Brake Light Switch Life

G

garywoods

Member
I replaced my brake light switch light around a year ago now due to having no brake lights and the flashing glowplug light. Scan also confirmed brake switch to be at fault.

This has been cured up until today where I am getting same symptoms again, intermittent brake lights and the flashing glowplug light now and again.

what are your experiences of life of the switch?. seems pretty poor to only last a year. is there any installation issues which could lead to shortened life that anyone is aware of?

Cheers

Gary
 
Hi Gary,

Same problem here, I've only replaced the brake light switch 5 months ago and now getting the same intermitant brake lights problem again. Eventually the switch will just fail.

The problem I found after dismantiling the old one was they are very badly made, the contact points are quite fragile inside and eventually burn out after many contacts on and off.

Iqbal
 
Thanks Iqbal,

not sure how easy it is to claim a free replacement as far as I am aware they should have a 2 year warranty on parts.

If its too much hassle i'll just buy another as they are cheap enough, just a pain not to mention dangerous having no brake lights.

Anyone been down this avenue?

Gary
 
Hi Gary
For self fitted parts the normal routine is you return the bits with the receipt and the dealer sends them off to Audi for analysis. You either wait for the results (not very practical) or pay up front for the replacement and get a refund or another switch as a spare, when the dealer gets confirmation.

Cheers Spike

PS. my May 2001 car still has the original switch.
 
Thank for that spike.

Im amased it has gone so quickly. Im unsure of the life of the switch i changed last year but potentially it was the original one (changed at 98k ish). Im now on 110k and its gone again. so not massive mileage between.

I cant think of anything in particular to go wrong in the fitment?. I have heard of newer switches on the golf which has a ratcheting mechanism which is very easy to break if you install it with the plunger slid to the wrong position to start with.

There seems to be quite a lot of discussion on forums etc about poor quality design maybe there are just varying quality batches?.

Funny actually as I had the MOT on tuesday which it passed with flying colours for the second year in a row and this happens two days later.

Thanks

Gary
 
I've had my A2 since Dec 07 and have had to change the brake light switch twice. Faulty brake light switch also failed my MOT on me once as well...!

As Iqbal says, I also dismantled my faulty switches and the same point was burnt out on both...

Jon
 
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