ARL Flashing Error Light

[ChrisGTL]

Hi Guys,

Just got back from peak district which was nice, done 10 mile walk today - legs are pretty much numb now

Anyway, whilst driving my car today I noticed a big puff of black some everytime I changed gear and accelerated, the smoke lasted about 2 seconds then goes away completely.

2 mins later and I get a yellow flashing light on my dashboard, its the one that looks like a coil/spring. No lack of power at all, no MPG drop.

Just got back and done a scan:-

VAG-COM Version: Release 311.2-N


Chassis Type: 1M - Seat Leon
Scan: 01,02,03,08,15,17,19,22,35,46,56

Address 01 -------------------------------------------------------
Controller: 038 906 019 KG
Component: 1,9l R4 EDC 0400SG 5342
Coding: 00102
Shop #: WSC 06402
VSSZZZ1MZ5XXXXXXX SEZ7Z0E2899115
1 Fault Found:
16955 - Brake Switch (F): Implausible Signal
P0571 - 35-00 - -
Readiness: N/A

Address 03 -------------------------------------------------------
Controller: 1C0 907 379 M
Component: ESP FRONT MK60 0102
Coding: 0019970
Shop #: WSC 63020
No fault code found.

Address 08 -------------------------------------------------------
Controller: 1M0 820 043 E
Component: 1M-CLIMATR
Note: Excessive Comm Errors

Skipping Address 15-Airbags

Address 17 -------------------------------------------------------
Controller: 1M0 920 922 E
Component: KOMBI+WEGFAHRSP VDO V06
Coding: 04404
Shop #: WSC 00000
VSSZZZ1MZ5XXXXXXX SEZ7Z0E2899115
No fault code found.

Address 19 -------------------------------------------------------
Controller: 6N0 909 901
Component: Gateway K<->CAN 0001
Coding: 00006
Shop #: WSC 06402
No fault code found.

Address 46 -------------------------------------------------------
Controller: 1C0 959 799 F
Component: A7 Komfortgerát HLO 004
Coding: 00259
Shop #: WSC 06402
No fault code found.

End -------------------------------------------------------


Does anyone have a manual as I cant find mine at the mo, whats the dashboard light in question?

Surely the brake switch fault can't make a dashboard light error can it? It's only just been replaced 8 months ago at SEAT, apparently they installed the uprated brake switch.

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Muttley]

That's the glow plug light, which you should check when starting in cold weather, and wait the few seconds till it goes out before trying to start the car.

When this light comes on during normal running it is meant to indicate a fuel system problem, I think. However, the brake pedal switch can also make this light come on, perhaps because pressing the brake pedal also causes the revs to drop

If you have cruise control, a lack of brake switch will stop it from working.

More importantly, you have no brake lights.

 

[oldman]

address 01 -> this is the brake light switch error i had not too long ago.
check all rear brake lights, if you find none work then it is again same issue i had.

easy 30min job.
if you can i recommend removing the old one first so you know which to get as they have changed a few times.

have a gander of this thread ->
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=225905
for further info

 

[ChrisGTL]

All brake lights work fine, but the brake light error code won't clear.

I went to SEAT and they want £45 just to plug the car into the diagnotics machine, robbing sods!

So maybe its just the brake switch that is gone? Or does that make no sense as my brake lights work spot on!!

The thing that is worrying me is the thick black smoke coming from the exhaust, no smoke as such when I used above 2.5k revs but quite a bit of black smoke below 2k revs. It doesnt di it everytime but i've found out that if I drive in 2nd and take it to 3k revs and come off the accelerator until revs drop to 2k then boot it I get an almighty cloud of smoke.

My boost guage is reading what it has done ever since it was installed previous to the black smoke problem.

 

[Muttley]

There are two switches in the unit on the brake pedal, one brake light switch and one brake pedal switch. Note the error is brake switch, not brake light.

In this case only one of the switches seems to have failed. It may be worth taking the connector off and giving the contacts a squirt of contact cleaner. Unplugging and replugging a few times may also clean the contacts.

Thick black smoke is usually overfuelling. Not associated with the brake light switch, I'd have thought. Maybe coolant temperature sensor, but I'd have thought that would show up on VAG-com. You have no EGR so it can't be that. Small temporary boost leak??? No, I don't beleive it either....

Do you have cruise control and is it now not working? That would confirm the brake pedal switch failure.

 

[ChrisGTL]

There are two switches in the unit on the brake pedal, one brake light switch and one brake pedal switch. Note the error is brake switch, not brake light.

In this case only one of the switches seems to have failed. It may be worth taking the connector off and giving the contacts a squirt of contact cleaner. Unplugging and replugging a few times may also clean the contacts.

Thick black smoke is usually overfuelling. Not associated with the brake light switch, I'd have thought. Maybe coolant temperature sensor, but I'd have thought that would show up on VAG-com. You have no EGR so it can't be that. Small temporary boost leak??? No, I don't beleive it either....

Do you have cruise control and is it now not working? That would confirm the brake pedal switch failure.

Thanks for your help

I dont have cruise control fitted, i've just been under the bonnet and cleaned the air filter, took the MAP off (was covered in wet oil).

Took the top parts of my SFS intercooler hoses off to inspect inside and they are coated with really sticky oil.

Took car for a blast afterwards and still getting a massive puff of smoke when using the revs to slow me down then using boost to accelerate.

Not right sure where to look next. ??

 

[Muttley]

MAF covered in wet oil is not right at all. My guess would be it's coming from the crankcase breather. But I'm only guessing.

The symptoms could match having too much oil in the sump - more gets splashed about and drawn up into the crankcase breather system. What's your oil level like? Should be in the middle of the hashed area on the dipstick, when the car is on a level surface.

The breather system is arranged so as to give positive scavenging to the crankcase, always keeping it at lower pressure. Maybe this system has failed in some ingenious way? However I think it's just a one-way valve in the breather cap.

Otherwise, it could I suppose be worn piston rings letting too much combustion gas blow by, pressurising the crankcase and blowing oil up the breather. A compression test will check this.

 

[ChrisGTL]

MAF covered in wet oil is not right at all. My guess would be it's coming from the crankcase breather. But I'm only guessing.

The symptoms could match having too much oil in the sump - more gets splashed about and drawn up into the crankcase breather system. What's your oil level like? Should be in the middle of the hashed area on the dipstick, when the car is on a level surface.

The breather system is arranged so as to give positive scavenging to the crankcase, always keeping it at lower pressure. Maybe this system has failed in some ingenious way? However I think it's just a one-way valve in the breather cap.

Otherwise, it could I suppose be worn piston rings letting too much combustion gas blow by, pressurising the crankcase and blowing oil up the breather. A compression test will check this.

Its my MAP covered in oil, not the MAF. The MAP is located on the intercooler pipework.

 

[oldman]

sorry mate, i don't anymore than what i experienced.
stupid q? Were all 3 rear brake lights working? as i know the top middle can go and no error is shown. Well that is what happened to mine when it went just after purchase.
The error only appeared after the main ones within the clusters failed.

is the oil in the area around the MAP normal or is it just larger than expected?

and yes, they are robbers asking £45 to diag check, but they count it as "work"....

 

[Muttley]

ChrisGTL wrote

Its my MAP covered in oil, not the MAF. The MAP is located on the intercooler pipework.


Sorry, my mistake. The MAP is downstream of the turbo, which raises the possibility that the turbo bearing is on the way out. That bearing is worked very hard and has a copious supply of oil.

 

[ChrisGTL]

stupid q? Were all 3 rear brake lights working? as i know the top middle can go and no error is shown.

All 3 brake lights are working. I shall check again but when i checked I parked opposite a large window and could see all three reflections.

is the oil in the area around the MAP normal or is it just larger than expected?

When I took my MAP out a year ago to fit my SFS hoses it was slightly coated in oil, now its wet through.

ChrisGTL wrote

Its my MAP covered in oil, not the MAF. The MAP is located on the intercooler pipework.


Sorry, my mistake. The MAP is downstream of the turbo, which raises the possibility that the turbo bearing is on the way out. That bearing is worked very hard and has a copious supply of oil.

So turbo is possibly on its way - damn!


Any other ways I can check the condition of the turbo?

 

[ChrisGTL]

Also, while playing around with VAG-COM last night after a half hour spirited drive VAG-COM was reporting my coolant as 81.9C.

How long does it usualy take to get to 90C? I wonder if my coolant sender is getting weak too. No errors with VAG-COM but I hear they don't always report a fault code.

 

[Swig]

My coolant gauge takes about 10 minutes to get to 90 (where is stays) - that's without 'spirited' driving.

 

[brad1]

Hello mate
I had exactly the same problem happen sunday to me, the glow plug light continuosly started flashing on a drive to a mates, i got him to check all the brake lights and they still worked, the only thing that didnt work was my cruise control. The error code i got was 16955 brake switch (f) implaussible signal. So i got a new brake switch yesterday (something like £8.43 inc vat from my local tps) and the light stopped flashing and now my cruise control works. I would more than likely say your brake light switch, not needle lift sensor Make sure you buy the new green color switch, if the dealer replaced with a black one, these are prone to braking which i was told by AmD

 

[ChrisGTL]

Anyone got the part number for the green switch?

Saves me getting it wrong that's all!!

 

[ChrisGTL]

1C0 945 511A / 1C0945511A ???

Is this the correct one?

 

[oldman]

that is the one i got, direct replacement for the D purple one
do not think it will be a replacement for the old black A, hence i think and stated, if & where poss;
get under and have a look at colour or take out and take to dealer who will be able to correctly supply new one.
yes this cost about 8.50 inc vat + 30min of time tops

 

[brad1]

1C0 945 511A is the correct part number for the green brake switch mate, the same as the one you put above. I bought mine yesterday due to the exact same symptoms

 

[ChrisGTL]

1C0 945 511A is the correct part number for the green brake switch mate, the same as the one you put above. I bought mine yesterday due to the exact same symptoms

I went to SEAT and quoted 1C0 945 511A and he said the part I needed was 1J0 945 511A, so ordered one.

Picked the part up today and it was a black one, not like the purple one or the green one. Parts guy said the green one has been replaced too now as it a common failure part like the purple one.

Got it fitted, still had a flashing glow plug light........decieded to check ALL my fuses one by one.....my fuse 43 had blown too so replaced and still had the flashing glow plug light.

Drove around cursing my car and all of a sudden the glow plug flight stopped flashing, plugged it into VAGCOM and cleared the fault

Anyone know what fuse 43 is? Engine management??

 

[oldman]

no idea on the fuses, but out of curiosity was your old switch the same as new switch?
ask as must have been a change over at some point.

mine is a 2004 june 04 cupra tdi
old green
new purple