Goofy electricals seat toledo 1L

[ToledoFan]

Oka, so I permanently have the handbrake light illuminated, and the ABS light (the abs one is due to wiring issue, VCDS reports abs error and refuses to erase it, resetting in software puts light right back on after deleting code) it's gonna be a job for a car electrician sooner or later, but I was wondering if anyone had any idea why would the handbrake light be on too?

My mechanic says it's because it's related to the ABS system but I'd imagine on a 1998 car it's more to do with some odd wiring issue or a sensor (I'll try buying the sensor of course)


The car also has the classic flashing glow plug light that VCDS interprets as brake signal implausible, from my research it could be literally anything related to the braking and ABS system, and it's not the brake light switch for sure, I had that replaced.

 

[Tell]

For what its worth I had to ABS sensor thingies go a year ago or so messed up reversing cameras, top view and threw up error messages. Youd clear down with coding, OK for a bit, then all start again. Scan showed an ABS error. Dealer knew about the relationship of the ABS error then messing up other systems. Might be that you are seeing. Ateca 2017 model. No wiring issue.

 

[ToledoFan]

Might be yea, mine's quite a bit older, but VAG seems to keep electrical stuff fairly consistent across gens.

 

[bete noir]

On the Ibiza 6K the 'handbrake' warning light is also the warning for brake fluid level. The Toledo 1L is of the same age and shares many components with the Ibiza 6K so this could be the same. I suggest you have a look at the fluid level and/or the switch on top of the fluid reservoir.

 

[ToledoFan]

On the Ibiza 6K the 'handbrake' warning light is also the warning for brake fluid level. The Toledo 1L is of the same age and shares many components with the Ibiza 6K so this could be the same. I suggest you have a look at the fluid level and/or the switch on top of the fluid reservoir.

I appreciate that I'll check my brake fluid today

 

[Tell]

Well as I said ABS issues can have weird effects on coding errors. Must be the gateway. Least in the Ateca. Two of those sensors at the rear that had failed which caused a Xmas tree light effect and look out the rear camera, top view. Happened on holiday. I cleared the issue. Worked for a bit. Came back. Got it sorted when home.

 

[bete noir]

Well as I said ABS issues can have weird effects on coding errors. Must be the gateway. Least in the Ateca. Two of those sensors at the rear that had failed which caused a Xmas tree light effect and look out the rear camera, top view. Happened on holiday. I cleared the issue. Worked for a bit. Came back. Got it sorted when home.

No 'gateway' on a 1998 Toledo. CANbus did not appear on any SEAT until about 2005. The Toledo 1L will have 'conventional' wiring and simple K-line diagnostics. To illuminate the brake warning lamp, the relevant pin on the speedo cluster is connected to earth. Is not electrically connected to the ABS system, unless it is significantly different to the contemporary Ibiza 6K, which seems unlikely.

 

[Tell]

Oh well not the dreaded ABS system going wrong then causing other systems to go chaotic.

 

[ToledoFan]

No 'gateway' on a 1998 Toledo. CANbus did not appear on any SEAT until about 2005. The Toledo 1L will have 'conventional' wiring and simple K-line diagnostics. To illuminate the brake warning lamp, the relevant pin on the speedo cluster is connected to earth. Is not electrically connected to the ABS system, unless it is significantly different to the contemporary Ibiza 6K, which seems unlikely.

It's not that different, after all both of those cars are on VW's A platform, toledo is A2, and iirc, ibiza is A03, much different than modern VAG cars, for sure.
My brake fluid reservoir has become opaque over years, but using a bright flashlight I was able to determine I am down on brake fluid by quite a lot actually, it was almost below min mark. I topped it off, and I'll take it for a spin tomorrow, see if light goes off. What's interesting is that on the toledo, since there is nothing digital on dash other than MFA, it's very hard to tell what the hell each light means. Especially the glow plug light, glow plug light can be literally anything, VW decided it's the universal check engine light.

 

[bete noir]

It's not that different, after all both of those cars are on VW's A platform, toledo is A2, and iirc, ibiza is A03, much different than modern VAG cars, for sure.
My brake fluid reservoir has become opaque over years, but using a bright flashlight I was able to determine I am down on brake fluid by quite a lot actually, it was almost below min mark. I topped it off, and I'll take it for a spin tomorrow, see if light goes off. What's interesting is that on the toledo, since there is nothing digital on dash other than MFA, it's very hard to tell what the hell each light means. Especially the glow plug light, glow plug light can be literally anything, VW decided it's the universal check engine light.

It sounds like hopefully we have found the issue, and it is a nice simple fix, which is good news if right.

I know what you mean about it being difficult to work out what the warning lights mean. For my Ibizas I made a test rig so I could work-out what conditions at the terminals caused each light to illuminate, and so I can replicate faults on the bench.

 

[Tell]

Impressive.

 

[ToledoFan]

It sounds like hopefully we have found the issue, and it is a nice simple fix, which is good news if right.

I know what you mean about it being difficult to work out what the warning lights mean. For my Ibizas I made a test rig so I could work-out what conditions at the terminals caused each light to illuminate, and so I can replicate faults on the bench.View attachment 54624

That's very cool, I know my way around VCDS, can do logging, basic adaptation, scan codes, test electrical systems and stuff, but that's all software doing the work, you built this yourself, that's sick. I use an adapter from 2x2 plug on the diagnostics port, into the OBD2 scanner, and then into laptop. It's quite a mess of cables to drive around with, but that's just MSA15 things.

Yeah, I was low on brake fluid, right at or slightly below min mark (I need a new reservoir, it's literally impossible to see into mine without strong light right against the reservoir) I checked for leaks but I didn't do a super thorough inspection(just brake lines at calipers, master brake, brake booster, reservoir itself, clutch master and clutch slave) It appears like there's a slight amount of green stuff coming out from threaded clutch slave hard line, but I can't be sure, I need to clean it off, and drive around for a while see if that's the source of the leak. There is no brake fluid on the gearbox casing whatsoever. It's an EKU O2J box, from a late model 6K ibiza (original gearbox blew up, at previous owner, so they just sourced a compatible box, swapped over shift tower from O2A unit, and sent it, which is fine, I like the gearing on this box)

 

[bete noir]

Thanks, it's amazing what you can make from an old piece of shelf, a bunch of chocolate blocks, and some wire off-cuts. I have done loads of work on the electrics on my Ibiza and Caddy projects, and this rig has proved its worth many times.

Funny that you should have an 02J box with an 02A shift, as I have the opposite in my track Ibiza. I broke my 02A shift, so I swapped the gearshift and tower for the 02J parts to improve the shift quality.

 

[ToledoFan]

Yeah I think someone just wanted a plug and play solution, it is beyond me how do you even grenade a O2A with stock power, maybe loss of lubrication, cracked housing or something similarly catastrophic but otherwise the O2A O2J family are fairly strong especially diesel boxes like CYP/ASD, maybe I'm wrong and you can correct me but it seems pretty difficult to blow up a gearbox with 110hp

I'd like an O2J shift tower set up because it's a bit tighter and seamless between gears, but I had gear shifter assembly fully rebuilt with UHMW polyethylene bushings, cable eyes, guide strips from some guy in netherlands, also got a short shifter at the same time, it's incredibly fun to drive and row through gears. So it doesn't make much sense to me to mess with shifter because getting one of an old car would mean re-doing whole thing

Also, thank you so much for your help. I appreciate it a lot