Brake fluid,/washer fluid low warning Help please!

[Kevin1969]

Hi

   im new to this forum so i hope this thread is ok, my sons ford focus mk2 was hit while parked, causing damage to n/s wing, bumper. headlight,bonnet, ive have replaced bonnet, wing,headlight, bumper, front panel,crossmember,battery,only to find dipped beam on ns headlight not working, had to replace internal fusebox (long story ) headlight now working, only problem is since accident there was a warning in the dash display saying warning low brakefluid, low washer fluid, and the red brake warning light just to the right of dash. i have replaced the pads discs are fine and the brakefluid and washer fluid are spot on, What can it be is there a brake sensor or washer fluid sensor, im now loosing the will to live. ive spent a fare bit so need to sort this any help would be great, thanks in advance. kevin.

[Micro]

You say you've replaced the fusebox? The passenger fuse box?

There may be a brake fluid level sensor fitted to the brake fluid bottle, maybe it has become disconnected or damaged. Same for the washer bottle.

Something is bugging me about the fuse box though - if it is the passenger fuse box, I believe it has some intelligence - if you have replaced from another vehicle that has these sensors then it may need reprogramming.

[Tdci-Peter]

13 hours ago, Kevin1969 said:

, had to replace internal fusebox (long story ) headlight now working,

Like Ted (Micro) says, the passenger fusebox is much more than that, it is called the BCM (Body Control Module) or GEM. It controls all body related functions, and has a lot of processing power, that may have to be configured.

You should easily be able to see if there is a brake level fluid sensor on the car, in the reservoir. The BCM you now have evidently expects to see one, if it is not there, it will show a warning. Many Foci do not have this feature.

The Brake LED on the Instrument Cluster indicates either Handbrake on, or low Fluid Level. So it is probably the same problem as the warning message. No pad sensors are fitted, as far as I know.

The BCM can be re-configured (to some extent) with a programme called ELMConfig, using an ELM327 adapter. The adapter is about £16, and the software is free download. 

However, I have just checked the circuit diagram, and it looks like the washer level switch goes into the Instrument Cluster direct. So the BCM is unlikely to affect that signal. The Brake Fluid switch does go into the BCM. There is an earth connection common to both the brake fluid & washer level, on the "left front fender". Maybe there is an earth or wiring fault.

The wiring connector for the brake fluid level switch has two wires, BK-YE (to BCM) & BK-BU (to earth).

 

[Lovebug]

Hi I’m new to the forum just got the same issue after unplugging my fuse box now warning light & low brake fluid, just wondering if you managed to fix the issue

[Tdci-Peter]

1 hour ago, Lovebug said:

just got the same issue after unplugging my fuse box now warning light & low brake fluid,

I doubt if Kevin will answer, the site says he never returned after making the original post. May never have read the replies!

The first check is whether the car actually has a brake fluid sensor or not. The wires and connector to it should be visible.

One possibility is a software glitch in the BCM (passenger fuse box).

If the car does have this sensor, then a bad connection in the wiring to it is another possibility.

 

[Lovebug]

Tried looking for sensor but nothing visible no on the cap either like most cars really stumped as MOT is this week.

[Tdci-Peter]

On 1/24/2021 at 9:36 PM, Lovebug said:

warning light & low brake fluid,

The warning light is a combination of handbrake on and low brake fluid. A lot of Foci have no fluid level sensor, mine does not. It is is the light coming on, then suspect a problem with the handbrake sensor. If it is a message on a display, then a software glitch may have made the BCM think that there is one. I assume it is a Mk2 Focus, if so ELMConfig is a programme that is available and might be able to reset the faulty setting in the BCM. Both the handbrake switch and the fluid level switch (if fitted) go into the BCM.

The BCM is the passenger fusebox, which is what was unplugged.

Another route would be to identify the fluid level wire (pin 11 on connector C96 on the BCM, a Bk/Yw wire, I can get pinouts of the connector from the schematic), and short it to ground.

[Lovebug]

To it garage today and fixed the problem, there was a big air bubble in the system thanks for your help