How to - Change Brake Light Switch

neiltdi

Guest
I have the exact same problem. How much did you pay for the switch, and was it from the stealer?

It should work on the TDI SE 130 shouldnt it?
 

dirtysac

Active Member
Mar 2, 2008
250
0
Yorkshire
Basically the problem is this:
The cruise control thinks the rear brakes have been applied so it cuts the cruise control, this in turn causes the pre-heat light to flash because the brakes have not been applied, i.e. there is a problem with electronic fuel delivery. Note: the car will drive just fine, it's just the cruise control wont work and you have the most annoying yellow flashing light in your face (gets really annoying on a 300 mile run).

The switch is £6.75 + vat, stealer billed me £70+vat for labour (which I think is 1 hour, which is a friggin rip off, wont be going to the stealers anymore).

I asked a friend of mine who is a VAG specialist (yes I know should have taken it to him but I was working 300 miles away at the time), he would charge £50 inc. vat.

Hope that helps.
 

neiltdi

Guest
Thanks,

My Leon doesnt have cruise control, though I presume the same problem still applies.

Really annoying that all brake lights stop working. You'd have thought they'd run on seperate circuits for safe driving.

I have around 2 weeks of warranty left. This should be covered by them surely?

Thanks for the reply. I'll try and get it booked in ASAP.
 

dirtysac

Active Member
Mar 2, 2008
250
0
Yorkshire
Thanks,

My Leon doesnt have cruise control, though I presume the same problem still applies.

Really annoying that all brake lights stop working. You'd have thought they'd run on seperate circuits for safe driving.

I have around 2 weeks of warranty left. This should be covered by them surely?

Thanks for the reply. I'll try and get it booked in ASAP.

Your covered. Just get it booked in quick.
 

phaedrus

Guest
Just removed my own an hour ago. Will call the independent dealer I use for parts tomorrow for him to order it in for me.

You guys reckon the car can be driven with the switch removed till I get the new one fitted?

The old one wasn't working in the first place, so the brake lights weren't coming on anyway, but will the connector being disconnected cause any problems?

FWIW, ours is a 1998 1.9TD Alhambra, and in case it's of any use to anyone out there, here's my description of what I did. Not as detailed as OP's, but it may be of use to Alhambra owners as an augment to OP's great guide.

There are 4 philips screws to come out (red circles) after you pull the fuse cover flap out from its 2 pivot lugs (green circles in 1st pic, red circles in 2nd pic).

Removal01.jpg


Removal02.jpg



There's 1 expanding lug to come out on the side of the lower dash panel. Open the door fully to get at it. Pry it out with a flat-head screwdriver.

Removal03.jpg



There are two lugs to come out at the top of the lower dash panel, to the right of the steering wheel. (There are two more to the left, so don't try to remove the panel completely just yet).

Removal04.jpg



Remove one screw (red circle) from the lower centre dash piece in front of the ashtray, and pop out the locator lug (green circle).

Removal05.jpg



Remove the final philips screw holding the main lower dash panel (red circle).

Removal06.jpg



Pop out the two remaining locator lugs at the top of the panel, to the left of the steering wheel and pull the panel away completely.

Removal07.jpg



Curse at and spit on the offending piece of crap, before disconnecting the electrical connection.

Removal08.jpg



Turn the switch till you feel the two opposing lugs line up with the correct slots (cant remember whether I went clockwise or counter - sorry), then firmly pull it out. I needed to gently coax it with the flat-head screwdriver.

Removal09.jpg



TBC...
 

phaedrus

Guest
... continued


I tried squirting it with WD40 and reconnecting the switch. It started working inconsistently, so I disconnected it again.

Removal10.jpg



You can just make out the different shapes of the two lugs. The left one is square and the right is pointed.

Removal11.jpg



It's not pretty, but I'm leaving it all like this till I fit the new switch.

Removal12.jpg



Many thanks to OP for posting his guide - it made it less daunting. This is not necessarily a dealer job, folks.
You CAN do it yourself.


Mark
 
Nov 29, 2007
736
0
Mansfield, Notts
This is an excellent guide!!!

Read the part number out to the GSF part shop and the part was in stock. Although I used the new part code it still turned out to be the pink one, the guy at GSF said that OEM were orginally black and now green, if it was pink that it would of probably already been replaced at some point...

Followed the instructions and got it sorted in no time - my only advice to anyone else fitting a new switch would be...

After I fitted the switch it didn't work even though it was secure and had clicked twice (as per additional GSF printed help sheet they gave me over the counter). So I un-twisted and took out the brake sender and then simply put it back in twisted it back into place. started working a treat. Can only assume that it had not seated correctly against the pedal arm.

Thanks again mate.
 

Gnollins

Bosh!
Jul 24, 2006
406
0
Yarnton, Oxfordshire
Fantastic guide! Noticed two days ago that my brake lights were not working.

Quick 2 min trip to my local VW stealer, switch in stock - £8.

25 mins later - fitted. Now have brake lights!

Many thanks for the guide - saved me a lot of hassle as I'm going on holiday on Sunday in the car! :D
 

trumpetman1

Guest
I had a mk4 Golf with this problem. First time they replaced it under warranty, second time they charged me as a part already replaced under warranty isn't covered a second time if it fails!! Seems like a get out clause so they don't have to keep paying out for parts that blatantly aren't good enough quality.
 

phil cook

Guest
just read the LC guide as my brake lights don't work and bulbs / fuses are ok.

Thanks for the walkthrough.

will get the part and follow the guide as Stealer quoted £85 to resolve issue.

53 Leon Cupra R
 

phil cook

Guest
Brake Light Switch

just replaced the faulty brake light switch usin the guide provided.

worked first time and with 20 minutes.

Thanks for the guide, it was excellent.
 

InTheSeat

Guest
Awesome post. I had a problem with the brake lights not coming on till too late. I had to stand on the pedal for the lights to work. I got the panels off as described. I took the switch out, which happened to be what looks like the new one you lot talked about (well it was the green one anyway!) but everthing seemed ok. I took the switch apart, stretched the spring slightly to make the plunger a bit more resisting. All back together and works like a dream. Now I only have to tap the pedal slightly and the brake lights are on. No more flashers and people with horns letting rip behind!! Cheers.
 

jaybeee

[e]
Feb 24, 2006
202
0
Belfast
www.metalrhino.com
Many thanks Stan 24v for your great guide.

I failed my MOT over here in NI cos of the switch failing on me. Sod's law isn't it that you have an MOT and that day it decides to fail! :censored:

Anyway, headed down to GSF and got a 4 pin Brake Light Switch for my Leon Cupra 03. Fitted it without any problems and all works ok... well, except that one brake light has also actually blown lmao

Cheers mate
 

scarface

Full Member
Oct 27, 2005
615
0
West Midlands
dam i think ive got this problem as all lights have gone out, fuse is fine, but lights work when got fogs on?! am going to change the bulbs 2moro just in case its that, if not, off to dealers/garage as im crap at car stuff!
 

drvince

Active Member
May 10, 2004
212
0
The Netherlands
Eerhh ?!? Why did you all disassemble the complete dash / panels for this job ??!?? :-o

The switch is almost in plain sight !
( what do you think these inspection holes in the lower panel are meant for ? ... :lol: )

I Just replaced my switch ... in 10 seconds max.

My manual :
Put your head down and look under dash at the brake pedal ,
remove old switch by twisting left. Insert the new one and twist right ...


Done ;)

I took some pictures while changing my switch, see below.

I can also confirm that the green colored 1C0945 511A RDW switch is the (currently)
correct part, superseding all other 1J0 945 511 [#] switches (where # = A to E)

Just be aware that the new 1C0945 511A RDW is selfadjusting in the opposite
way
as the older switches! The older switches had to be installed with
the brake pedal down. This switch is simply installed with the brake pedal UP.
I did it wrong first and noted that once once the switch was locked (by twisting it in place) ,
the brake pedal wouldn't travel back up all the way ....
This results in apllied brakes while driving and a very short travel of the pedal ...


13052009085.jpg



13052009084.jpg
 
Last edited:

speedinsaxo

Full Member
Jun 7, 2003
528
0
Visit site
Eerhh ?!? Why did you all disassemble the complete dash / panels for this job ??!?? :-o

The switch is almost in plain sight !
( what do you think these inspection holes in the lower panel are meant for ? ... :lol: )

I Just replaced my switch ... in 10 seconds max.

My manual :
Put your head down and look under dash at the brake pedal ,
remove old switch by twisting left. Insert the new one and twist right ...


Done ;)

I took some pictures while changing my switch, see below.

I can also confirm that the green colored 1C0945 511A RDW switch is the (currently)
correct part, superseding all other 1J0 945 511 [#] switches (where # = A to E)

Just be aware that the new 1C0945 511A RDW is selfadjusting in the opposite
way
as the older switches! The older switches had to be installed with
the brake pedal down. This switch is simply installed with the brake pedal UP.
I did it wrong first and noted that once once the switch was locked (by twisting it in place) ,
the brake pedal wouldn't travel back up all the way ....
This results in apllied brakes while driving and a very short travel of the pedal ...


13052009085.jpg



13052009084.jpg


Thanks for that, will be getting on today and fitting it this afternoon. Glad I don't have to take the lower dash off, it's a pain, i've done it about 5 times for other things and the screws are all a bit loose.