How bizarre.....centre brakelight intermittent problem

[Miss Audi Cab]

Hiya,
I have an intermittent problem with the centre brakelight on my Audi A4 cab. Sometimes the centre brake light doesn't light up and sets off the warning light on my display. I think it's a loose connection - it used to do it a lot (and then go off) during the Summer months but it got better during the winter months.

It's still doing it though which is a nuisance - is there an easy way of diagnosing this fault or getting to the centre brakelight wiring?

Ta

 

[pjmspeedy]

When it is on, are all the LED's lit up ?

 

[Miss Audi Cab]

No - they're off...but you can be driving along with the fault light (like a bulb thing) and then it kind of clears itself and then goes off and the centre brakelight then works!

 

[pjmspeedy]

I guess you will have to take the inside off the boot panel to see if the wiring looks all ok. Also try and look at the flexi's that the wiring is in (when boot open, rubber flexi pipes that stick out of it and go into the car)

 

[Kunit]

the center brake light is common to go faulty

 

[Miss Audi Cab]

Thanks Chaps - will take a look at the wiring- - is the boot panel easy to access as my hazard sign looks as though it's screwed into that part?

 

[pjmspeedy]

The catch that holds the triangle on should unhook to allow you to then start getting behind it

 

[Stu S4]

Fixed mine by removing boot lining - two Allen bolts behind warning triangle bracket, and single cross head screw hidden in boot handle. Next pull trim away carefully - does not need to be prised as it is held by maybe 10-12 steel spring clips - comes away quite easily. Once this is off remove the eight Torx screws around the white plastic housing for the brake light, then carefully remove the brake light from the boot lid - disconnecting the wiring plug as you do this. I then cleaned the contacts by very gently filling the pins with a needle file. Then spray some electrical switch cleaner around the pins and into the connector plug. Reassemble and hopefully problem solved. - certainly sorted mine out.

 

[GoneSouth]

Just for info: VagPro posted this on the same subject......

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...brake-light-intermittent-fault-repair.229403/
.

 

[martynash]

Most likely where the cables transfer from the boot lid to the car via tubes that go in and out the wires wear and crack from flexing. Problem will be worse in the summer when it's very dry and better in the winter with moisture making the connection better. If all the L E D 's don't work it's a power feed issue and I would start there. Less likely to be the lamp end.

Marty

 

[martynash]

Just read vagpro's link. It's either one or the other take your pick which end you start with.
Hope this helps

Marty