A4 Red "BRAKES" and Yellow "Brake Pad" warning light.

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otis_b

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Hello All,


On my 2004 Audi A4 the yellow brake pad wear sensor warning light is constantly illuminated on my dashboard. Brake pads have plenty of life left in them so I dont think the sensor has been triggered due to low pads.


In addition to this a red "BRAKE" warning light is illuminated when I first start the car, accompanied by the red exclamation mark (as though handbrake is applied) and a few bleeps before it goes out. This Red light will sometimes appear intermittently when driving also. I have checked my brake fluid and it seems ok.


Please see picture at the link below:


20140126_194713_zps18fc9b7d.jpg



Id be grateful for any advice. Thanks in advance for your help.


Otis
 
Yellow light is most likely wiring fault or pads fitted without sensors fitted.

Do you have aftermarket HID lights fitted?

Red light could be the ABS unit showing a fault. A scan with VCDS will diagnose the DTC and give you an indication on where to look.

Dan
 
Hello Dan,

The pad light has only recently come on and it has the standard xenon headlights.
 
The pad light is probably a short in the pad wiring do you think?

Is your car a TDi? Sometimes when the batteries begin to age they can throw the red light on due to low voltage at the ABS pump as the engine cranks over before it fires. It popping up when you're driving is a different issue though.
 
Have you def checked the inside pads in case they have not worn out quickly for what ever reason. Had this issue with the wife's calipers recently. Outside one was fine when looked at, but the inside, harder to see one was shot.......just saved the disc before going metal on metal
 
otis_b said:
Hello All,


On my 2004 Audi A4 the yellow brake pad wear sensor warning light is constantly illuminated on my dashboard. Brake pads have plenty of life left in them so I don't think the sensor has been triggered due to low pads.

In addition to this a red "BRAKE" warning light is illuminated when I first start the car, accompanied by the red exclamation mark (as though handbrake is applied) and a few bleeps before it goes out. This Red light will sometimes appear intermittently when driving also. I have checked my brake fluid and it seems ok.


Please see picture at the link below:


20140126_194713_zps18fc9b7d.jpg



Id be grateful for any advice. Thanks in advance for your help.


Otis
Click to expand...


I also get the RED warning, its started with hard left cornering but I got it this morning at start-up. I am concerned about the ABS unit although I have for months had the TC light popup randomly, usually when its wet but dring normally at speed (not during a traction situation). Could these be connected???
 
Just my 2c on the subject.

If it was your ABS unit, the individual ABS and TC lights would come on.
I believe an aging / week battery can throw the brake symbo and other errors on the DIS upon start-up.

I had the same issue where the TC light would illuminate when wet and driving slowly - this turned out to be a dirty ABS ring and sensor - the owner who had the car before me had a CV joint replaced with an aftermarket one, the joint was slightly smaller which allowed dirt to start building up on the ABS ring.
 
With my problems they appear with a brand new battery fitted 300 miles ago. I had a bettery failure very resently and fitted a top quality item so I know this is not the cause.

Not sure about Otis' problem.
 
GeoffDunk said:
With my problems they appear with a brand new battery fitted 300 miles ago. I had a bettery failure very resently and fitted a top quality item so I know this is not the cause.

Not sure about Otis' problem.
Click to expand...

Interesting - have you had the car scanned for codes?
 
I would possibly say a sensor/wiring issue then - the ECU usually logs these though.
Maybe check all ground points related to the ABS unit and brake fluid level sensor?

I know the pad wear sensor is just a bit of wire that beaks the circuit once the pads wear to a certain level - but the clip they connect to may have come loose / have a little dirt in there?
 
With regards to your red light on start up I had the same problem as well as when I turned right. I eventually sorted it after doing the following: new battery, brake fluid top up, new headlight switch, brake pedal switch (this is the one that solved it for me) apparently any of these can cause it. Next on my list was a new brake fluid reservoir as a faulty sensor in there can also throw up the fault.
 
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its always an option. if you not getting rid of the car and keeping it why not. MOT. servicing and the likes will give you reports on your brake pads and surely you have the common sense to know if your brakes are ****. if you getting rid alter the coding in VCDS.
 
I think it's ok if you do it on the pad side of the plug, as the pads aren't really integral to the car.
 
Hi a friend of mine had the same issue on his a4 on a visual look pads seem fine so took wheels of and on o/s front the wire had been caught and was sending a false reading thinking the pads were worn , soldered wires used some shrink wrap issue solved
worth a look at ?
 
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