Boring questions...............or maybe not

Hi Guys, Hope everyone is well. Couple of dull questions id appreciate the answers too. :sleepy: 1) My brake warning light has just turned solid red (its flashed on occasionally for a week or 2 - since when I've only covered a couple of hundred miles). Once it is on all the time, i.e. now, how many miles do the pads have left in them, any ideas? I've heard a thousand or so??? 2) Yesterday my Temp Gauge Warning Light came on.....flashing. I pulled in to the nearest garage and topped up the water tank with a litre or just over of water as the level was down a bit. Since then the warning light has not been back on. I happened to be driving past a OPC shortly afterwards and so popped in to ask them to have a look. Within 15 minutes they told me A) I needed Pads AND Disks all around and B) the car wasn't fit to be driven as the radiator was leaking all over the floor... I smelt a Rat I have driven it around since then and continually checked the water level (and under the car) and it hasn't gone down, nor are there ANYleaks on the floor - let alone ''pouring'' out as the guy from Porsche said. Is this common? She was serviced 3 months ago. Thoughts / Opinions / Ideas welcomed please. 3) I have a final one but I realise everyone is probably asleep by now :lol: When the Fuel computer goes down to --, i.e. empty - does she have any emergency fuel stored and if so does anyone know approximately how much / many miles? Cheers in advance guys - sorry if they are a bit dull! Regards, Dan.

I don't know which car you have, but I'll try! Take your car to a well-known indie. Get their opinion. Regarding the water, either 1) your recent top-up maybe spilled some excess water which the mech thought was a leak 2) the OPC is trying too hard for business that isn't there 3) you have a leak. Only someone under your car can tell you for sure. It sounds like you need new pads, but discs as well will ALSO need a decent/trustworthy mech to tell you for sure. If they DO say they need replacing, ask why.... if they say 'they are worn' ask 'exactly how much, and what are the tolerances?' If they are grooved again it depends how badly. For instance my rear discs look a bit shabby, but were recently given a clean bill of health from an OPC that I trust.

Hi, Thanks very much for the reply, much appreicated. I have a 1999 996 C4 Cab. I know the pads are up for end of life about now so thats no surprise. I am taking it to my local, and very honest, indie on Thursday to get that done and I will wait to see what they say on the disks - cant believe they ALL need replacing but we'll see. AS for the coolant light / water level going down, TOUCH wood its not moved at all since i topped it up last week, but i will get the guys to check it over too. Cheers again, Dan.

Hi Answers inline: I had this recently, drove about 1200 Miles between the light coming on and replacing the pads. Still had some pad left but not a lot! This thread has some good info provided by Richard H regarding wear limits for discs.... http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=48452&highlight=brakes Obviously something not adding up here, but if the coolant level is stable then I'm not sure what the "pouring" comment could refer to :roll: All depends on how you're driving but mine is typically 8-9 Miles from empty at this point....and there is no reserve at all!

Dan, If your rad leaks you would see a lot of orange coloured water under the car, mine has just split and there was a lot of coolant. Check around the coolant bottle for signs of white residue, older [98/99] bottles were prone to cracking and leak small amounts of fluid. On C4 cars, I beleive the fuel gauge only measures half the actual contents and then calculates the remaining fuel based on average. When my red light comes on I have about 40 miles of fuel left, I have had the OBC reading 0 miles left [stuck in traffic jam] and the car was still running fine till I got to a petrol station. TB

Spammer trying to flog a Chyrsler 300c -good god - surley he knows everyone on this forum has a least SOME taste!!! :dont know: There doesnt seem to be any leakage on the floor under the car, I have checked every day, and the coolant / water level last gone down at all since i topped it up over a week ago now so Fingers Crossed. I will let you all know what the Indie says on Thursday. \ Cheers and thanks again guys. Dan.

That's my understanding too, TB. My source was Chris Harris' column in GT Porsche a couple of years back after he found himself on the hard shoulder in his 996 Turbo having run out of fuel. I believe all the 4WD cars are affected, i.e. C4, C4S & Turbo. Once my warning light comes on I head for fuel PDQ.

Also the GT3. For some reason they use the C4 tank in that too.

LOL bloody hell thats VERY good information to know, i must have been driving on fumes on more than one occassion. I usually wait until i see the -- before i refuel! I wont be doing that again, she goes red, shes gets topped up from now on. Cheers guys, Dan

I have a C4 and I tend to ignore the computer and know that my average driving requires filling up at 270miles. The computer says 0 miles at about 240 miles and I know from experience that if I fill it up then, there'll still be 10 ltrs left in the tank, so about 40 miles. I've run out twice!! Both times on 270 miles but after some spirited driving that week. Obviously after motorway drives I often get over 300 miles to the tank, think 320 is my record, but I only ever use the computer as a guide, knowing that it cant read the last 10ltrs.

Ah, well I've Never run out yet, so maybe going off the computer is a better option mate :thumbs: I Have however broken down on a duel carriageway outside Guildford before (with 2 flat tyres believe it or not) and the embarrassment was not to be repeated. I had the radio traffic chopper hovering above me, a 10 mile rush-hour M25 traffic jam, and I've never seen so many cars slowing down to walking pace to provide me with their ever so lovely opinions on Me and My car.......... I have never put the roof up so fast in my life.!!!