Low brake pad light/t4

[Wayne B]

Hi All.

I have the low brake pad warning light on my dash although I have had new pads & disks fitted. The garage could not turn the light off & what I would like to know is, is it possible to turn the light off at sorce on the t4 so it does not report a low pad problem?

Regards

Wayne

[Rick-sta]

The brake pad sensors also need changing to clear the brake pad warning light. Would have expected the garage doing the job to know this.

The brake pad warning function can be deactivated using a t4 or toaf.

[Matt_75]

Did the garage replace the wear sensor? If the pads got to the point where the light came on, a new sensor will be required.

Front: https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/products/rov...9170deb6&_ss=r

Rear: https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/products/rov...9170deb6&_ss=r

Alternatively, you could snip the sensor off and link the two wires together, thus bypassing the system and turning the light off. Just be aware that you'll no longer get a warning light for low pads next time they wear out. It might also be worth making a note of this somewhere so that should you sell the car someday, the next owner is aware.

[vitesse]

Don't think you can disable the warning with a T4 but Toaf certainly can, I disabled two last autumn. Not a problem here as we swop wheels/tyres twice a year and can check the pads without any magic sensors.

Regards

[Wayne B]

Somewhere in my mind, I am thinking that the brake pad wire was cut on the front pads a while back when the new disks & pads were put on & the garage was able to turn the light off. I think it came back on when the rear pads got low but they were then unable to reset the light. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am & that is what happened. Hopefully, someone with a t4 will know the answer.

Wayne.

[Arctic]

Wayne
Easy way to turn off the brake pad wear sensor light, until you can fit new sensors is to cut the wires, strip them back a little, join the together, fold over add a little heat shrink and the light should go out, what it means then though is until you add new wear pads sensors the pads will need to be check by visual, which is what we always used to do before sensors.

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No T4 needed once the sensors have be crossed or new ones fitted.


I carry a couple of sets to our Nano meets just in case, i also have a few sets of new sensor if you are interested drop me a PM

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Wayne B

... the garage was able to turn the light off ... they were then unable to reset the light.

Hello Wayne,

The way to turn off the low brake pad warning light is to fit a new sensor. That's all your garage has to do. It's basic and it's simple. That's the only method of "resetting" the light.

On a more general note, on the forum as a whole members take safety very seriously, particularly concerning the braking system. Meticulous care is taken to select reliable, high performance brands of brake pads and discs. The same applies to caliper maintenance and repair, brake pipe renewal and the bleeding process. This is, of course, how it should be. Members correctly point out that lives depend upon the integrity of the braking system.

I am therefore alarmed when, as in this case, members suggest short-circuiting the warning system or deliberately disabling it using a diagnostic tool. Such action is contrary to safe and responsible practice in my view and it should definitely not be even considered by a garage.

As has been pointed out, a new sensor is easily affordable at just £10. Having that safety system available and operational is just as important as feeling content and secure with Pagid* pads isn't it?

Simon

* Insert your preferred brand here.

[Rick-sta]

Originally Posted by SD1too

Hello Wayne,



I am therefore alarmed when, as in this case, members suggest short-circuiting the warning system or deliberately disabling it using a diagnostic tool. Such action is contrary to safe and responsible practice in my view and it should definitely not be even considered by a garage.

People managed perfectly fine for 50+ years without a light on the dashboard telling them when a brake pad needs changing. Many new cars still don't come with brake pad warning systems.

I think those forum members you speak of that take safety various seriously don't need a light to tell them when their brake pads are low as they'd be keeping an eye on them anyway along with many other things.

If you want to keep the warning system operating, great. If not and you check things manually. That's fine also.

[vitesse]

Alarmed Simon? I feel quite happy disabling the warning system using Toaf. Drivers become irritated and unnecessary distracted by the warning light when they know that the pads are in good condition and surely a visual inspection twice a year is better than any diagnostic system that may or may not be accurate.

The most recent case happened last October. An owner had driven here with the brake pad warning light on, for a belt change at an ex MG/Rover mechanic who also replaced the rear brake pads, checked the front pads too. All work completed, but the light was still on at 7pm and the owner faced a two hour drive home. Rather than continue the journey with the irritating warning he asked me to disable the function which I did.

Later, if the owner wishes and has had time to rectify the fault, without the distraction of a continuously illuminate warning symbol, I can simply enable the system again, takes less than five minutes.

How many of our old cars, Rover, Ford, Vauxhall etc were we able to drive and safely maintain without any monitoring system, and how did we do it? By visually inspecting the condition of the brake pads, something sadly modern owners neglect by relying too much on monitoring systems leading to such a false sense of security that they even neglect to check such critical things like the oil.

Keep well

[bsafly]

Remember that of the eight brake pads on the car, only two are monitored, not all the pads will (or do) wear at the same rate and any of the unmonitored pads could wear out before the pads with sensors fitted and the system won’t pick that up.
There is no substitute for visually checking the brakes on a regular basis (along with tyre condition/pressures and under bonnet fluid levels)!