Why do old Renaults...

[wuvvum]

...always have their handbrake / brake warning lights flicker on when rounding left-hand bends at speed when the car is up to normal operating temperature? All three of my Mk1 5s and the ex-Torsten 12 estate did it (the temp warning light came on at the same time on those), I thought it was a little odd but probably the preserve of old '70s stuff, but the 21 Turbo does it as well. It's very odd. And it only seems to be the inline-engined cars that do it - I had a transverse-engined Savanna a couple of years back which didn't. And none of them do it from cold - they only start doing it after a few minutes, and it gets worse the warmer the car gets. Is there a reason behind it? It's not a major issue, just a bit odd.

[Mr Lobster]

My R4 doesn't do it! Think I had an R5 years ago that did it but it's a long time ago so I'm not quite sure.

[whitevanman]

Its French....if thats its only foible I'm impressed

[wuvvum]

No, my 4s didn't do it either, and neither does the 6. It's odd.

[Richard]

Could it be the fluid level warning?

[55bloke]

The 25 doesn't do it.

[Guest]

Sounds daft, but does the brake fluid need topping up slightly?

[M'coli]

Perhaps:The heat from the exhaust alters something around the area of the handbrake lever and switch, and the cornering foce allows the switch to come on?Mad theory I know.

[Station]

There's a little plunger switch on the handbrake. The contact will get mucky, spray it with carb cleaner.

[wuvvum]

Sounds daft, but does the brake fluid need topping up slightly?

Nope, brake fluid level is fine. And was on all the previous cars too - that was the first thing I checked. Low brake fluid wouldn't explain why the temp light came on on the older cars either...

[wuvvum]

There's a little plunger switch on the handbrake. The contact will get mucky, spray it with carb cleaner.

The handbrake switch seems to be working fine - when you're stationary the light goes off when the handbrake is released. I was thinking more along the lines of something odd in the placement of the fluid level sensor and/or the design of the master cylinder which causes fluid to surge away from the sensor round LH bends, but then that still wouldn't explain the temperature light coming on.

[Mr Lobster]

Perhaps:The heat from the exhaust alters something around the area of the handbrake lever and switch, and the cornering foce allows the switch to come on?Mad theory I know.

Good idea but not right. Exhaust on Mk1 R5 runs down the n/s so doesn't get anyway near the handbrake mechanism.

[Pete-M]

None of the Renaults I've had have done that.Every Fiat / Alfa / Lancia I've ever had normally flashed the fuel level light at me in a similar vein though :)My guess would be brake fluid as well. Possibly a snagged front pad sensor (If fitted, which is doubtful)

[The Liberator]

Every Fiat / Alfa / Lancia I've ever had normally flashed the fuel level light at me in a similar vein though

+ the indicated fuel level varies in old Alfas more through acceleration/braking/cornering than fuel use. At least they all have a fuel level light, by Italian law I believe.