Glow plug light on - brake lights dont work

[Steve_PD]

hi, my foreman has got a 2002 tdi 130. and the past three days his glow plug light has been coming on. sometimes it stays on from startup other times it comes on halfway through his journey.
But when ever the glow plug light comes on his brake lights dont work?? when the glow plug light goes off the brake lights work again.
I had it plugged into vag-com today and it threw up the following fault;

VAG-COM Version: Release 409.1-US


Chassis Type: 1J - VW G/J/B Mk4
Scan: 01,02,03,08,16,15,17,19,22,35,46,56
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine
   Controller: 038 906 019 HJ
   Component: 1,9l R4 EDC 0000SG  1576
   Coding: 00002
   Shop #: WSC 00046
   WVWZZZ1JZ3B084734     VWZ6Z0B0359328
1 Fault Found:
16955 - Brake Switch (F): Implausible Signal
            P0571 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
Readiness: N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 03: ABS Brakes
   Controller: 1C0 907 379 M
   Component: ESP FRONT MK60      0102
   Coding: 0019970
   Shop #: WSC 00046
1 Fault Found:
00526 - Brake Light Switch-F
            008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent

anybody got any ideas?
Why would the brake lights stop when the glow plug light comes on?
any help appreciated
 

[Rhyso]

thats the way it works mate - glow plug lamp is like a bulb fault indicator 

get yourself down to VW and buy a new brake light switch - its underneath the brake pedal

Part is approx £10 and around 15minutes to fit - bit fiddily and be careful not to break the new one lol

[Steve_PD]

Cheers mate, will let him know tomorrow 

[Rhyso]

Cheers mate, will let him know tomorrow 

no worries mate 

my mate's dad had it even worse on his - coming home one night from work going down the dual carrigeway and ENGINE STOP! flashes at him and scares the living daylights out of him 

[Steve_PD]

yeah, bloody dangerous 

[Rhyso]

yeah, bloody dangerous 

indeed but i can sort of see the logic - it makes you sort it quickly to avoid someone running right into the back of you

[Steve_PD]

would be better if the engine management light comes on instead, I thought the glow plug light was purely for the glow plugs.
He's had this problem on and off since since before Christmas, but its only because its happened three days in a row he told me about it. Glad its a simply fix coz I'll most probably end up doing it in work next week 

[Rhyso]

would be better if the engine management light comes on instead, I thought the glow plug light was purely for the glow plugs.
He's had this problem on and off since since before Christmas, but its only because its happened three days in a row he told me about it. Glad its a simply fix coz I'll most probably end up doing it in work next week 

lol

there is a handy how-to on vwvortex - worth reading as apparently you got to hold a spring in place when fitting and its quite easy to break the new one installing it 

[Steve_PD]

ah I'll have a look.
knowing my luck I'll brake the new one when trying to fit and then brake the old one aswell 

[richw911]

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1158315