Italian eccentric or unreliable?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Thu 14 Jun 2007 23:27
Italian eccentric or unreliable? - stunorthants26
Just got back off my trip to Cornwall - 290 miles in a day in a Seicento - actually alot easier than it sounds if your used to your 5-Series levels of comfort.

Just one question - on steep hills in low gears only, the brake fluid warning light comes on, but the level is correct and its fine any other time - whats going on? Why on earth is it only in 2nd/1st gear but change up to 3rd on same gradient and it goes out?
Bit of a scare when you REALLY want you brakes to be working!

Other than that, it averaged 56 mpg over the journey there and was both comfortable and more than quiet enough at 75mph to the extent that no raised voices were needed - very different from other small cars ive driven over the years.

Still feels like its just about to expire but never actually does but is that perception or fact? Ive done 900 miles in the last week and its not missed a beat - certainly proved its worth in the narrow lanes of Cornwall.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jun 2007 09:54
Italian eccentric or unreliable? - Armitage Shanks {p}
Is this on steep hills up or steep hills down or both? Might be due to some eccentric location of the level sensor which is usually a float, with electrical contacts, built into the lid of the brake fluid reservoir ie shouldn't be affected by hills.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jun 2007 10:12
Italian eccentric or unreliable? - stunorthants26
This is going UP steep hills ( we dont have hills as steep in Northants hence never had it happen before! ).
What made me wodner, was that it only happened in the first two gears and as soon as I dipped the clutch, it went out - so bizarre!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jun 2007 10:50
Italian eccentric or unreliable? - BazzaBear {P}
Combination of angle of car and acceleration (hence only in lower gear) forcing all the fluid to the back of the reservoir?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jun 2007 12:37
Italian eccentric or unreliable? - bell boy
try same hills backwards with peaked cap on ;-)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link