HDC and TC amber lights on.........

Hi folks.........I hope someone can help!

its an my04 hse

I've searched this (and other) forums for the answer, but although there are some similar faults, nothing I can find is the same.

The hill descent amber light and the traction control amber light are staying on on the dash ( but not the ABS like some other threads) and the brake lights have stopped working........

Obviously that is too dangerous to continue driving with!!

I need to know the best way to tackle this problem, or if there is a quick, cheap fix.............hopefully!!!!!

i'm just off to scour the rave cd to see if i can suss it out

Usually brake light switch. It may be adjustable or may need switch replacing. Having said that, I've never checked the brake lights when those warning lights come on

thanks dave........where is the switch located? back of the pedal or the footwell? is it obvious? i'm going out in the dark to have a play with it now.........

i'm used to working on old vw's, but never on 'new' cars.......they scare the be-jesus out of me

sorted!!

so a quick one for everyone searching........

amber/orange HDC and TC lights on. Brake lights bolloxed

get a torch and lay an your back in the footwell.......shine it on the brake pedal bracket and locate the switch.........its a grey thing that looks a bit like a fag lighter and wedged between a load of loose spagettitwist it about 45 degrees anti clockwise and it should come out......then get hold of the black plunger bit sticking out and pull it out a bit gently!!!it has a sort of ratchet in it......then reconnect it and hope that your luck was as good as mine

both the lights went out and my brake lights work as well........result!!

I think i'll get a new one on order for when my temporary fix/bodge packs in again..........

hope this can help/encourage other non mechanics like me

By co-incidence the exact same thing happened to my 2004 TD4 yesterday - TC & HDC lights stay on, no brake lights. My brother found your post, and we located the switch as per your instructions. However things didn't quite go to plan - I managed to depress the black plunger all the way in, but fortunately long nose pliers came to the rescue. The first time we fitted it, it didn't work and got rather hot, but after pulling the plunger out again it worked 2nd time.

Like you we are ordering a replacement, as I don't trust the current one.

Thanks for your post - it has probably saved us a lot of hassle.

glad to be of help!!

its good to put up 'idiot guides' for us idiots when you find a way around a possibly expensive problem

cheers,Pat

Apparently there are two different switches down there - Brake Light Switch and Brake Light Sense Switch. Anyone know the difference? Which one are we talking about here?

Cheers

Rog

the sensor switch is the smaller one I think.......its easier to see than the other one tho!

when you see it, it looks like a grey cigarette lighter fixed to the bracket holding the brake pedal (at least it is on the auto).......that s the one i am referring to on the first post....

"Apparently there are two different switches down there - Brake Light Switch and Brake Light Sense Switch. Anyone know the difference? "

According to Haynes book.
the other switch (Brake Pedal Position Switch/Sensor)

is fitted only to vehicles equipped with Cruise Control.
Richard.

rdainton said:

the other switch is fitted only to vehicles equipped with Cruise Control

Click to expand...

I have definitely got two switches - I have replaced them both - but I don't have cruise control.....

Cheers

Rog

So it would seem....
I just went to remove my brakelight switch...and i have both switches too.
and i dont have cruise control either. shame on Mr Haynes.

The Brake Light switch is definetly not a happy switch.
the plunger goes in and out...but only a little. and i can feel it grating.
i've reset it (pulling the plunger out) as suggested in other threads....
but no luck for me..still have warning light and no brakelights.

i've ordered a new one..so will have to wait and see.

Richard.

I seem to have the same problem on my 2001 td4 but even though I have replaced the brake light switch, everytime I reverse, fuse 2 blows and the lights come back on! I have the 2 switches down below as well but no cruise control. Not sure what to try next, ideas anyone? by the way, the switch was £5-95 plus VAT from a main dealer.

sconner said:

I seem to have the same problem on my 2001 td4 but even though I have replaced the brake light switch, everytime I reverse, fuse 2 blows and the lights come back on! I have the 2 switches down below as well but no cruise control. Not sure what to try next, ideas anyone? by the way, the switch was £5-95 plus VAT from a main dealer.

Click to expand...

Massive clue in your post. If it all works as it should in first but the fuse blows when you use reverse then I'd look at the reverse gear switch and it's circuit. You have a short somewhere.

Thanks for that, i wasn't sure if the reverse lights were part of the same circuit for fuse 2 and the HDC TC lights

Well, changed the reverse light switch. Now the HDC works in first but not in reverse and no reversing lights! Bugger. And the fuse has just blown again, looks like the circuit must be faulty, god knows where the spaghetti goes under there.

this is deffo a fault with the reverse switch circuit, the HDC doesn't work in reverse because the ECU can't tell the reverse is selected. The other thing the ECU does when reverse is selected is turn the reverse lights on...

sconner said:

Well, changed the reverse light switch. Now the HDC works in first but not in reverse and no reversing lights! Bugger. And the fuse has just blown again, looks like the circuit must be faulty, god knows where the spaghetti goes under there.

Click to expand...

When you order the brake light switch (grey Cig Lighter) from LR its a new version you with a new section of wiring. Fits just the same (doddle). Seems like a better piece of kit!

sconner said:

Well, changed the reverse light switch. Now the HDC works in first but not in reverse and no reversing lights! Bugger. And the fuse has just blown again, looks like the circuit must be faulty, god knows where the spaghetti goes under there.

Click to expand...

Take it you checked the bulbs and holders etc. first??

Yes, checked all those, I'll delve into the wiring tomorrow. Failing that, I have dynamite!!!

Well

Now it seems that the rear window wiper will not sweep when your front ones are on and you select reverse!! As I have renewed the reversing light switch it seems that there may be something else in the circuit not right. The wiring as far as can be seen seems ok. Could the wiring to the towbar have any effect? Any ideas would save self destruction of a valuable member of society. (Me by the way!)