Brake pad sensor tricks
#1
Three Wheelin'
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The problem I was having, was that all of the pad sensors checked out good when I ohmed them. But the central warning system light would flash that the pad sensors had indicated a problem.
There is one sensor connector at each wheel. Then there is one inboard connector for each wheel- one in the engine compartment, and one in the spare tire well.
Here's the trick I used in locating the troubled sensor. It enabled me to find the problem without pulling any wheels off. I bent a piece of bailing wire, which was inserted into the plugs, to simulate a good sensor. I found the rear inboard plugs and pulled the plug and inserted the wire. Suddenly the warning light went out. Then to make sure it was the sensor, and not the harness between the inboard and outboard connectors, I unpluged that sensor, and shorted the connection with tin foil by shoving a bit in to the male connector plug. Again, the light went off. So even though all of the sensors checked out ok, I was able to find the culprit. I thoroughly checked out the sensor, off the car, and couldn't find a single thing wrong with it. And the connector appeared to be ok as well. I never did locate the actual sensor problem. A new sensor cured it, though. And I only had to remove one wheel.
By the way, the brake pad sensors are simply a loop of wire. It's just threaded through a couple of pieces of plastic, with a plug on one end. It's a great idea. And a sin that Porsche gets as much as they're asking price. All hail 928 Int'l, et. al.
Here's a picture of my bailing wire "jumper", in the rear spare tire location.
There is one sensor connector at each wheel. Then there is one inboard connector for each wheel- one in the engine compartment, and one in the spare tire well.
Here's the trick I used in locating the troubled sensor. It enabled me to find the problem without pulling any wheels off. I bent a piece of bailing wire, which was inserted into the plugs, to simulate a good sensor. I found the rear inboard plugs and pulled the plug and inserted the wire. Suddenly the warning light went out. Then to make sure it was the sensor, and not the harness between the inboard and outboard connectors, I unpluged that sensor, and shorted the connection with tin foil by shoving a bit in to the male connector plug. Again, the light went off. So even though all of the sensors checked out ok, I was able to find the culprit. I thoroughly checked out the sensor, off the car, and couldn't find a single thing wrong with it. And the connector appeared to be ok as well. I never did locate the actual sensor problem. A new sensor cured it, though. And I only had to remove one wheel.
By the way, the brake pad sensors are simply a loop of wire. It's just threaded through a couple of pieces of plastic, with a plug on one end. It's a great idea. And a sin that Porsche gets as much as they're asking price. All hail 928 Int'l, et. al.
Here's a picture of my bailing wire "jumper", in the rear spare tire location.
#2
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you can have a partial open which will show ok with an ohm test, but doesn't flow enough current so the car thinks it's an open circuit when a load is on it...