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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: jas307 on 16 February 2013, 21:57

Title: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 16 February 2013, 21:57
Hi guys
just bought a mk3 golf and noticed a few problems
my handbrake light is constantly on even when the handbrake is off. Also my abs light
does not light up at all. Could both these be linked?  I took the car to a vw specialist he did a abs
diagnostics and found 4 faults,


Speed sensor front left-G47,

Speed sensor rear left-G46,
Speed sensor front right-G45 sporadic fault,

Speed sensor

rear left-G46 signal outside tolerance sporadic fault


 

Any help much

appreciated


Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: tweed on 16 February 2013, 22:02
I'm sure if handbrake light is on with abs its letting you know the rear abs sensor is dead.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: Gavv8 on 16 February 2013, 22:08
Looks like there are problems with all the sensors, has it had work done on the brakes recently?
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: Screech16v on 16 February 2013, 22:36
Your abs ecu is at fault.this is very common.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 17 February 2013, 12:18
Hi thanks for the reply, do you know where i can get an ecu? and what i need to look for when buying
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: Gavv8 on 17 February 2013, 12:21
Have a look in the classifieds on this forum, usually plenty of mk3's being broken. :smiley:
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 17 February 2013, 13:13
will i need a specific type? ,mine is a 95 model
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: SimonG on 17 February 2013, 16:45
Were they all the faults shown when the abs ecu was interrogated? If so, I would check all the sensors before replacing them, hopefully this should help with the situation. Have you tested the switch on the handbrake? Do these first before looking for replacement ecu.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 17 February 2013, 17:13
all i know is the mechanic carried out a diagnostic test on the abs and got the faults shown. he reckons someone has taken the abs bulb to stop the light. could you tell me where the handbrake switch is?
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: SimonG on 17 February 2013, 19:13
Quite common for someone to disconnect the abs light to get it through an MoT, mine was when I bought it. You'll find the handbrake switch on the handbrake itself and to see you'll have to remove some trim. Disconnect the switch plug and jump the two pins to see if it goes on/off. Also make sure the brake fluid level is not too low as well, this can cause the dash light to come on as well.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: VW BUSH on 17 February 2013, 19:18
Quite common for someone to disconnect the abs light to get it through an MoT, mine was when I bought it. You'll find the handbrake switch on the handbrake itself and to see you'll have to remove some trim. Disconnect the switch plug and jump the two pins to see if it goes on/off. Also make sure the brake fluid level is not too low as well, this can cause the dash light to come on as well.
If the little cap is missing and the plunger has floated up you will get a light on as well
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 17 February 2013, 19:40
had a look at the brake fluid and notciced the plunger is sticking up, held the plunger down but the handbrake light still stayed on?
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: vwwvgolf on 17 February 2013, 19:57
if it the ecu send it off to bba reman. they fix it with life time warranty for 90 quid. they collect it and post back too all in the price. just done this with mine
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: VW BUSH on 17 February 2013, 21:50
had a look at the brake fluid and notciced the plunger is sticking up, held the plunger down but the handbrake light still stayed on?

That's eliminated that then :wink: Worth getting a cap though.
You will end up changing the wheel sensors at some time worth doing just so you know they are good, would be a ball ache to put a new ecu on only to find a duff sensor....
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: Gavv8 on 18 February 2013, 09:06
The wiring to the sensors can play up or break inside the sleeving and still look intact, if someone has worked on the brakes recently and been a bit heavy handed they could easily have damaged the sensor cables although to do all four is pretty bad luck, i'd replace the ecu first.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: Stewy12 on 18 February 2013, 11:18
I have 2 spare ecus also if u disconnect the abs light get a led wire it up to the oil switch so it comes on and put it were the abs light is I did this for my mot (mot testers advice) or just replace all 4 sensors this works as well
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 18 February 2013, 17:01
thanks for the help guys much appreciated, made some progress today took the abs light out and noticed the bulb has blown, now looking for a replacement unit, also took the handbrake trim off and fixed the switch now the handbrake goes on/off as it should.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 21 February 2013, 21:29
could someone tell me where the ecu part number is located?
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: vwwvgolf on 22 February 2013, 16:34
on the ecu itself, it faces down to the road. will most likey be covered in crrrrrap
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: gasketface on 23 February 2013, 12:57
Forget the ecu for now.The abs light comes on when one sensor fails.If you ignore that and another sensor fails the handbrake light will stay on as well.If any other sensors fail after that nothing else will light up as VW think you should have got the message by now. :smiley:

My advice,change all 4 sensors,buy a code reader and once fitted reset all faults.Total cost on ebay about £45 all in.

You will probably have to destroy all the old sensors to get them out though !.They arev held in by torx headed screws and rust.

If that fails and your wiring is good then look at ecu but in my experience it very rarely fails.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: SimonG on 23 February 2013, 21:20
Forget the ecu for now.The abs light comes on when one sensor fails.If you ignore that and another sensor fails the handbrake light will stay on as well.If any other sensors fail after that nothing else will light up as VW think you should have got the message by now. :smiley:

My advice,change all 4 sensors,buy a code reader and once fitted reset all faults.Total cost on ebay about £45 all in.

You will probably have to destroy all the old sensors to get them out though !.They arev held in by torx headed screws and rust.

If that fails and your wiring is good then look at ecu but in my experience it very rarely fails.

Good advice.

You've managed to find a fault with the handbrake switch which seemed to make the light stop on. You could do a continuity test on the sensors to see how much resistance is present across the two pins. There are some figures around here somewhere; this will give you another indication of the state of the sensors.
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: tshirt2k on 24 February 2013, 09:25

If that fails and your wiring is good then look at ecu but in my experience it very rarely fails.

I think you'll find the are a common failure. Especially on these cars. 
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: vr6D4v3 on 24 February 2013, 10:19
Is there anything on these cars that aren't a common problem?
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: jas307 on 24 February 2013, 21:33
Where is the ABS ECU located?. I know the control module is by the pump, but the ABS ECU is located elsewhere. Any ideas where please?
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: benvictors on 25 February 2013, 15:36

If the little cap is missing and the plunger has floated up you will get a light on as well
[/quote]

I think you will find that the plunger needs to be at the very bottom to make the connection which brings on the light, you don't need the little cap for this feature to work properly, if the plunger is up then there should be no light  :wink:
Title: Re: Abs & Handbrake light on mk3 16v gti
Post by: Screech16v on 25 February 2013, 19:03
Where is the ABS ECU located?. I know the control module is by the pump, but the ABS ECU is located elsewhere. Any ideas where please?

 :huh: the abs ecu is the control module  :lipsrsealed: