Pads Warning light will not go off

[Shaz12]

Hi All,I have a 99 plate TDI Passat.My warning light for the pads had been on for sometime and I decided to take my car to local garage to get my brakes overhauled. They replaced front disks and pads as they were well worn but the warning light still stays on permanently. The garage said it must be an electrial fault with my car and not their fault or responsibilty as they have correctly connected the pad wear sensors. Anyone else had this and if they are correct, what steps can I do? Can the warning light be deactivated?Thanks.

[chrisvrscrx]

Check the brake fluid level.

[angrydad]

This sounds like the garage have fitted cheap replacement pads, and not ones recommended by VW. I would check to see if the pads they have fitted are a reputable make.

Cheap pads tend to give false earth signals to the sensors, which think the pads are low. I had this issue, and when I fitted pads purchased from a VW delaer, the light immediately went off.

I also took the faulty pads back to the motor factor for a full refund.

The pads from VW only cost about £10 extra for the pair which is definitely worth it.

[snapdragon]

Maybe they got the pads for older models which don't come with the sensors, and they reused the old sensors which had already been spent.

[kenney]

Hi the pins on the connectors for the brake warning light are very easy damaged and they tend to rust.to find out if it is the connectors, disconnect the connectors one side at a time and bridge the two wires, if the light goes out, then there is a faulty connection,we are taking it for granted that the garage have put the right pads in.If the light does not go out then there is a fault with the wires to the dash.You can recode the dash panel to illiminate the control light for brake pad wear

[Eddie]

How much friction material was left on the pads they took out? it could be the sensor in the brake fluid reservoir playing up

[Shaz12]

Thanks guys.

They fitted a pad brand called Veco which they said are VW compliant. The brake fluid levels are also ok.

The last owner had bodged the front brakes on my car, he had the wrong disks fitted (90bhp ones not 110bhp) and the pads were too big for the disk and the sensors connectors did not fit so someone had chopped the brake pad wires and taped them up hence the senosrs were never connected in the first place. When I bought the car, I had no idea as no warning lights were on. I only found this out recently when I took my car to the garage.

With hindesight, the strange thing is that the pad warning lights came on randomly even when the sensors were not connected. This may indicate an electrical fault somewhere.

The good news is that my brakes are generally now much improved and the car stops well.