full ever since (about 6 months)

 

[Herr_spl1ff]

If it's down, check you pads. Less friction material = more pad travel = less brake fluid...

 

[Slim]

its not more travel. The travel is the same regarlessof what pads are like, but the piston stays further down.

either way, replace your pads if they're worn. THe backing plate is notoriout for rubbing on the disk and making a noise. IT doesnt causea problem, its just annoying. To fixe it, get a screwdriver and a hammer and knock it away from the disk

 

[Arnold]

Right, i finally got round to taking the wheel off today, im not sure how far down the pads need to go before they're changed but i took some pictures! Im not too keen on the hitting the plate thing either as i dont really know what im doing

Also recently my backbox had blown so i got another standard one fitted. However the car still makes twice as much noise as it should. I checked it out and found the following hole!

 

[clyde]

change ur pads easy peasy - saint an greavesy

also dont worry about hittin stuff, thats how the best mechanics have learnt there trade

 

[danni]

Ok the brake fluid level is around half. Shouldnt be that i dont think?

Sounds like it is the brake fluid arnold as mine was around half way last week so i didnt think it would be this... but i topped it up and it went off so u could try the fluid

 

[Arnold]

I'l do both

 

[Andrew]

The outside pad looks fine - worn, but not dangerously low. Check the inside one, though it is rare for them to wear unevenly.

The metal cover that goes around the disc can sometimes touch the disc and make noise, just put the car in neutral and spin the hub to see if it is. If it is, bend it away with a screw driver. Avoid the hammer - the material that the disc is made out of doesn't enjoy massive off centre shock loading.

It is true that the fluid level drops slightly if the pads are all very worn, but it still isn't half of the reservoir. If there is ever any need to top up brake fluid, then make sure you check the system for leaks, as it can indicate much much bigger problems. Brake failure on a K10 isn't good, especially considering most have badly adjusted handbrakes with little stopping power (which is the fault of the badly named "auto adjusters").

 

[quickdraw]

(which is the fault of the badly named "auto adjusters").

which means THESE NEVER ACTUALLY WORK lol

 

[Herr_spl1ff]

Pads and discs look fine there, what about the other side? Sometimes it's hard to pin a noise down, it's not always where you think it is.

Andrew, is there some way to adjust the effectiveness of the handbrake or improve the efficiency of the system?

 

[Andrew]

The auto adjusters rarely work on any car but seem to be spectacularly bad on the K10.

The best way of doing this seems to be:

1. Jack up the rear of the car and put it on stands.
2. Loosen (yes, loosen) the adjuster where the single cable splits into two. This is because the last person who thought they would try to fix the problem would have done it here, and it doesn't help any.
3. Pop the little rubber cap off on the back of each hub, above the bearing.
4. With the handbrake off, but with someone pressing the hydraulic brake, stick a screwdriver into the hole, and click the little ratchet wheel round. When it gets really hard pushing it round, then stop, and do the other wheel.
5. Stick the caps back on, lower the car, and test the lovely 3 click handbrake.

If it is really bad, sometimes it is best to take the drum off and spin the ratchet using your hands, because it takes ages with a screwdriver. Don't do it too much or the drum won't go back on. Quite a few drums are badly worn with groves stopping the drums being taken off easily.

The reason you want someone pushing the hydraulic brake is that if they aren't, turning the ratchet is simply fighting against the return springs on the shoes. When the pads are right against the drum, it's only friction you are pushing against.

 

[Herr_spl1ff]

Cheers! I'm with you now, I remember doing this on my dad's old cavalier many many years ago!

 

[Arnold]

Back to thread lol, the exhaust is sorted. The mechanic used some putty stuff so seal it. The car is now completely silent on idle, you wouldnt even know its running!

 

[Arnold]

Right an update to this, the sealant on the exhaust is beginning to come off. Im sure there's too much pressure going through that exhaust and its hacking away at the weakest points!

Also, the brake pads have been changed (thanks krazy), which put the fluid levels back up to normal. The pads were only 1/2mm wide! Also the metal brake guard is rusty and touching the disk, so krazy took a hammer and screwdriver to it and sorted that out . I no longer get the brake warning lights either when i throw it round corners