Disable pad wear sensor?

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A2Dreamer

A2Dreamer

A2OC Donor
I know this has been discussed before and the warning can't be switched off in vagcom.

I did find a post from @depronman that it could be disabled by shorting pin 24 to pin 2 (or 7) in the blue plug at the rear of the instrument cluster. What I can't determine though is how to physically achieve this, as the plug appears to be sealed.

Is it by stripping wires in the loom and joining them together at the rear of the plug? If so, which wires as I can't see which wire goes to which pin!!

Thanks in advance ☺️

Pete
 
Afternoon Pete,

Have a look at this thread from Post #48 onwards where the conversation goes down to the base of the passengers A pillar. I’ve done this a few times now whilst waiting to conduct a full-up repair; quite easy and saves the requirement of removing the instrument cluster.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
If it transpires that a bodged workaround is applied, whether it's by joining wires at the pad end or at the cluster end, and it's discovered after an accident, you could well be prosecuted and certainly will be without insurance.

The wear sensor is there for a reason - repair it, don't bodge it.
 
When I first saw this post I assumed it was an April Fool thing but, because it went on after 12 noon, didn't respond on the basis that the jokes aren't permitted after then!
 
Skipton01 said:
If it transpires that a bodged workaround is applied, whether it's by joining wires at the pad end or at the cluster end, and it's discovered after an accident, you could well be prosecuted and certainly will be without insurance.

The wear sensor is there for a reason - repair it, don't bodge it.
Click to expand...
Or just keep an eye on your pad wear. It isn't difficult.
Why rely on dodgy technology? Splicing the wires together is cheaper.
 
Thanks Tom,

Spot on as always!! Away for the weekend now (Mrs is running London landmarks half marathon tomorrow!! and we're then away for a bit over Easter), so will try to sort on my return...

@Skipton01, thanks and noted.

I'm with @Pie-eyedpiper here though!! Good maintenance and monitoring are the best way forward...

Technology drove two 737 max aircraft into the ground....

It's not always perfect!
 
Firstly do not doge the wiring it is there for a purpose and that is safety to warn when the pads are low.

Secondly, technology DID NOT bring down the two Max aircraft. It was the airline not opting for a safety system and thus the pilots not aware there was an issue that caused the incidents. A bit like disabling the pad wear when you think about it......
 
Found out my pad wear sensor has been removed when I fitted new pads. Had to look twice as it has been trimmed back and taped up so well with amalgamating tape.
 
audifan said:
Firstly do not doge the wiring it is there for a purpose and that is safety to warn when the pads are low.

Secondly, technology DID NOT bring down the two Max aircraft. It was the airline not opting for a safety system and thus the pilots not aware there was an issue that caused the incidents. A bit like disabling the pad wear when you think about it......
Click to expand...
I’m not for bodging around pad wear sensors.
But on at least one occasion “Repetitive and uncommanded airplane-nose-down inputs” from a new flight control system on the MAX, triggered by a single faulty sensor, put the airplane in an “unrecoverable” dive.
Lack of training as determined by Boeing as unneccesary has been highlighted too.
 
audifan said:
Firstly do not doge the wiring it is there for a purpose and that is safety to warn when the pads are low.

Secondly, technology DID NOT bring down the two Max aircraft. It was the airline not opting for a safety system and thus the pilots not aware there was an issue that caused the incidents. A bit like disabling the pad wear when you think about it......
Click to expand...
Whatever did we do before unreliable pad wear indicators?
The idea of advancing technology is that it is an advancement, and works.
 
The pad wear indicator isn't unreliable - it's a non-moving bit of wire which breaks when the pads wear to a certain point, triggering a warning.

The issue is with the way people treat them and the connectors when it's time to change pads or discs or speed sensors etc. They do become a little brittle with age and heat cycling from braking. Treated gently, with a little common sense, such as not forcing the plug when detaching, they're fine. Trouble is, common sense is in short supply these days.
 
Skipton01 said:
The pad wear indicator isn't unreliable - it's a non-moving bit of wire which breaks when the pads wear to a certain point, triggering a warning.

The issue is with the way people treat them and the connectors when it's time to change pads or discs or speed sensors etc. They do become a little brittle with age and heat cycling from braking. Treated gently, with a little common sense, such as not forcing the plug when detaching, they're fine. Trouble is, common sense is in short supply these days.
Click to expand...

Mine goes off every time I hit a pot hole


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Skipton01 said:
The pad wear indicator isn't unreliable - it's a non-moving bit of wire which breaks when the pads wear to a certain point, triggering a warning.

The issue is with the way people treat them and the connectors when it's time to change pads or discs or speed sensors etc. They do become a little brittle with age and heat cycling from braking. Treated gently, with a little common sense, such as not forcing the plug when detaching, they're fine. Trouble is, common sense is in short supply these days.
Click to expand...

That's the theory, in practice it's different.
I've had an A4 where they pack in, an A6 where they pack in and I've always been very careful when I change brake pads.
If you were to go on other forums and search for the "brake pad wear indicator issue" you will find countless threads on the subject.
They're an unnecessary complication that in many, many cases ends up not working correctly.
 
It's funny how people take the opposite stance and are at pains to point out issues.

My A2 has been owned by me from new. It's never had anyone but me work on the area around the wheels and in particular, the loom carrying the brake wear sensor and the front left speed sensor. The car is 19 years old and has done over 150k miles. The wear indicator has never been problematic.

I've also worked on many, many member cars and have seen some horror stories down there, both connector-based and wire-based. All things break in time - especially a plastic connector which is placed in one of the areas of the car which gets the most dirt, but extrapolating that just because they sometimes work incorrectly means they shouldn't be fitted is non-sensical. Same should apply to seat belt indicators, airbag warnings, oil pressure or level sensors (the dipstick is great, apart from when it breaks on the A2!!).

Take away the fuel gauge too - it's only recently that I've had them on my motorcycles - a reserve switch works just fine. And how about central locking - the convenience unit is so prone to issues, so get rid.

Let's go back to how cars used to be - maybe around 1965 or thereabouts - when things were simple and you could fix most stuff with a couple of spanners and a screwdriver.
 
What is the service interval of our cars?
Are brake pads and discs checked as part of a service?
IF they wear out between services the service technician hasn't done his job correctly.
Is the central locking convenience unit serviced as part of a service also?
You might think I'm being argumentative, your call. But for each and every excuse you make to have it there is a counter- excuse not to.
 
For diesels, it's up to 2 year intervals and no, there's no obligation to check on pads, depending on where you have the service done.

If they wear out, it's not the technician's fault. There have been cases of pad material shearing from the backing plate. This would give a fault immediately with a working brake indicator.

Central convenience unit is never serviced either.

I make no excuses for having safety systems fitted to our cars - I do despair though at the lack of mechanical sympathy and expertise apparent in the 21st century and at those who always seek the bodge route.
 
audifan said:
Firstly do not doge the wiring it is there for a purpose and that is safety to warn when the pads are low.

Secondly, technology DID NOT bring down the two Max aircraft. It was the airline not opting for a safety system and thus the pilots not aware there was an issue that caused the incidents. A bit like disabling the pad wear when you think about it......
Click to expand...
Not because the 737s didn't have a second AoA sensor?
 
hoverdog said:
Not because the 737s didn't have a second AoA sensor?
Click to expand...

Careful gents, let's not let this thread veer off topic again. It feels about done anyway, if no-one else has any further salient points to add then it can happily be locked.
 
No need to bodge as you can buy repair connectors, it's an easy fix connecting 2 wires
Screenshot_11.png
 
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