Handbrake light on dash (electronic handbrake)

nick91111, Sep 22, 9:30am
Bought a 2008 Tiguan TDI 4M from a dealer with a new WOF around a year ago. The LED on the auto-hold and the hand brake switch itself work, and function totally fine - only thing I've just noticed is on the dash the red "hand brake" light doesn't come up when it's on, or on auto-hold. The light comes up with ignition on, then clears on startup (even with hand brake on). I've tested the brake fluid level sensor (as I read the share the same light/wiring), and it does apply the warning light with the brake reservoir cap and sensor removed. Is the switch faulty? How can I test this? Is this even a WOF item? As technically it "goes away" and doesn't stay on. Cheers

intrade, Sep 22, 9:38am
that brake is electric no brake fluid. it has a taumel motor what ever this means in english dont ask me to translate it in to clean english. Woobly dizzy motor . The brake sytem needs cleaning and calibrating. if you want to do it zour self you need a superVAG pro tool for 80 to 120 bux from wish for example. to wind back the handbrake clean and potentiall refit new pads and calibrate it .
hand brake and hill asist is used with electic handbrake
You will also find if zou fasten the seatbelt then start the car you can drive off and the handbrake auto releases. Hoever if you try and drive off without seatbelt on its over you have to then manually release the brake with the electric comand button.
Here some to read on EPB Electric parking brake.
https://www.aa1car.com/library/electronic_parking_brake.htm

nick91111, Sep 22, 9:46am
I meant the brake fluid sensor triggers the same dash light for low brake fluid. So it was just a test to see if the light itself can be tripped. But as it shows up on ignition on, but turns off after that. The issue is that the light on the dash for the hand brake does NOT come on with the hand brake engaged.

yz490, Sep 22, 9:52am
My 2007 Passat TDI does similar but the park brake operates ok. Damn thing has all sorts of random electrical thinks crop up like the reversing distance beeper thing squealing flat out. Not gonna spend heaps on it so just keep driving & it all seems to come right eventually. Not sure how the Auto Hold works but mine doesn't do anything--or i'm doing it wrong. Probably another fault to ignore. Love it on the open road but the DSG clutch is abrupt in take up & sometimes stops the motor in a panic stop from highway speed like it hasn't had time to realise i'm stopping faster than normal. Try & avoid taking it to town & use the old V8 Audi which is about as stupid as it sounds, but smooth in traffic--V8 around town & 2 liter diesel on the highway lol. think there's a yellow dash brake light picturing two brake shoes that comes on randomly now in the TDI. I'll take note next time. Wife drives it mostly. Had it about 3 years.

nick91111, Sep 22, 9:55am
Thanks, yeah it is a bit like that! But they are nice to drive, so I up with the electrical (and other gremlins) :) I'd never noticed and assumed it was normal, until a friend with an audi drove it, and said why does your light not come on when you put the park brake on, and I said, oh I thought it didn't as the LED on the switch is clearly on - but apparently that's not the case!

intrade, Sep 22, 10:10am
a audi is not a vw i think my one says release handbrake if i try drive off with no seatbelt

intrade, Sep 22, 10:12am
a audi is for rich' w. rs a vw is for the workers. the skoda is for the poor and the seat. brand is for the doll'blodgers. same , same only different

kazbanz, Sep 22, 10:54am
So you have clearly and unambiuously identified the issue and likely the cause of the issue. Given the park brake does actually work as intended then it has to be something in the line from whatever triggers the light in the park brake to the light.

intrade, Sep 22, 10:57am
yea like it does not exist for example

poppy62, Sep 22, 11:15am
When you say "Auto Hold" I take it you mean Hill start assist! If so the light shouldn't come on as this is an operation performed by the brake pedal. What is the condition of the rear brake / hand brake pads? Does the handbrake light come on when the brake pedal is not operated? that is when you stop and engage the handbrake, and take your foot off the pedal.

gph1961, Sep 22, 12:14pm
what happens if you try and move with park brake applied?

nick91111, Sep 22, 12:16pm
Factory spec is to disengage when put in gear and throttle applied. Which is does. Safety.

nick91111, Sep 22, 12:18pm
Button called AUTO HOLD, but yep hill start assist I guess!? Hand brake light does NOT come on with or without brake pedal, no difference. Rear pads and hand brake shoes/pads were done around 6 months ago, so should be good, I'd assume the worn brake pads light (separate light) would come on for that too. Issue is that the light never goes with the hand brake on :D

nick91111, Sep 22, 12:18pm
Can I try and short/jump the wires in the hand brake switch to try and trigger the light somehow?

intrade, Sep 22, 12:37pm
no you could comand the function with a scanner and if there is a malfunction there will be a code like a cominication error to the dashboard cluster for example. These codes are not emission related so wont show on anything but a factory car make scanner. obd2 is emissions only i said that 100 and 1 tousend times now.

gph1961, Sep 22, 12:45pm
is it possible to have a pic of said light?

m16d, Sep 22, 1:23pm
You truly have a way with words in the english language.
We could get you a job as a scribbler for a motoring magazine.

bigfatmat1, Sep 22, 3:01pm
Does it have a handbrake light apart from the one on the switch. What does the manual say? I realize it has a low fluid level light but does this double as a handbrake light?

nick91111, Sep 22, 3:47pm
the low fluid light flashes and beeps and is the same light that should display with the hand brake engaged. So the light itself “works” at the dash 12v feed side, but not when triggered using the hand brake switch. (It also comes up as expected on an key on cycle and goes out after a few seconds)

nick91111, Sep 22, 4:06pm

bigfatmat1, Sep 22, 5:25pm
yes this is standard on alpt of cars but not all. Question still stands because I can assure you the signal will be generated via the handbrake ecm signal will be sent via can to ipk the ipk will then switch a light on if it is the same light. What does the manual say. And is there any relevant faults in the epb ecm or ipk ecm. We know that the epb is setting the on signal because the light on the switch goes. But we dont know if its getting sent over the network. So you really need to scan it if it is that light. If there is a fault my guess is the switch unit has had drink spilt in it.

nick91111, Nov 16, 1:16am
Thanks Mat, will get a scanner onto it. Manual states that same light goes with park brake applied.