TCS, ABS and Handbrake Light...

[mick-fr]

Hi all,

Tonight, started the car no problem, moved about 2 feet and the ABS and TCS lights come on and Handbrake light start to flash on the dash, followed by a few beeps. I stopped, turned the car off and on again and the lights had all gone off.

The other day, I got out the car and noticed the brake lights were still on too. I got them turned off by starting the car and moving it back a few feet then forward again.

Anyone know what would be causing this?

Thanks for your help!

 

[RUM4MO]

Well the brake pedal switch causes a lot of these problems - and you say that you have seen the brake lights getting "left on" - so I'd replace that first of all!

 

[mick-fr]

Well the brake pedal switch causes a lot of these problems - and you say that you have seen the brake lights getting "left on" - so I'd replace that first of all!

Yeah ive searched and found that causes alot of problems, so was thinking that might have caused the ABS part.
But why would that through up the TCS and Handbrake lights?

 

[RUM4MO]

As these switches are cheap, unreliable and have been known to cause lots of strange warning lights to come on, I think that you should change it first then see what happens next - as it has stuck on already. The switch on my wife's Polo 9N failed "off" - and that is quite dangerous - it put on quite a few lights if I remember correctly - it wakened me up, in that incident, it put on the ESP light - which is really part of the TCS and ABS set up. After I saw a few lights coming on I guessed what the possible cause would be, got wife to check the brake lights when we got home - they would not switch on - cause confirmed!

 

[mick-fr]

Ahh.. So it could be the same problem as that then.
Ill try a new switch and see what happens..

Thanks for the help

 

[RUM4MO]

You will probably find that the part number will not be the same as the switch that you remove - oh and the colour will probably have changed as well! Any VAG dealer will sell you the correct part Fabia = Polo = Ibiza = quite a few other cars and vans - so include VW van centres in your options for buying a new switch. This switch might "correct" itself, but that will not mean that it is now okay - I'd still replace it before it fails "off" and you end up getting shunted.

 

[mick-fr]

Yeah I was thinking that it might have just stuck, then unstuck and thats why the lights went back off.
Probably best to change it like you say, as its so cheap.

The Seat garage is next door to the VW garage to that doesnt really make a difference

 

[RUM4MO]

Yeah I was thinking that it might have just stuck, then unstuck and thats why the lights went back off.
Probably best to change it like you say, as its so cheap.

The Seat garage is next door to the VW garage to that doesnt really make a difference

Oh joy!!

 

[mick-fr]

Anyone else think its just the switch?

 

[ss55eat]

I had the brake light switch fail so the brake lights didn't work and this caused the EPC light to come on. (Seat service guy had told me it's always worth checking the brake lights if the EPC light comes on.) As I was in a bad mood due to having already taken it back under warranty 5 times for airbag problems, I gave it the switch a vigorous 'adjustment' in case it was stuck, and got the ABS and just about every other light on the dash to come on. I told the garage to have a switch ready for when I arrived and 15 minutes later it was all fixed. Before it failed it had reported an intermittent fault of 'unfeasible brake signal' (while they were diagnosing the airbags). I just though the car was complaining about how hard I was braking.....

The switch is a safety thing for the fly by wire throttle system. If the throttle pedal fails at full power signal you would be in trouble, so the ECU detects braking and cuts the power. I assume the switch has contacts for both pedal pressed and pedal not pressed. This would allow it to work out that the switch has failed. If your brake lights stayed on with the pedal not pressed the ECU probably saw this as a fault condition.

 

[mgrays]

Yes ... it stops you left foot braking on these darn VAG products... cannot even ghost brake anyone! ECU sees brake switch and kills fuel to engine.

 

[muddyboots]

Anyone else think its just the switch?

 

[Neathers37]

hi, all I had the same issue with those aforementioned lights coming on the red brake light has gone out but the abs and traction lights remain on go off when I press hard on the brake pedal and immediately come back on when I lift off the pedal! any ideas as to what may be causing the problems chaps? The car still drives and brakes spot on so don't think its and abs pump issue, any advice would be greatly appreciated as it's driving me to bat s..t crazy !!! kind regards peeps