gavinallday

Hi Rackha, I no longer own the car, but I solved it initialy by loosening the cluster. Drove like that for a while and it was ok. Eventually took another look and found that when I tightened it up again, the problem did not re-appear. Suspect that moving the cluster masked the problem. Perhaps it was a trapped wire or a dry joint somewhere. Good luck, Gavin.

The handbrake warning issue now appears to be within the dashboard cluster itself. If you put pressure on the front of the cluster you can effect the warning light. I have loosened the cluster and the problem has gone away.....for now! Looking on the internet and these clusters are known for issues but normally manifest themselves in other ways. Re-flowing the solder joints usually cure the issues apparently. Does anyone know the correct way to remove the cluster without upsetting the immobiliser? I read that you need to remove fuse 15 first, but suspect that is for a mark 1 octavia. The mark 2 octavia seems to use fuse 6 for the cluster according to the manual, but when I removed mine the display continued to show mileage readout and time. Any ideas?! Thanks again,

Just realised that the pitch of the alarm for "low brake fluid" and "handbrake on" is different. The sound we are hearing is the same as the "handbrake on" alarm. Back to removing the centre console!

Just removed a couple of wheels to look for damaged wires and check what happens when you disconnect things. At the front wheel there are two sets of wires. Disconnecting one brings on the break pad warning light, the other brings on the ABS and Skid warning lights as you would expect. Neither have any bearing on the handbrake warning light. At the back wheel there is only one connection and this activated the ABS and Skid warning lights. There are no damaged wires and moving the wires does not affect the handbrake warning light. I have also checked the wires around the resevoir and cannot see any damage. However, whilst parked up, ignition on but engine off, handbrake off, if I shook the car, the warning light would flicker! I am convinced this is a loose wire and it must be in the dashboard somewhere. Need to work out which part of the dashboard to dismantle. As always, any ideas would be really, really appreciated!

Thanks ScubaTim, At least I know I am not alone now! I will be taking a closer look at the weekend so will definitely share any findings! Cheers,

Yes, I have had some suspension springs replaced and a new rear hub due to ABS warnings. The handbrake warning problem started before either repair but was very infrequent. It has got progressively worse and is now on pretty much all the time. It doesn't appear to be producing any error codes though. Thanks,

Ok. Not progressing with the local garages. I think I need to try to fix this myself. As far as I can tell from the online manuals, there are only two causes of this warning light, the handbrake and low brake fluid. I have already checked both, and eliminated the handbrake switch and fluid level sensor as a possible cause. Because a broken wire to the handbrake switch would not cause the light to come on, but a broken wire to the fluid sensor would, I am inclined to think that it is more likely that the fault is on the brake fluid level side. Therefore I need to trace the wires from the reservoir and see where they end up. Can any of the experts out there confirm my logic or add any useful advice before I grab my screwdrivers and dive in? Many thanks, Gavin.

Hi MikeHolroyd, I suspected the level sensor but eliminated that by removing the connector and shorting it out as a test. Wish it were that simple! Tried another garage today, but they just referred me to the dealer. My nearest dealer is over an hour away! Cheers,

Hi Chappers, There is a seperate warning light for brake pads. Thanks for the idea though. Gavin.

Today it is raining and the problem is pretty much constant. Definately worse in wet weather!

Ah, I meant glow plug! I agree Mikey VRS, it sounds like a dodgy wire. Any idea where the wires from the brake fluid reservoir end up? Thanks,

Hi folks, It is not as straight forward as you might assume, honest! My car is an Octavia Ambiente 2.0TDI PD. I have the red exclamation mark warning light flickering whilst driving, along with the warning beep. I am aware that this usually indicates either the handbrake is on or the brake fluid level is low. Neither are the cause. I have tried to pinpoint the issue. First I removed the connector from the brake fluid resevoir and closed the circuit with a paper clip. The light still flickered on and off whilst driving. I have also dismantled the centre console and removed the handbrake switch. The problem persisted, so I have eliminated the switches as the cause. I don't have a Skoda garage near by but took it to Volkswagen for their thoughts. They suggested that the cause might be the no4 ignition coil, as this was the only error they could find, and said that skoda may have used the brake warning light rather than the usual coil light as the multiple warning indicator. My octavia is a base model. They have quoted for the repair but I am just not convinced this is the cause of the issue. The problem seems to be worst in the wet, and seems to be aggrevated by bumps in the road, although it is difficult to tell. Does anyone have any knowledge of how this warning light might be used? Can you confirm what I am being told by the Volkswagen dealer? Also, can anyone tell me where the other end of the wire from the brake fluid resevoir terminates? I would like to check the connection at the opposite end. Many thanks, Gavin.

Hi there, Been a Skoda owner for years and currently on my second Octavia, a 2005 2.0 tdi. After moving to Fort William I have decided to attempt more servicing and repairs myself, so may need the invaluable info stored within this forum! Catch up with you soon, Gavin.