Parking brake fault - again

[DSGboy]

Not really a question, more of a rant. I had both calipers replaced a few years ago. Now today again, I've got the dreaded parking break fault warning. I give up with VW I really do, should have sold this car long ago.

[MHDxMK5BK]

This has just started to intermittently occur on my motor. Trouble is the parking brake works flawlessly aside from when the message comes on then nothing at all happens. A seized calliper would still mean the motor would have a try I'd have thought, whether that would be audible is another matter I guess.

Anyway I've just bought a dashboard switch (because of other posts on this subject) on Amazon so fingers crossed that'll do it as the calliper route sounds very expensive.

Good luck...

[DMitch16]

Change the button. Cheap fix at less than £15. Make sure the button is a C revision or higher..

[DSGboy]

A seized calliper would still mean the motor would have a try I'd have thought, whether that would be audible is another matter I guess.

The first time I had a problem, where both calipers and motors needed to be replaced, I got a warning and dismissed it a week or two before it finally gave up. Unfortunately it gave up effectively locking the parking brake on when the car was on the top floor of an airport multi-storey carpark.

Because of my experience, I'm leaving my car in park (its an auto) rather than using the parking brake, particularly in places I don't want to be stuck.

[MHDxMK5BK]

OK switch on it's way, ordered from Amazon, C version as you can see.

The brake is behaving itself at the moment, does anyone know how I can get the current switch out without making a mess of the dashboard with screwdrivers etc? May just carry around the switch and tools in the car etc.

1 X Sengear 1pcs Black Electronic Handbrake Switch Button for Volkswagen VW Passat B6 Cc 3C0927225C Sold by Kingdeluxes
£5.91

[2008tdihighline]

OK switch on it's way, ordered from Amazon, C version as you can see.

The brake is behaving itself at the moment, does anyone know how I can get the current switch out without making a mess of the dashboard with screwdrivers etc? May just carry around the switch and tools in the car etc.

1 X Sengear 1pcs Black Electronic Handbrake Switch Button for Volkswagen VW Passat B6 Cc 3C0927225C Sold by Kingdeluxes
£5.91

Remove the fuse box cover on the side of the dash and push out from behind.

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

[DMitch16]

When you do this hold the front outside button surround and try to squeeze the two metal retaining tangs on the body of the button mechanism inside from the fuse panel side
I have replaced 4 of these, never damaged the dash but broke a tang on 3 of the old buttons. They are tight as is the electrical connector on occasion.

[MHDxMK5BK]

The switch turned up but seems to be a B version, what is the difference between a B and C switch?

Just been out the the car and popped the old one out, it was a B version. Holding the two side by side they are pretty much identical, were it not for a bit of wear on the old one I'd have to be careful not to mix them up.

Swapped them over and the new one works as expected, it's a softer click but that may be 100k miles of usage for you.

[DMitch16]

The circuitry on the original genuine B version was suspect as was the light diode in the button. The C version was the improved part and far more reliable. A lot of online sellers state C as the version on their ads / auction and send you a B instead, bit sneaky. Most new Amazon and Ebay sold buttons of less than £25 are copies. Quite a few offer a 2 year guarantee but I have not heard of any of these failing quickly and needing replacement. There are a few original new buttons around that are sub £25 - my C version replacement a couple of years ago was genuine and only £22.

[Quatrelle]

Mitch - that ain't sneaky, that's fraud. If it was me, Amazon (and their 'seller' or whatever they call them) would be getting their ear badly bent right now.