What are the reasons for the hydraulic retarder warning light to illuminate?
2 Answers
The hydraulic retarder warning light may illuminate due to the following 2 reasons: 1. Protection mechanism: When the water temperature exceeds 115 degrees Celsius, after the alarm, the retarder adopts a self-torque reduction function. In this case, the hydraulic retarder will gradually exit the working state, and the braking torque will linearly decrease; 2. Excessive water temperature or oil temperature: When the oil temperature is too high, it is necessary to downshift the transmission to increase the engine speed, thereby accelerating the water circulation to achieve the cooling target. Lower the transmission gear and increase the engine speed above 1500r/min to enhance the engine water pump speed, accelerating the water flow rate while increasing the fan speed to improve heat dissipation.
Oh, I've been driving for many years and have seen quite a few cases where the retarder warning light comes on. This usually indicates a problem with the brake assist system, possibly due to insufficient or degraded hydraulic fluid, preventing the retarder from functioning properly. Sometimes it's a faulty sensor or loose wiring connections causing the light to come on for no reason. My advice is to pull over immediately when you see the light and check the fluid reservoir level - top it up with the specified fluid if it's low. Never risk continuing to drive as brake failure would be extremely dangerous. If you can't fix it yourself, take it to a professional workshop for inspection - safety always comes first. I make it a habit to glance at the dashboard before every drive to prevent such issues.
