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Author Topic: Brake pad sensor troubles  (Read 1993 times)

Offline purgevalve

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Brake pad sensor troubles
« on: April 29, 2017, 02:30:59 pm »
Hi,
New to the forum and I know this topic has been covered a few times but I need some more info.

The brake pad sensor light came on the other day on my missus' Golf so I though I would check the pads for wear.  Then I found that the sensor cable has been chopped already and taped up by a previous owner.  The tape has come loose and although the wires are still connected the copper has been badly oxidised.  I have stripped back the cable but its bad going right back. 

As the car is a bit battered its probably not worth much, I took it to my local garage to see if they could just code the fault out but according to them when they clear the fault it just come back again when the pedal is pushed?

Are they doing something wrong or trying to con me, or could it be something else causing the problem.  The way I understand it is the fault should just be ignored by the system?

Offline chimp400

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2017, 02:13:48 pm »
The circuit needs to be completed for the light to go out, are the wires cut and joined together, or still connected as they should be?
Most people cut the cable and join the wires together to save forking out for a new sensor etc.

Offline doylebros

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2017, 03:51:56 pm »
Along these lines is the best way to solve such an issue, if you've got access to VCDS.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5qsJ4CX3SIk

Offline purgevalve

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2017, 07:55:42 pm »
Yeah it looks like my local garage just cleared the fault and didn't switch the sensor off in Instrument Coding.  They are open again on Tuesday and i'll go back up and have a chat with him. 

So by uninstalling the sensor it should just ignore it and the fault shouldn't reappear?  If he cant do it ill try find someone else local to me who can.

Offline The Red Warrior

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2017, 08:56:10 am »
Your local garage sounds like they are just trying to clear the fault rather than recoding it.
Maybe your garage doesn't have VCDS and is just using a generic scan tool. It needs to be coded out as the above video shows, however that video shows long coding and Mk5 (mine at least) uses short coding for this bit. (No pun intended). You go to the same place in VCDS though and from memory you subtract 4 from the 4th digit from the right.
This is all assuming you don't join the cables instead.

Offline purgevalve

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2017, 01:24:57 pm »
Your local garage sounds like they are just trying to clear the fault rather than recoding it.
Maybe your garage doesn't have VCDS and is just using a generic scan tool. It needs to be coded out as the above video shows, however that video shows long coding and Mk5 (mine at least) uses short coding for this bit. (No pun intended). You go to the same place in VCDS though and from memory you subtract 4 from the 4th digit from the right.
This is all assuming you don't join the cables instead.

Thanks for the info, ill see what they say tomorrow, otherwise ill find someone who can!  Thanks to everyone for the help

Offline purgevalve

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2017, 02:47:51 pm »
My local garage uses Launch, and he tried to un-check the pad sensor but it wouldn't let him.  I have found someone who will have a go with VCDS on Thursday.  If that doesn't work i'll trace the wiring further back and join it under the battery somewhere.

Offline purgevalve

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Re: Brake pad sensor troubles
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2017, 03:20:19 pm »
The latest is that I have had the fault cleared with VCDS and the brake pad sensors switched off, but the following day the brake pad check light came back on again!  VCDS fault is 01314 - Engine Control Module 013 - Check DTC Memory.  Any ideas anyone?
« Last Edit: May 06, 2017, 04:04:40 pm by purgevalve »