Red brake warning Light

R

R32 DBP

Registered User
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
24
Reaction score
1
Points
1
Location
NULL
Hi guys, on my 2004 audi a4 a.8t 190 quattro i get a red brake warning light flash up on start up and then clear after a few seconds.

the vag techicians are at a loss as it does not come up on vag com, all pads and discs are fine, and they put a new brake fluid sensor on it.

does anyone know what could be causing this? The light doesn't always come on either btw

thanks
simon
 
Could be a sign of a weak battery .May need charging or replacing
 
they put a new fluid sensor on it? by this you mean they fitted full reservoir with the sensor built in then filled it up?
 
murran said:
they put a new fluid sensor on it? by this you mean they fitted full reservoir with the sensor built in then filled it up?
Click to expand...
no i think they just changed the sensor- believe me they no what theya re doing- have been VAG specialists since 1983 and i would highly recommend them.

Cheers for the heads up about the battery guys, il try it with another
 
the whole reservoir with the float and sensor comes as one unit from tps.
i too have worked at a vag independant for 11/12 years. the 4 or 5 a4's that weve had in with this fault have all been ok since replacing the whole reservoir.

whether its owt to do with the battery i dunno. these guys seem to think so, so try it and report back.
 
It'll be the battery.

Before you start the car after its been sitting overnight check the voltage. 12.6v or more is normal. Around 12.2v or less you will most likely get the warning and even more likely if it has been a cold night as there will be greater resistance in the circuit and less energy from the battery cells. I'm guessing you dont get the warning after a journey when the battery is charged and the car is warm?
 
I had the same warning light but not on start up, it happened at the same point on my journey to work when I turned right at a roundabout, replacing the reservoir fixed mine but as yours comes on at start up maybe it's the battery in your case.

If you have already had the sensor changed then it sounds like they would have changed the reservoir so looks like the battery could be the culprit here..
 
audi upgrades
if it's as you start up, then the Audi technicians said that there's a design fault where the surge from the battery to the glow plugs as you turn the ignition on where the current in the cables causes a sensor to trigger: this quite understandably happens at very low temps and quite inexplicably when the battery is very low or on it's way out... if it's while you're driving, then it could be what I jsut had: the sensor wires degraded a couple of months after getting new brakes and hoses fitted... but I think that would / shoud show up on vagcom.
 
I found the wire from the battery was pressed against the sensor so loosened this and putting some foam insulation between as well as charging the battery cured it .My son did it by buying a new battery cost£120 mine £0
 
Only the sensor was swapped, not the whole reservoir. apparently this is easy to do. As it does it on start up after not being started for a few hours it makes sense that it is the battery.
 
your not listeneing the sensor is part of the lid/cap to the reservoir lol

of course its easy, even my 6 yr old boy could swap it over, unplug, undo, replace, do up. plug in,
 
This typically affects diesel engines which require a higher cranking force to turn over.

I've got less experience on a petrol engine, quite likely it's the same, but on a petrol engine in June I'd not just rush out for a new battery before testting it first.
 
R32 DBP said:
Only the sensor was swapped, not the whole reservoir.
Click to expand...

you know what to do then if the battery doesnt fix it.

from stripping (breaking up/cutting open) an old reservoir, the sensor looks like a chunk of plastic but has no switch or moving parts as such and doesnt actually contact the float mech at all. i believe it meerly has a variable resistance to it that is effected by the magnet within the float mech. it picks up on the magnet getting close to it, this changes the resistance thru it and effects the return voltage to the instrument cluster.
i believe the float mech within the reservoir somehow goes faulty allowing the magnet too close or maybe the magnets magnetism some how increases/changes/lessens.
ive no idea why it seems to mainly occour on start up particulally when the ambient air is below a certain temp.
its not to do with glow plugs tho, as the last one i changed was on a 04 plate 1.8tq end of last year.
 
Hi, i swapped the battery and that didn't fix it. I have had the sensor changed so not sure what the difference is??

Can you explain what you think needs doing and what the cost is likely to be?

thanks
 
is it possible to just disconnect the reservoir sensor so that doesn't happen?
 
There's no point guessing . Get it scanned on bag on. Could be a number of things. Why waste money trying to fix things that turn out to be good anyway
 
this fault doesnt show up on scans. the abs has nothing to do with it, the fluid level sensor its connected to the instrument cluster which doesnt show fault codes for it. its a two wire sensor for gods sake.... how ecu controlled do you think it is?????
replace the whole reservoir (sensor/float/reservoir it comes as one new unit).
i dont know how many times i have to post this before people take notice! im not a total shmuck who doesnt know what im banging on about!
 
Last edited:
murran said:
this fault doesnt show up on scans. the abs has nothing to do with it, the fluid level sensor its connected to the instrument cluster which doesnt show fault codes for it. its a two wire sensor for gods sake.... how ecu controlled do you think it is?????
replace the whole reservoir (sensor/float/reservoir it comes as one new unit).
i dont know how many times i have to post this before people take notice! im not a total shmuck who doesnt know what im banging on about!
Click to expand...

cheers. is is possible to just disconnect the sensor? it seems to do more harm than good!
 
i dont think so, the resistance of the sensor is critical so the instrument custer see's the correct return voltage.
 
I had the res changed first before finding out that it was the battery.Cost about £100 plus labour
 
r32 dbp has already changed the battery and its still doing it.

im sure the reservoir is roughly £30 from tps. so i dunno where your garage got £100 plus labour from?
 
I thought it was dear too although it is a2.5tdi and the sensor is underneath .I moved the wire away cos I thought it it should not be pressing hard against the sensor and assume that helped
 
audi upgrades
murran said:
this fault doesnt show up on scans. the abs has nothing to do with it, the fluid level sensor its connected to the instrument cluster which doesnt show fault codes for it. its a two wire sensor for gods sake.... how ecu controlled do you think it is?????
replace the whole reservoir (sensor/float/reservoir it comes as one new unit).
i dont know how many times i have to post this before people take notice! im not a total shmuck who doesnt know what im banging on about!
Click to expand...

replaced the sensor, just the sensor! a 10 second job! not the whole reservoir and the light has gone! wrong sensor used on 1st replacement.

Do not bother replacing the reservoir, the sensor can be done at home and costs peanuts
 
how do you mean wrong sensor? what other sensor fits?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

will89
Brake warning light??
Replies
9
Views
8K
quattrojames
quattrojames
P
brake warning light
Replies
2
Views
1K
marktdisport
marktdisport
M
Brake Warning Light
Replies
20
Views
9K
Watchthisspace123
W
P
Brake warning light
Replies
8
Views
4K
Turkster
Turkster
sniperlover
Brake warning Light
Replies
3
Views
1K
arthurfuxake
arthurfuxake
Top
Back