{"id":4687,"date":"2016-01-09T13:54:06","date_gmt":"2016-01-09T11:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.knottinbotswana.com\/?p=4687"},"modified":"2016-01-09T13:54:06","modified_gmt":"2016-01-09T11:54:06","slug":"audi-a6-c5-brake-light-failure-and-repair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.knottinbotswana.com\/index.php\/2016\/01\/audi-a6-c5-brake-light-failure-and-repair\/","title":{"rendered":"Audi A6 C5 Brake Light Failure (And Repair)"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a couple of weeks driving the Range after its overhaul I reverted to the Audi for financial reasons<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Found no cruise control (#firstworldproblem) and, more worryingly, a permanently-lit ABS warning light.\u00a0 Testing on a quiet stretch of road confirmed that ABS was inactive.<\/p>\n

I did the obvious checks on brake fluid and fuses without finding anything amiss. Plugging the car into a VAG-COM Diagnostic System turned up this helpful hint:<\/p>\n

16955 - Brake Switch (F) P0571 - 008 - Implausible Signal<\/pre>\n
At this point I also discovered the brake lights were not working (should have checked them earlier, but kind of assumed the car’s brain would tell me if they weren’t working).<\/p>\n
Some internet research into fitting Audi\/VW brake light switches<\/a> established that the installation process required all manner of arcane rituals except blood sacrifice to avoid damaging the new switch.\u00a0 This research proved largely irrelevant as the switch supplied by Goldwagen<\/a> was a newer version that doesn’t require pressing of pedals while inserting.<\/p>\n
Installation<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Remove knee panel under the steering wheel (spanner required)<\/li>\n
  2. Move the brake pedal to see which bits move and how they interact with the switch (may need to run the engine once in a while to relieve the pressure)<\/li>\n
  3. Unplug old switch<\/li>\n
  4. Rotate switch anti-clockwise until it releases (make note of the angle through which it turns)<\/li>\n
  5. Insert new switch and rotate clockwise until clicked into place (note that there is lug that does not rotate with the switch (see below), it is held by a notch in the mounting plate)<\/li>\n
  6. Insert plug<\/li>\n
  7. Test for brake light function<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    Some people seem to have issues with “delicate” switches that break\/fail during installation – I did find that the first switch I installed didn’t work, but it seems it was a manufacturing defect rather than ham-fisted spannering.\u00a0 Goldwagen did replace it without any quibbling though.<\/p>\n