Brake warning light and MOT

**minny** · 22-05-2019,05:39 PM

Shortly after last years MOT my brake warning light came on, the amber circle with three dashes either side. This normally indicates worn pads, but the pads are fine, so is the brake fluid. IT just randomly came on and comes on every time the ignition is turned on.

Trouble is, my MOT is out and my tax goes out on the 1st of June, simple question really, will the warning light automatically fail the MOT even if they test the brakes and find them to be in good working order.

Thanks.

**minny** · 22-05-2019,07:21 PM

Just took one wheel off and saw the sensor cable going to one of the brakes wrapped in tape, undoing this I saw two wires tied together; not sure if this has anything to do with it since it must have been like it when I got the car.

**fourringsrus** · 22-05-2019,07:25 PM

I think yes, I had an issue with my 2002 A4 cabby which showed the symbol for worn pads when they were not.
A simple google search showed which wires in the loom to join, in order to totally and permanently bypass the pad ware indication.
Some have had luck joining the wires to the pad indicator but this can be short lived, so best to go directly into loom, mine was a simple earthing of one wire and moving another if I remember correctly, and the area was located behind the nearside kick panel.
I am not an expert or guru but this worked for me and clearly fine at my mot test, you are only disabling pad ware indicator and no other safety device.

**fourringsrus** · 22-05-2019,07:32 PM

Ah, you were typing at the same time I was posting.
That bodge repair is exactly your problem, you may be successful refreshing the repair but if not , check out the above solution.
Also bare in mind the location of said loom may be different on the b5 from the b6.
I think there was also a place in the back of you dash binnacle where you can make the bypass, good luck

**minny** · 22-05-2019,07:46 PM

Right ok, worth ago, because I cannot see any sensor coming off the brake pads themselves. It looks like, for what ever reason, some one in the past has cut the wear wires to the brake pads.

I do see that a replacement cable on ebay is quite cheap, but I guess I'd have to get new pads as well

**minny** · 22-05-2019,07:47 PM

This looks quite technical and electric for me, but I got no option; I'll need that luck.

**minny** · 22-05-2019,07:58 PM

It looks very much like somebody has done this but now it no longer works:

How to Turn OFF Brake Pad Warning Light on ANY Car - YouTube

Question is, why on earth would anybody do this?

**fourringsrus** · 22-05-2019,08:49 PM

I think people do this if they decide to buy after market and sometimes up rated pads that dont have the sensor facility.
The problem is that when done poorly, as your photo, the issue will return.
Also you could sometimes chase the plug/wiring all through the inner wing looking for a scuff or break in the wires, and never find a fault.
This is where a loom bypass is actually removing the indication facility permanently.

**minny** · 22-05-2019,11:50 PM

I'm already out of MOT and tax goes out in 10 days, so I'll have to look into this loom solution, but it seems a bit complex, hopefully it's one of those things that reads harder than it looks.