[s-cars] The undead brake sensor

[Marc Gorelick]

Hi all,

Recently my car ('93 //S4, 183k miles) started giving me a brake warning 
indicator on my dashboard. This is the one on the "computer" display, 
not the red idiot light. I figured it was either worn brakes (10% 
likely) or flaky Audi electronics (90% likely).

My brakes are fine. So, I figured it must be a problem with the sensor. 
Upon further examination, a previous owner had disabled the sensor, and 
their jumper had corroded to the point where it broke. Okay, no problem, 
I figured...I'll just re-do the jumper and all will be well.   Not so 
easy, as it turns out...after doing this, the warning didn't go away. 
Fine, I thought...I'll just trace the wire further back and short the 
sensor further "upstream."  After tracing the wire through the engine 
compartment, I found a connector near the coolant overflow bottle and 
jumpered there. HA! Still no luck, the light will not go away.

So, where does this blasted sensor originate? I'll pull the instrument 
cluster and jumper the damnable thing at the source if I have to, I just 
want the light to go out. Do I have to clear this with a VAG-COM, or am 
I just not going far enough back in the circuit to get around wherever 
the broken wire is?

Thanks for any advice!

Marc