UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hey all,

I had my EPC light come up in the dash last night when I got in, nasty.. was hard to get to sleep lol

I have found out by the posts that are up here that its the brake light switch, to confirm this my brake lights do not work at all.

The problem is now that I've got a 100 mile trip to gatwick tomorrow morning at 6am and with no brake lights its going to be dangerous!

I know that my local dealship stocks the 2 types of switch (4 pin or 2 pin) however they cant fit me in today..

So, what switch is it and has anyone got a guide or has replaced this switch themselves that can give me a hand?? Haynes manual or anything??

Cheers
Chris

All done, a friend of mine has a VW mech so he did it. It was the brake light switch so if anyone else does get this, check you tail lights - the switch was £7.80



Chris

Glad you got it sorted.

For reference did you see him replace it?

If so, where is it located, I have heard it is above the brake pedal somewhere and needs the panel above the pedals removing?

Yep you need to remove the panel covering the pedals, take out the dodgy switch (looked like he simply pulled it out tbh - I couldn't quite see) and fit the new one. The whole job took 5 mins so I imagine it could be done esily, he used no other tools to do it.

Oh and yep its located directly above the brake pedal and sits on the drivers side, not the engine side.

Chris

Gotta love warranty, mine went and was done for free.

I panicked though when I looked at the manual and saw that EPC comes under Engine Management

The switch is a piece of bun to change. The hardest bit is removing the parts of the dash to get to it.

To remove the switch you need to turn it approx 45' to your left and remove then unplug, refitting is the reverse of this. As far as i know you need to pull the plunger out as far as it goes before fitting the new 1.

Just give you reg number so the parts guy can tell if it's a 2 or 4 pin plug you need.

Mine was purple 4 pin.

Just noticed you've already got it sorted.

BTW your brake lights may still work even if the switch is a fault. Mine did even though VAG-COM said that was the fault and the light was on, my guess is they work intermittently.

Most likely four pin connection. The purple switch is an updated design of the old black switch, should last longer if not for life of car now

Easy to change as above, simply twist fit to lock it to pedal box, the little plastic extending switch piece is pulled to max before fitting, then the brake pedal pushes it back to set its correct size

I've got VW breakdown service and when this happened to me I called them and told them the EPC light is on and I have no brake lights. I got into an argument with the lady at the other end of the phone cos she told me to drive the car to my local VW dealer to get them to have a look at it (as if i am gonna drive about knowing i have no breaklights!) Finally, someone came out and hooked a diagnostic machine up to the car and started interrogating me about whether I had chipped the engine or done any other performance mods cos this may be why the EPC light has come on! After being accused he confimed the EPC light being on because of the brake light switch being broken and finally replaced the switch.

Don't know quite how reliable this piece of info is but this happens when you let your foot slip off the brake pedal frequently rather than actually taking your foot off and away from the pedal. Now by saying this you may all think "woman driver" but I must add I had recently bought the car when this happened to me!