Check Brake Pads Warning

**seftonbarn** · 17-08-2010,04:31 PM

For some time now (over a year) I have had an intermittent warning fault light "Check Brake Pads". I checked the pads they appeared OK so I thought little more of it. In a recent MOT I got an advisory to replace the front discs. I have just done this and changed the front pads whilst I was at it. I checekd for obvious damage to the wireing loom on each side and found nothing untoward. I am assuming that with new pads there must be a break in the circuit somewher. Does anyone know of common faults with this system. Alternatively if there is a break point for the LH and RH wirong loom somewhere (apart from the pad connector), I could then short this out for diagnosis. Any help would be appreciated.

**martin1810** · 17-08-2010,09:16 PM

You have a damaged wire somewhere. You will just have to keep looking. Look first at any connections and points where the wire can rub.

**seftonbarn** · 17-08-2010,09:55 PM

Thanks for your response. Yes I'd worked that bit out. I was hoping someone might know where the break points are (left and right) so that I could do some shorting out for fault diagnosis.

**Peter D** · 18-08-2010,12:15 PM

2 pin Red connector Left side against bulkhead behind the kick panel, and 2 pin red on the RHS if you ground pin 2 of this 2 pin connector the light should go off. Regards Peter

**seftonbarn** · 21-08-2010,02:08 PM

Thanks for the response. I've taken the kick panel off both sides and cannot locate a red connector with just 2 pins.

**Peter D** · 21-08-2010,03:33 PM

I pulled the drawing set for an Audi so it is possible that the colour is different. The LHS one should have a ground on one pin. The two pads are in series and end up in the RHS connector.
I have looked in a UAS PAssat hard copy manual but they do not detail that connector. Ask on the forum someone will have the information for a Passat

**martin1810** · 21-08-2010,03:38 PM

What year etc passat. The early years have both wheels in series. Later versions have two circuits, one for each wheel. In either one it is a case of following the wires from the pads.

**seftonbarn** · 21-08-2010,03:41 PM

2001

**martin1810** · 21-08-2010,07:50 PM

2001 is probably both wheels in series.

**seftonbarn** · 23-08-2010,08:31 AM

Took the RH kick panel off, couldn't identify the plug with the sensor wires. Looked at Haynes manual and identified some wire colours that looked relevant and tried to ground those without success. Took the LH kick panel off and did the same but got distracted because the ABS light came on when I disconnected the plug with the correct couloured wire for the sensor. I plugged it straight back in (more worried now about the ABS light than the brake sensor light), and both lights went out. This was the first time the brake sensor light has not been lit for months. I thought it may just have been the disturbing of the plug (though it looked sound and clean). Anyway, a couple of days later the light is back again.