Brake Pad Wear Sensor Light
07-11-2010 | 06:54 PM
#1
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Brake Pad Wear Sensor Light
I recently changed the pads and reused the old wear sensors.
Three days later, the "Brake Wear" light came on the dash.
Just before the dash indicator light came on, the AM part of the radio had pulsing static - pulsed at a rate that was a function of the wheel rotation speed. The FM part of radio was OK.
Then the rear trunk popped open (dash indicator light) and when I stopped to close it, the spoiler was up. I was not driving at high speed - just around town.
A few miles later, the light brake wear came on. It never pulsed while coming on, just came on and burned solidly.
Found the front left wear indicator on the outboard pad was partially worn through - could see bare copper. This (broken) plastic insert did not fit well into the pad and must have come loose. Note: It did not wear through the wire completely and did not cause an open in the sensor circuit.
So it appears that either a grounded indicator (wire) or an open indicator (wire) will set the light.
Fix. Just cut the tip of wire open on this side, stripped both ends, and soldered them back together and heat shrunk on some insulation. All is OK now - no dash light - and I still have the inboard wear indicator in service on this wheel.
So, if you are lucky (?) - you can hear the wire wearing through by monitoring the AM part of the radio. The static caused by the bare wire grounding to the disk generated enough electrical gremlins that they popped a trunk and sent a false signal to the spoiler. Who knows what other false indications could happen.
Tony
Three days later, the "Brake Wear" light came on the dash.
Just before the dash indicator light came on, the AM part of the radio had pulsing static - pulsed at a rate that was a function of the wheel rotation speed. The FM part of radio was OK.
Then the rear trunk popped open (dash indicator light) and when I stopped to close it, the spoiler was up. I was not driving at high speed - just around town.
A few miles later, the light brake wear came on. It never pulsed while coming on, just came on and burned solidly.
Found the front left wear indicator on the outboard pad was partially worn through - could see bare copper. This (broken) plastic insert did not fit well into the pad and must have come loose. Note: It did not wear through the wire completely and did not cause an open in the sensor circuit.
So it appears that either a grounded indicator (wire) or an open indicator (wire) will set the light.
Fix. Just cut the tip of wire open on this side, stripped both ends, and soldered them back together and heat shrunk on some insulation. All is OK now - no dash light - and I still have the inboard wear indicator in service on this wheel.
So, if you are lucky (?) - you can hear the wire wearing through by monitoring the AM part of the radio. The static caused by the bare wire grounding to the disk generated enough electrical gremlins that they popped a trunk and sent a false signal to the spoiler. Who knows what other false indications could happen.
Tony
07-11-2010 | 08:08 PM
#2
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,032
Likes: 256
From: Centerton, AR
I recently changed the pads and reused the old wear sensors.
Three days later, the "Brake Wear" light came on the dash.
Just before the dash indicator light came on, the AM part of the radio had pulsing static - pulsed at a rate that was a function of the wheel rotation speed. The FM part of radio was OK.
Then the rear trunk popped open (dash indicator light) and when I stopped to close it, the spoiler was up. I was not driving at high speed - just around town.
A few miles later, the light brake wear came on. It never pulsed while coming on, just came on and burned solidly.
Found the front left wear indicator on the outboard pad was partially worn through - could see bare copper. This (broken) plastic insert did not fit well into the pad and must have come loose. Note: It did not wear through the wire completely and did not cause an open in the sensor circuit.
So it appears that either a grounded indicator (wire) or an open indicator (wire) will set the light.
Fix. Just cut the tip of wire open on this side, stripped both ends, and soldered them back together and heat shrunk on some insulation. All is OK now - no dash light - and I still have the inboard wear indicator in service on this wheel.
So, if you are lucky (?) - you can hear the wire wearing through by monitoring the AM part of the radio. The static caused by the bare wire grounding to the disk generated enough electrical gremlins that they popped a trunk and sent a false signal to the spoiler. Who knows what other false indications could happen.
Tony
Three days later, the "Brake Wear" light came on the dash.
Just before the dash indicator light came on, the AM part of the radio had pulsing static - pulsed at a rate that was a function of the wheel rotation speed. The FM part of radio was OK.
Then the rear trunk popped open (dash indicator light) and when I stopped to close it, the spoiler was up. I was not driving at high speed - just around town.
A few miles later, the light brake wear came on. It never pulsed while coming on, just came on and burned solidly.
Found the front left wear indicator on the outboard pad was partially worn through - could see bare copper. This (broken) plastic insert did not fit well into the pad and must have come loose. Note: It did not wear through the wire completely and did not cause an open in the sensor circuit.
So it appears that either a grounded indicator (wire) or an open indicator (wire) will set the light.
Fix. Just cut the tip of wire open on this side, stripped both ends, and soldered them back together and heat shrunk on some insulation. All is OK now - no dash light - and I still have the inboard wear indicator in service on this wheel.
So, if you are lucky (?) - you can hear the wire wearing through by monitoring the AM part of the radio. The static caused by the bare wire grounding to the disk generated enough electrical gremlins that they popped a trunk and sent a false signal to the spoiler. Who knows what other false indications could happen.
Tony
AM radio noise real bad. There is some kind of feedback or crosstalk or something going on. No spoiler or other anomalous behavior though.
Sincerely,
Macster.
03-12-2011 | 03:05 PM
#4
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Yes... People who don't trust the brake warning light. 
There are those who listen to MW so that they can verify that there is indeed a problem with the airbag circuits, when that light to come on too.
I hear that driving in the rain is also a very good way of verifying that your roof is stuck in the down position, by the way.
There are those who listen to MW so that they can verify that there is indeed a problem with the airbag circuits, when that light to come on too.
I hear that driving in the rain is also a very good way of verifying that your roof is stuck in the down position, by the way.
03-12-2011 | 07:42 PM
#5
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,032
Likes: 256
From: Centerton, AR
You betcha. I drive in a heavily congested area and rely upon frequent AM radio traffic reports a bit before and during my 30 mile (one way) commute to avoid traffic back ups.
In fact, just last Friday got in the car and turned on the AM radio just in time to hear about a wreck on north bound 880 (a freeway on the east side of the SF bay) which had traffic backed up past an exit I usually take in order to drop a co-worker off at a Bart station. Hearing this report allowed me to change the route I take (I selected another Bart station just south of the one at which I normally drop the co-worker off) and then instead of swinging around from the Bart station back on the freeway which would have put me right in the middle of the back up I took another route through town (Hayward) and caught the freeway. Thus the AM radio saved me from being stuck on the freeway for several miles and possible a half an hour or more in stop and go (mainly just stop) traffic.
My FM radio usage has declined cause a very nice classical radio station that I liked to listen to was recently bought and after the sale it lost its strong signal on the FM dial. In most areas that I drive my cars' FM radio will not pick up this classical radio station's new signal worth a darn.
Sincerely,
Macster.
In fact, just last Friday got in the car and turned on the AM radio just in time to hear about a wreck on north bound 880 (a freeway on the east side of the SF bay) which had traffic backed up past an exit I usually take in order to drop a co-worker off at a Bart station. Hearing this report allowed me to change the route I take (I selected another Bart station just south of the one at which I normally drop the co-worker off) and then instead of swinging around from the Bart station back on the freeway which would have put me right in the middle of the back up I took another route through town (Hayward) and caught the freeway. Thus the AM radio saved me from being stuck on the freeway for several miles and possible a half an hour or more in stop and go (mainly just stop) traffic.
My FM radio usage has declined cause a very nice classical radio station that I liked to listen to was recently bought and after the sale it lost its strong signal on the FM dial. In most areas that I drive my cars' FM radio will not pick up this classical radio station's new signal worth a darn.
Sincerely,
Macster.
