How do I adjust the handbrake warning light sensor?

Electrical tape is the easiest.

 

You remove the rear driver side wheel, and tighten up the brake cable connection a the U joint. You want the hand brake to engage tight at about 5 clicks when you pull up on the handle. That will do it.

 

The hand brake needs to be properly adjusted for either it or the light to work properly.
Most people incorrectly just adjust the cable. It needs to have the shoes adjusted first, then the cable. The cable adjustment needs to be backed way, way off then adjust the shoes in the rear wheels in exactly the same way old drum brakes were adjusted, then adjust the cable until it pulls up 4 or 5 clicks.
Only then will it really work as it should.

Most 355's on their first visit have here have never had their brakes adjusted properly since new. The factory did not do it when they built the cars and it was left up to the dealers on the PPI. Few did it.

 

Here is a crappy cell phone video I made that may help you:

 

Not growing up with drum brake cars you missed an important point. Drum brakes adjustments should be tightened until firmly locked then backed off to the proper point to fully seat all of the components. Most cars still had drum brakes when I started.

On a 355 that comes to about 5 clicks off of locked. And to do that the cable needs considerable slack.

 

I'm not understanding this post - didn't have my second coffee yet. I will say, I did grow up with drum brakes and when I've adjusted 355's, they all work great.

 

Like Venice...only the Italians could have built it.

 

Thats exactly what everyone says when they have not experienced the correct operation of anything. If you have no frame of reference how do you know what good is?

 

That's a fair point but some things are just obvious. My point of reference is my first 355 that had been serviced by Tony D of Algar and the operation was perfect. When I set up my other, it was the same. So I did have a reference point.

But, I like to learn so anything you can offer will be appreciated.

 

If your satisfied all the travel of the handbrake lever is correct and everything is adjusted correctly and it reall is a case of the lamp not operating properly it may be the actual switch itself.

Its item no 4 on the diagram here:

https://www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/ferrari/348-1993-tb-ts/brakes-wheels/hand-brake-control-23674

very cheap to replace - I tried lubricating mine first but Id replace for the small cost.

I will warn you though it is a faff to do as you have to remove the handbrake console and in turn to do that you need to remove the driver's seat.

There is 2 ways to adjust the light switch - the proper way is to loosen the locknut and screw it through one way or another and the re-tighten nut....and the other is to bend the bracket a bit! LOL




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The very first forum I joined was a guitar forum. It came to username and I was like "uh....what to do?" So I just did "Dave Rocks" A bit of a joke. So, I'm lazy and use the same name for every forum I'm on

You need to adjust the shoes on each side but the shoe as shown pulls the cables on both sides.

 

Andrew, it's behind the passenger footpad. Unfortunately, you will need an SD1 to reset it.
I'm guessing you applied power to the car without the instrument binnacle plugged in (?). Been there, done that

 

Yellow cable u der pass footwell

 

Hi Andrew - I'm glad you found the solution!

I was going to post some more pics then got distracted and forgot. There is a collar that takes an allen key to loosen off those cables for the engine pull but I suppose taking whole socket off is just as good.

That switch bracket doen't look standard at all unless it was modified on later 355s???*

I thought a horrible nasty "click" on my car when applying the handbrake was caused by a faulty lever/ratchet so I actually replaced my original 348 handbrake lever with one off a 355 (interchangeable as far as I know).

Your diagrams sort of show how you can "bodge it" by bending the original bracket which I suspect how the fault may occur with use - the supporting bracket is just not stiff enough and easily bent.

 

I've just double checked and the switch I have fits numerous models including 328, 348 and 355 2.7, however the switch and bracket were changed for the 355 5.2.


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Yes, that will throw a fault with requires an SD to reset

 

Andrew, someone on the forum said that the light sometimes resets with a long battery disconnect, but I haven't had such luck. Worth a try, perhaps, since you are far away from a service centre?

 

It does not work. It's a stored fault within the ECU, Ian

 

That's been my experience, Dave. I just heard (or mis-heard) it worked for someone.

There is a procedure in the manual to clear the light without the SD1, but it only works on the type of airbag which has a 3-pin diagnostic plug. Not sure if these are early Euro types?

 

EDIT: Might be a 4 pin plug (hard to tell from the manual).

I see that you can send some types of airbag controllers to workshops to be reset, but I'm not sure if this applies to Ferraris. Some websites don't have Ferrari listed, but they do have Fiat listed.

The Fiat Punto (1995~) airbag is made by the same manufacturer "TRW". The TRW part number is 200039-101. The Ferrari F355 airbag module (P/N 169710) has at TRW part number 200039-103. The Ferrari 456 is TRW 200039-102. The Ferrari 550 is TRW 200039-104.

Just wondering if anyone has tried some of the YouTube/Google remedies for fixing airbag lights (involving turning the ignition on/off in certain sequences).

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-reset-an-airbag-light

https://itstillruns.com/reset-air-bag-light-7382596.html