I had a brake pad warning light come on a couple of days ago that made no sense, since the pads were changed 3k miles ago, brake fluid level checked, etc.

I finally got round to removing the front left wheel today and I was not happy to find the wiring loom connector where the pad wear sensor plugs in snapped and the wires exposed, and one was corroded through.

I know it's probably a fault in the material since it snapped right where it sits in a U shaped holder fixed to the suspension arm.

I had no alternative than to strip the wires, twist them together and seal everything with heat shrink and electrical tape, then tie them to the brake line with cable ties. However, I am not happy with that, so I will order a replacement. The bad part is that the ABS sensor cable also joins this cable upstream, and will probably complicate things.

I'm also considering soldering some extension to the small ends sticking out of the damaged connector and butt splicing that to the wires that I twisted together using crimp connectors.

I posted this as a heads-up in case anybody has the same problem. When I get around to solving the problem I will also post a tech guide.

Had you not stripped them you could have bought the plug and replaced it.

However I think you can buy a small part of the loom which is known as "Wiring Set for Speed Sensor & Brake Wear Indicator". Example part number is 1K0 927 903B but make sure it is the right number for your car before ordering. According to my information it looks remarkably cheap, perhaps you could let us know.

I don't think the plug was user replaceable, it was a cast plastic part, with the cable running inside it through a grommet/stress relief.

I'll pass that part no to a friend of mine at a vw dealer and have him get me a price and photo of the part.

I'm not too worried, though. The plug can be attached back with a bit of DIY, but I have to take the darn wheel back off and it's freezing outside.

I had to repair the reverse light switch connector on my A3. You can get a kit of bits from dealers- plug body, pins with cable attached, grommets to seal the plug etc,and if you splice that in it will be fine. I have a list of parts somewhere- I'll look for it tonight.

Or else code it out using VAGCOM like I had to do recently on a Mk4 Golf.

I don't really want to do that because when the time will come to sell it I will probably forget to inform the buyer (bit airheaded) and it's not very nice to find out the pads are worn when they start touching metal against metal.

Here's the list of part numbers i used:

Stecker - spritzwassergeschützte Steckverbindungen

Is there any co-incidence that you had just had the brake pads changes?

Is there a specific thing to do with the wire when you take the brake discs off?

Not their fault, I am sure, because I supervised everything. The sensor unclips easily from the harness, you just press a tab to release the plug.

cjb: That looks exactly like what's on the car. Shame the stealer over here asks for about 90 Euros for the repair kit.

guess I'll use heat shrink and my trusty soldering iron and some liquid plastic to put it back in shape then. Just need to get a warm day.

cjb: That looks exactly like what's on the car. Shame the stealer over here asks for about 90 Euros for the repair kit.

I got just the individual bits for the reverse switch cable from an Audi dealer for about GBP5- can you not just order by individual part number?

eg: I ordered

1 of 1J0 973 702

1 of 000 979 133

2 of 357 972 741

and soldered, heatshrinked, then spiral wrapped the repair.

I think I can. I wonder what their price will be. Will ask my friend again for these individually.

On 30/01/2008 at 15:26, flynntech said:

Or else code it out using VAGCOM like I had to do recently on a Mk4 Golf.

 

How?

 

*nevermind - found it

Edited 7 March, 20206 yr by Inex