brake lights not working

[edward_harris]

hey guys none of my brake lights are working, ive checked the fuse and thats fine any ideas what it could be?!

 

[jojo]

Brake light switch, common problem on A3/S3's, do a search Ed.

 

[edward_harris]

oh ok, where abouts are these located?

 

[rickparmar]

under the brake pedel

 

[jojo]

brake pedel

What one of these?



It's under the dash, at the top of the brake pedal. You need to take the bottom of dash apart to get to it, and the part in question is quite fragile.

 

[god_thats_quick]

Does anyone know if this starts off as an intermittent failure? It's just I've been getting this fault code on VAG-COM and a mate that followed me a while ago said they weren't working all the time?

I'll be starting by changing the switch, just wondering if anyone else had this intermittent problem?

16955 - Brake Switch (F): Implausible Signal
P0571 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent

 

[Wak-VAGCHECK]

Keep resetting the fault and see how quickly it returns... IMO that fault can occur in normal running due to the dual circuit nature of the switch and the potential to be in traffic pressing the pedal slowly and being able to switch 1 circuit and not the other.... do it enough times in a time period and an intermittent fault will occur.

If it become regular or your brake lights are not working then change the switch.

remember one circuit is for the lights the other the ecu so if the fault is returning and the brake lights are working then it could still be a valid faulty switch.

 

[god_thats_quick]

Yeah it's coming back within a week and keeps coming back and someone's said my brake lights weren't working for part of a spirited run, I'll be ordering a new switch on monday then.

 

[edward_harris]

is it a easy job to change the switch?!

 

[jojo]

is it a easy job to change the switch?!

Not if you know how, I could probably do one in under 30 minutes, most difficult bit is adjusting the switch to activate the brake lights the moment the pedal moves.

 

[joesurf]

Just did this repair - very very easy. Just be warned about installing new part, they come 'deactivated' & can break, so don't go pressing the plunger! Install with brake pedal in up position, THEN plug in the connector. Should work fine