Brake light switch repair

[xxxmike]

Well what a silly little design this is!

Heads up to anyone with a Mk5 1.4 16V sport that the normal brake light switch thats a plunger type one on the pedal does not work wityh these cars.
They use a silly design where its mounted on the brake master cylinder.
The kit is here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-S...h=item4af716549b:g:XX0AAOSwKtlWk43N#vi-ilComp

and the part number is 5G0698459

£25 inc vat from the SEAT dealer if you want one. Euro car parts and all other sites if you use the reg they send you the wrong part.
Even the dealer struggled to find this info for me.

Has anyone fitted one of these yet. I am ordering mine today to fix my stuck on brake lights, its in a tricky place and held on with a torx bit from what i can see so far. Is it just a case of unclip the wire block and remove then refit the new bit?

 

[RUM4MO]

I should not be replying as I have no experience of this - yet, but as I am curious about how you get on replacing that assembly, from what I've read is, VW group have revised that "bunch of bits" and you need to replace the lot to sort it properly, and it sounds like you do just remove the first lump, then extract what is left - though maybe I have been reading too much into what has been written on this subject.

I'd be very wary about buying via ebay as this kit has been subject to revision it has been said, I'd be buying via your local SEAT/VW/Skoda dealership as they will only hold the latest version, all older stuff will be sold on by etraders on ebay!

Edit:- of course if that etrader is a Skoda dealership, ie Rainworth Skoda, then it will be okay.

 

[xxxmike]

Yea i just linked to the ebay ad for a visual example of what it is with the part number. I have purchased a genuine VW one. I will take it off and replace the items when they arrive next week and report what i find. I am hoping there isnt anything inside. From the pics it looks like its a pivot where the bolt is the pivoting action from the pressure on the master cylinder is what sends the signal to the brake lights.

 

[RUM4MO]

I'm guessing/trying to think if you opened another thread on this subject, if it was you, did you get anywhere finding out what the actual failure was on the other two forum people that had this problem, at least one person reported the garage saying that it was a wire that caused the problem not the switch, maybe a wire that was too short and chaffed through the insulation - speculation on my part maybe?

I keep meaning to unplug that connector on my daughter's late 2009 Ibiza to see what happens to the brake light, ie does it switch on permanently. I might get round to that this weekend and report back - have you tried removing that connector to see what happens to your permanently on brake lights?

Edit:- ah, that ebay advert was from Rainworth Skoda, so it would be the latest version, pity you have ordered via local main dealer! Also, for SEAT forum members, there is always Sere in NI. I tend to buy quite a few things from these main dealers that are willing to offer a slightly better price and free delivery, that listed Skoda dealership chain also have an Audi dealership so I get service stuff from them and few other parts that I am not in a great hurry for - though in your case, maybe time is a bit more important, certainly where my local SEAT and VW garage are located are a right pain in the bum to get to at busy times!

 

[xxxmike]

So little update. New part arrived and fitted.
No joy!!!!!!!

Part was same number but the new updated November 2016 part, it unbolts with a torx star shape but and isnt too tight. Nothing falls off when you remove it thankfully.
Struggling to think of where to go next now. I know it's a possibility that the part is faulty but don't wanna shell out on another bit.
Any ideas from anyone???

 

[RUM4MO]

Have you seen/read an earlier thread about this type of failure, I think there was a mention that a garage found it was a wiring failure, I'm guessing chaffed/chopped wire(s)?

Then there might be an issue with the master cylinder in as much as the brakes work okay, but it does not allow the brake light switch to work? Just guessing there I'm afraid!

As far I can remember I've never seen any "beginning to end" threads on this subject - yet!

 

[xxxmike]

I thought about a damaged wire but it's all pretty neat and I can't see anywhere where it would be running to cause a break. Unless it's on the rear. I think a rear bumper off job.

 

[RUM4MO]

Taking rear bumper off, I would not think that that is needed as there will be very few if any "brake light" associated wires there, I'd expect all the wiring, as far as I've seen, is inside the car and probably along the rear panel. (I could be wrong though as I've only ever removed the light clusters from a late 2009 Ibiza SC due to them leaking - ie a seam leak on that assembly.

 

[xxxmike]

Had a little look and removed the clusters and you are correct. No wiring goes to the bumper. It's all down the wing.
Something really stupid I've not looked at yet is the physical bulbs. I've seen on other forums that having a blown bulb has caused this to happen
I'll look at every single bulb over the next few days when I've got an hour spare.

 

[RUM4MO]

Yes, I suppose checking the operation of all the rear bulbs would be good, is the brake bulb a dual filament or single, or are there two brake bulbs per side, one single filament and one dual?

I've noted in the past that places like Halfords might just be listing the wrong type of brake light bulb(s) - they did at one time for the 9N Polo of round about 2003MY!

Thing is, did everything work okay initially, if so and you have not replaced any rear bulbs, then at least currently the correct type of bulbs should still be fitted, though maybe now faulty.