N19's fleet - Mondeo brake warning light excitement

[neil72]

I had a wander over on the Saturday, the autojumble is a bit odd these days, you get fellas trying to sell 'retro' tat for stupid money and then on the next stall along i bought some really useful tools for less than a £5!!

Glad you found a couple of useful bits for the Capri

 

 

 

[N19]

You're right, there's an interesting dichotomy of 'professional' vs 'back of van' traders. Some guys who sell bulk product new (gloves, brake cleaner, cloths) others who have loads of obscure stuff. There's a bloke who had a huge amount of NOS Ford stuff at sensible prices, hence stocking up on stuff which may come in handy one day. The other traders in the middle were also handy for the things like fuel line and connectors. I always try to pick up a good few secondhand tools. They are generally of better quality than new stuff and far cheaper! 

[N19]

After a little time away, time to get cracking on some outstanding Capri jobs. It's about 6 months since it came back from the painters, and about 3 months since I regarded it as "pretty much complete". There's still a few bits to sort out, though.

A nice little run out on some A roads later, it was back in the garage. Focus to charge the garage battery that powers lights and, crucially today, fan.

It was suggested by Andrew that there was probably enough give in the brake lines to take the m/c off without having to undo the lines (and thus bleed the system) and, sure enough, it was.

the non-return valve was removed and tested and found to be, err, returning.

which would account for the issues I've been having, if it's allowing air in.

A new one has been ordered up.

In the meantime, I gave the servo a lick of paint where it's chipped and crusty.

]

and left myself a note in case I forget and try to move it out the garage before the new parts arrive

[N19]

Non return valve on back order. Sigh. Have ordered a couple of generic ones to see if they will work (inline) in the interim. 

Re seated the reversing lamps, I'm sure I've had to do this before, so might want to check all the bulbs are the right spec. 

(Also I love the simplicity of this car, jack up one side and you can reach under and stick a shunt across the reverse light switch to easily test the lights) 

Had a bit of a look at the Focus back end. 

The rear tailgate latch, if connected, will open itself any time you press the brakes. When disconnected, if you press the tailgate release, you get a flash of the brake lights. 

No obvious fault when testing across the pins however this did use a digital meter - my dwell meter has a voltage function which can sometimes show up tiny flickers (which I assume is all it needs to be). Earths test fine, next job to whip off the brake lights and see if there's any short between it. 

It's not essential by any means (it's sat disconnected for about 6 months) but the car is worth keeping all the bits and pieces functioning. It's barely taken any work other than the exhaust since I got it. When the time allows I want to spend a bit of time sorting out a couple of these niggles and giving it a good hoover and wash. 

[N19]

The correct part is still on back order, but I ordered a couple of generic non return valves and fitted one in the vacuum line from the manifold to the servo. It did work to some extent, although long and hard braking still seems to cause some sort of struggle.

(the braking effort itself is absolutely fine, it's just the fact that the engine feels like it will stall!)

Seen here fitted inline, once the new part comes I will fit that on the servo end, and then take this out.

Another minor job was replacing the hose to the windscreen washers, which I had to use some clear stuff I'd had hanging around when I refitted them, as that's all I had to hand in the right size. The black stuff looks much better.

[Brigsy]

Mixture might need a tweak with new one way valve in.

[uk_senator]

On 19/06/2025 at 00:41, N19 said:

Non return valve on back order. Sigh. Have ordered a couple of generic ones to see if they will work (inline) in the interim. 

Re seated the reversing lamps, I'm sure I've had to do this before, so might want to check all the bulbs are the right spec. 

(Also I love the simplicity of this car, jack up one side and you can reach under and stick a shunt across the reverse light switch to easily test the lights) 

Had a bit of a look at the Focus back end. 

The rear tailgate latch, if connected, will open itself any time you press the brakes. When disconnected, if you press the tailgate release, you get a flash of the brake lights. 

No obvious fault when testing across the pins however this did use a digital meter - my dwell meter has a voltage function which can sometimes show up tiny flickers (which I assume is all it needs to be). Earths test fine, next job to whip off the brake lights and see if there's any short between it. 

It's not essential by any means (it's sat disconnected for about 6 months) but the car is worth keeping all the bits and pieces functioning. It's barely taken any work other than the exhaust since I got it. When the time allows I want to spend a bit of time sorting out a couple of these niggles and giving it a good hoover and wash. 

I`d say the reverse lights are more likely down to bad connections, either on the bulb holders or the connector to them, a wrong spec bulb wouldn't have any effect. A dremel sized wire cup brush on a drill can help. The contacts can also lose their springiness & shape too, so make sure they`re contacting the bulb properly.

As far as the Focus is concerned, I`d be looking at the wiring round the hinge, looking for either snapped wires touching each other, or, chafing round the holes in the roof or tailgate (chafing round the hole can dangerous & even result in burning, as we all know..)

[N19]

New one way valve (correct one) fitted. Seems better, but not perfect. Will go over everything again to be sure. Nice drive had up to Watford with plenty of admiring looks. May reward it with an actual wash...

[N19]

I snuck out for a Sunday morning drive before it got too rainy. Unusually for me I went east, did 60 miles over to Harlow and back.

Fixed the issue with the indicators, a fibreglass pencil on the bulb holders.

There were a few dashboard issues to correct.

First up, one of the fixing holes plastic was gone.

Original on left. Offcut of metal drilled, shaped and filed to size. I did glue it, but then added a tiny self-tapper to give a little bit more strength.

That can then be bolted on, which will keep that bit of the dash secure and not loose.

Next up, the demister on the drivers side was pointing to the inside of the dash. This involved removing the dash front, instrument cluster, and then grappling around with very little visibility or space. 

however, with a satisfying *clunk* it slid into the correct position.

The dash multi-plug has one connector which is iffy, previously soldered, so have got that back at home now to re-solder the tab. Then the dash can all go back together and happy days.

[N19]

All is back together and working, although frustratingly I didn't get the front panel in at the right angle. It's only 10 minutes to put right, but tiredness and falling light means it's for another day.

This month a trip to Brizzle and FoTU are coming up which I'm looking forward to.

[N19]

Capri continues to be trouble free. Still a few odds and ends to sort, but I plan to do them in the autumn now. 

 

Mondeo now has the brake warning light on. Checked the fluid level, which is fine, and the brakes themselves are still spot on. So not really sure where it's coming from. 

[Andrew353w]

8 minutes ago, N19 said:

Capri continues to be trouble free. Still a few odds and ends to sort, but I plan to do them in the autumn now. 

 

Mondeo now has the brake warning light on. Checked the fluid level, which is fine, and the brakes themselves are still spot on. So not really sure where it's coming from. 

Does the brake warning light also come on when the handbrake's applied? If so, could the switch have become jammed or shorted, thus illuminating the warning lamp? 

Just a thought....

[N19]

If the handbrake is applied it brightens slightly. I will definitely look at the switch inside...

[N19]

Got this radio-cassette out earlier and tested, checked it over.

This can become the new one in the Capri - it has a 'phone call pause' trigger (if you shunt the brown wire to earth) which I plan to fit via a little toggle switch around the driver's knee, for the purpose of having some level of control without leaning over.

Yet to strip Mondeo to check the switch. I'm assuming that either it, or the brake reservoir level floatswitch, has gone faulty. Looking at the circuit diagram it seems that the handbrake warning light comes off the back of the floatswitch unit, which may provide for easy fault finding without a need to dismantle too much.

[N19]

Partial success today, partial frustration.

Mondeo. Took out the centre console (first for me) with only one slightly cracked plastic fascia to show for it (25 year old plastic!) - washer applied on reassembly. Tested the handbrake switch and it seems to work perfectly. Damn! Oh well, opportunity taken for a clean up (very grubby under there!) and a bit of an oil of the handbrake mech. The brake fluid unit seemed also to have correct continuity (based upon the diagram in the haynes book). May need to test the runs end-to-end.

 

Slightly more successfully, mounted the new cassette player in the Capri. Much as I hate drilling into the dash, it's on a panel that's already got a choke connection on it. This is the 'mute' button which means I don't need to reach over if it's too loud.

[N19]

Capri did 200 miles to Bristol and surrounds today. Almost fault free. 

Had an unusual thing with the dash lights and gauges intermittently going off. Found the bottom fuse to be loose in the holder and not making good contact... gave it a squeeze to bend the contacts closer together and put a new fuse in, which seems to have worked. 

[danthecapriman]

Some of those fuses can be a bit shitty, particularly the cheap plastic ones. I had one of mine keep intermittently losing supply and it was just the fuse being badly made and shaped. Sometimes the plastic can melt and deform too which makes the metal caps on the ends not sit against the fuse box properly. 
I only buy proper ceramic ones now.

[N19]

Yeah, see the one at the bottom looks under pressure now. I assume because the thinner metal deforms. 

I didn't know you could get proper ceramic ones still! Will look now...

[danthecapriman]

46 minutes ago, N19 said:

Yeah, see the one at the bottom looks under pressure now. I assume because the thinner metal deforms. 

I didn't know you could get proper ceramic ones still! Will look now...

I think the last ones I bought were off eBay.

[N19]

25 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I think the last ones I bought were off eBay.

Hmm, I've had a look on Ebay and the ones on there all look identical to the plastic ones I have. Even if you use "ceramic torpedo fuse" it still returns the plastic ones! 

[danthecapriman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254748427655?_skw=ceramic+continental+fuse&itmmeta=01K0MSW26H35Q9Q9J4MTCWW8TY&hash=item3b50308587:g:bEEAAOSwuwVfhrw9&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fvLhQ6fF%2FfPcAEsGY5mc8aOcI6i9wXDhlw%2FI7LAUwYEg4eNs%2F9I4X1ZzJzslnEhXvT8rgBJS%2Fzo%2F162fhTH5EAigb5wlVdHIKxxZpKmDnf%2FAmlgKGofGPTCaPWId4F151SNLynsH%2FC2v22UTlhDxpj3iL5jPWunJYJUc9ulexWb2pydO4aaBpUWwnWL%2FXyX9KZoFK3S%2FfAxbJPABzBDzb4MWU5TqJHygavEQYSusW%2B8hs0usqIIUO%2B6atM3WaPAZkbCixvQkcyTMmSzj6kTdV5XxGhS38ARY83D762Nm2M9A%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR7aj8JmFZg
 

I searched for ceramic continental fuse.

[uk_senator]

On 16/07/2025 at 20:03, N19 said:

Slightly more successfully, mounted the new cassette player in the Capri. Much as I hate drilling into the dash, it's on a panel that's already got a choke connection on it. This is the 'mute' button which means I don't need to reach over if it's too loud.

I would strongly advise you to move that choke somewhere less liable to tear your kneecap off in the event of a crash (God forbid).
Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but my kids Mum had a head-on with a skip wagon in her Civic about 12 years ago, after she passed out, her left knee went into the dash, the plastics shattered (despite being fairy pliable, rubbery ABS plastic), & the broken, jagged plastic went through her knee & ripped her kneecap away... Its permanently damaged & causes her problems still (it always will now) & there wasn't even a chunky metal choke knob assembly in the way! Its made me VERY wary of stuff hanging under/screwed onto the dash, & even big bunches of keys hanging from the ignition switch.. You could relocate it, maybe under the middle of the dash, over the transmission tunnel, or a lateral, slide type choke in the side/top of the column shroud, or even one of the switch blanks are on the actual dash.. Just somewhere its almost impossible to do any damage in the event of a crash.

[N19]

7 hours ago, uk_senator said:

I would strongly advise you to move that choke somewhere less liable to tear your kneecap off in the event of a crash (God forbid).
Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but my kids Mum had a head-on with a skip wagon in her Civic about 12 years ago, after she passed out, her left knee went into the dash, the plastics shattered (despite being fairy pliable, rubbery ABS plastic), & the broken, jagged plastic went through her knee & ripped her kneecap away... Its permanently damaged & causes her problems still (it always will now) & there wasn't even a chunky metal choke knob assembly in the way! Its made me VERY wary of stuff hanging under/screwed onto the dash, & even big bunches of keys hanging from the ignition switch.. You could relocate it, maybe under the middle of the dash, over the transmission tunnel, or a lateral, slide type choke in the side/top of the column shroud, or even one of the switch blanks are on the actual dash.. Just somewhere its almost impossible to do any damage in the event of a crash.

It does sit to one side of my knee. However, I'll have a look to see if there's a better positioning next time I have the bottom dash down. 

[N19]

Fuse behaved fine today! Various drives along nice roads in a mixture of weather. Lovely! This, for me, is a great payback for all the hard work and strife.

[N19]

I wonder if I can get the Capri up Vale Street in Bristol. The steepest street in the UK. The Mondeo just managed it, but scraped at the bottom...

[N19]

And I did! That's some climb. 

[N19]

Back to normality. Had hoped to be at FOTU today but having been feeling quite run down, I decided not to push myself.

A quick bit of fault finding on the Mondeo, which still has a dim brake warning light on. Checked the sensor on the reservoir which has 3 pins - pins 2 and 3 are constantly linked, even when the fluid is drained off. Pins 1 and 2 and 1 and 3 do not link at all.

I was therefore thinking that the sensor must be goosed and time to get another one. However, looking at the cct diagram in the Haynes book, it looks like pins 1 and 2 should be linked when the fluid level is low, whilst pins 2 and 3 should be constantly linked. This is odd because those pins didn't link at all even when I'd drained the reservoir. Hmmm. More investigation required I think! It looks like, if I unplug the multi plug from the reservoir, the light should be off as it is earthed by operation of either the switch in the reservoir or the handbrake. So if it still illuminates then there is possibly a fault in the wiring.

[Homersimpson]

The mondeo doesnt have brake pad warning light connections does it?

Ars you sure that disconnecting the master cylinder switch turns the light off? The Jag XJ6 needs the switch tobe the otherway aound to normal, I fitted one to a MK2 Jag and had to use a relay to turn the light of when the level is low. As. These age Jags used alot of ford stuff i thought it worth mentioning.

 

[N19]

It doesn't, although some pads come with them there's no wiring on mine for it.

I haven't tried it yet, but will do. Here's the cct diagram. From what I can see, the bottom of the connections in the brake fluid sender (111 circled in orange) is to earth, the blk/blue is earthed via the handbrake switch, and the blk/yellow goes to the bulb. And that the switch is closed between the blk and blk/blue when the fluid level is low. 

So I'm assuming that if I unplug the connector and there is no earth, it should illuminate. It will only earth if the brake fluid is low *or* the handbrake light is on. 

[Andrew353w]

I don't think your analysis is quite right. As I read it, the current runs from the wire on the right of the picture, along the lower of the 2 wires to the brake fluid sensor, where it is permanently joined to the wire that runs to the bulb on the dashboard, which is permanently earthed. Therefore the bulb will illuminate unless the brake fluid is high enough to permit the connection to the hand brake to connect with the other 2 wires. When this happens, the current will earth through the hand brake switch, so the light will not illuminate, unless the handbrake's applied, when the current, having no other route to earth, will illuminate the bulb.

The problem's not with the wiring, but with a resistor, which must be somewhere in the circuit. If it were not there, the full 12 volts would burn out the wiring, as the current would run directly to earth, through the handbrake wiring, when the brake's off.

You mentioned that the bulb "was lighting dimly" , suggesting the resistor's working, but not in the right way. I suspect therefore a problem with the resistor somewhere in the system.  Happy to offer further advice if needed!