AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!

 

Driving the car this morning and the glow plug warning light came on.  Googled it and most likely cause was the brake light switch - checked the reflection in a shop window and sure enough no brakelights

 

Called in at my local factors and picked up a new one (non OEM).  Replaced it and still no brake lights.  Put the old one back in and the brake lights are now permanently on!

 

Scanned with VCDS and cleared the fault code, which immediately came back.  The fault code reads as follows -

 

19655 - Brake Switch (F): Implausible Signal

              P0571 - 35-00 - -

 

Had a look on Google but can't find anything beyond "replace the brake switch" - people have either reported it's worked or the threads have gone cold.  Have had both brake light bulbs out and disconnected the high level brake light with no change.  Does anyone have any idea what the issue may be please?  Thanks in advance for any info

 

Car is an '03 Fabia Elegance estate 1.9TDi, ATD engine code and manual box, no cruise control fitted

 

 

Buy a genuine new one, they're only about £12.

Cheers Wino, can't hurt.  Just rang Skoda, they're now just over £17 - not available until Saturday.  Fingers crossed that sorts it

 

Have you checked up online to see how you "fit and set" both the earlier version and the latest version - if you had/have done that you might have got away with fitting an aftermarket version, and also be ready to know how to fit the new VW Group latest version.

 

I can't remember the exact procedures now, but how you fit them changes with the types - I've only ever had to replace 2 on one car, both an older type and then the newer type.

 

Edit:- I'm sure that there is a guide covering "older" and "newer" brake pedal switch "fitting and setting" in this forum, at least there used to be. Most of the threads that go cold seem to be for the later models of Fabia where the switch has moved into the brake master cylinder and is a Hall Effect device - and I suspect most of the present failings for them are trapped/crushed wires.

Edited 18 November, 20214 yr by rum4mo

You simply have to pull the switch out, once fitted, until it makes contact with the brake pedal, it's a telescopic ratchet mechanism.

 

Not really a 'procedure' per se, more a question of adjustment after fitting.

On 18/11/2021 at 14:28, AliBongo said:

Cheers Wino, can't hurt.  Just rang Skoda, they're now just over £17 - not available until Saturday.  Fingers crossed that sorts it

 

Other firms are available. I'd suggest a google on fabia brake light switch. From my reading it seems that there are two contacts on the switch. One send a signal to the brake lights that the brake is pressed, the other is a check on the switch.( possibly both signals are compared in the ECU ??) With switch out, and non operated, one pair of contacts shouls read O/C on a meter whereas the other pair should read S/C. And with the switch operated, the reverse. In my case the switch had stopped working. If the dash on yours is same as on mine, getting to switch is a bit of a faff as it needs a partial dash strip down on the driver side. Not difficult for a young healthy 30 year old, but a bit more dificult for a geriatric 75 year old .