brake pads sensor

O

oleckowsky

Member
Hi. I have brake pads warning light on the dash. I checked the pads and all are as new. Also I can't find any brake pads sensor cables coming out from brake pads. Can someone paste any pictures of how it should look? As far as I know I have the speed sensor and ABS sensor connection cables only. Has anyone got an electric installation diagram about the connection between the dashboard and brake pads? Are the sensors on both sides of the front wheels or on the back wheels as well?
 
oleckowsky said:
Hi. I have brake pads warning light on the dash. I checked the pads and all are as new. Also I can't find any brake pads sensor cables coming out from brake pads. Can someone paste any pictures of how it should look? As far as I know I have the speed sensor and ABS sensor connection cables only. Has anyone got an electric installation diagram about the connection between the dashboard and brake pads? Are the sensors on both sides of the front wheels or on the back wheels as well?
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The sensor is only on one side (the passenger side in the UK) if the pad on that side of the car do not have a wire coming from them that goes to the connector near the front strut on that side, then that would be unusual.

What normnally causes this is that the connector has either come off or there is a break in the wiring (normally near where it goes throiugh the inner wing. There is even a genuine Audi repair kit for it.

There is thge option to join together the two wires that go to the pads as a temporary measure.

Steve B
 
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In my car the brake pad I think has no wire.. Someone cut the cable (you can see on attached picture). The question is.. At the moment two cables are connected together, but the warning light is still on. Do the cables have to be separated to get the warning light off form the dash? I don't want to change the pad, because the pad is new, but without the wire.
 
oleckowsky said:
View attachment 26347

In my car the brake pad I think has no wire.. Someone cut the cable (you can see on attached picture). The question is.. At the moment two cables are connected together, but the warning light is still on. Do the cables have to be separated to get the warning light off form the dash? I don't want to change the pad, because the pad is new, but without the wire.
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They need to be joined to keep the warning off. So there is probably a break higher up the loom where it goes through the inner wing.

Steve B
 
Hi good morning All, Sorry to jump in. I have the same problem & I was going to look at this afternoon. I presume then the wire coming through the wheel arch to the front N\S front brake should have continuity to earth. Then when the brake pad wears down to a certain level the circuit is broken? I was going to use my continuity meter to do this?
I'm not a mechanic but I'm okay with simple logic. :)
 
I have found that on a lot of the cases the wires become corroded inside, therefore a proper fix would be to replace the loom. On some I've managed to cut it and splice the loom in the engine bay but on others the wire is damaged all the way to the ends therefore you'll need to run it all the way inside to the cabin and down into the side kick panel.


20160614_122353.jpg


Sarge
 
Hi Sarge, What you have said makes a lot of sense. I read the thread of the fix that Alan UK had done, very helpful. The cable mod looks a good option. I noticed in the photographs it is a 2 pin electrical connector. I thought it may have been a single core, but I guess the rubber bushes & joints etc would stop that. Better jack the car up & have a look. What I would give for an Haynes Manual...This Forum is a god send :)
 
On the N/S brake pad I unplugged the pad sensor to simulate a worn pad. I then tested the alarm chime on the DIS which worked okay. I reconnected the pad electrical connector. The red circular image still remained when I pressed the left button on the Clocks but no alarm sound. I did notice the wire under the N/S wheel arch split in a Y to another electrical connector. Are there any tests for this connector. I did notice on both rear drums there was a similar electrical connector going to what looked like a slip ring. Would be interesting to know how this works. I have plans to have a new timing belt fitted by an A2 mechanic, I'm hoping he maybe able to shed some light the DIS warning symbols. It is showing in red the Oil, Coolant & the brakes. I've checked all fluid levels but all appears to be okay.
 
Full Volume said:
On the N/S brake pad I unplugged the pad sensor to simulate a worn pad. I then tested the alarm chime on the DIS which worked okay. I reconnected the pad electrical connector. The red circular image still remained when I pressed the left button on the Clocks but no alarm sound. I did notice the wire under the N/S wheel arch split in a Y to another electrical connector. Are there any tests for this connector. I did notice on both rear drums there was a similar electrical connector going to what looked like a slip ring. Would be interesting to know how this works. I have plans to have a new timing belt fitted by an A2 mechanic, I'm hoping he maybe able to shed some light the DIS warning symbols. It is showing in red the Oil, Coolant & the brakes. I've checked all fluid levels but all appears to be okay.
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The wiring to the rear brakes and the other part of the Y loom on the new side are all used on the ABS.
they are connected to ABS sensors and they monitor the rotation of the wheels.

You need to have the csr scanned for errors.

Check that your brake lights are working (a failed brake light switch, or if both stop lamp bulbs have failed, will cause several warnings)

also check that you have not disconnected the ABS sensor on the near side front while checking the brake pad sensor.

Steve B
 
Birchall said:
The wiring to the rear brakes and the other part of the Y loom on the new side are all used on the ABS.
they are connected to ABS sensors and they monitor the rotation of the wheels.

You need to have the csr scanned for errors.

Check that your brake lights are working (a failed brake light switch, or if both stop lamp bulbs have failed, will cause several warnings)

also check that you have not disconnected the ABS sensor on the near side front while checking the brake pad sensor.

Steve B
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Hi Steve, funny you should mention a bulb! I think a fog light bulb may have gone on the near side rear. I will investigate further. I bought the car end of September with 12 months MOT only to find on the way home a the O\S rear brake cable locked on. So 500 quid later of buying parts I'm finding my way around the car. I've changed some brake drum/cable bits & all the liquid bits. I must admit I struggled with the ABS connectors so I didn't force them. I was going to meet the bonnet in Leeds yesterday but didn't want to risk the drive :)
 
Back to the main theme... :)
Where is the nearest place from the dash available for easy access, where it is possible to join the two cables to switch off the brake pads warning light from the dashboard ? I joined the cables under the wing, but the light is still on. (brake pads are new) I will be grateful for any pictures or explanation.
 
the wiring comes from the engine bay to the passengers side front door pillar, if you open the passengers door and remove the trim youl see the conector block where the front wiring loom joins the main loom , if you locate the corect plug with the 2 brake sensor wires correct colours id say thats your best place..

IMG_1201.JPG

Regards Gary
 
oleckowsky said:
Back to the main theme... :)
Where is the nearest place from the dash available for easy access, where it is possible to join the two cables to switch off the brake pads warning light from the dashboard ? I joined the cables under the wing, but the light is still on. (brake pads are new) I will be grateful for any pictures or explanation.
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The repair loom sold by Audi does not go further than the innere wing. It is easier and safer to remove some insulation on the loom inside the engine bay and join the two wires there. Rather than going too far back. This is because the ideal solution is to fit thecrepair loom and get the warning working correctly, in my view.
And if you make the join here you can then fit the repair loom later, knowing that the break in the wiring is between that point and the brake pads.

Steve B
 
Birchall said:
The repair loom sold by Audi does not go further than the innere wing. It is easier and safer to remove some insulation on the loom inside the engine bay and join the two wires there. Rather than going too far back. This is because the ideal solution is to fit thecrepair loom and get the warning working correctly, in my view.
And if you make the join here you can then fit the repair loom later, knowing that the break in the wiring is between that point and the brake pads.

Steve B
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Actually Steve, the repair loom from Audi is made to go to straight to the kick panel inside so it is the full length. It's up to you if you cut the old wiring and see that the wires inside are not corroded then you can splice and join it in the engine bay, if it still shows wires corroded then replace it in it's entirety.


Sarge
 
Sarge said:
Actually Steve, the repair loom from Audi is made to go to straight to the kick panel inside so it is the full length. It's up to you if you cut the old wiring and see that the wires inside are not corroded then you can splice and join it in the engine bay, if it still shows wires corroded then replace it in it's entirety.


Sarge
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Hi Sarge

thanks for the clarification. The one I bought was probably cut by the previous owner.

Always good to get the correct information on here. Thanks
Steve B
 
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Anybody know where are the two brake pad sensor cables on this picture...? I can't find the right cables. To many connections ... Do you know where these cables are exactly? IMG_1201.JPG
 
I 'think' it goes to pin 13 in the RED 17 pin connector (red wire), I can't recall fully, you could test it by using continuity tester to that pin from the damaged end of the loom.



Sarge
 
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