Re: Barke Pads Wear Indicator Light

[DeWitt Harrison <de@aztek-eng.com>]

On Thu, 21 Jan 1999 15:56:52 -0500, Andrew Pawlisz wrote:

>The previous owner of the car (88 5kQ) apparently changed the brake pads.
However, he screwed something up becuase >the brake pad indicator is
illuminated. According to him, the aftermarket pads did not have the sensor
connector/ wires. >Well, did he put the wrong pads on? Is it possible for
the pads not to have the required connector? Should I replace the >"new"
pads with the correct ones, or, as a stop-gap measure, make the light go
away until the pads need replacing again >and buy the right pads then?
Should the second option be O.K. (I know, I know, only O.K.) how do I make
the light go >away?

A few points: Many aftermarket pads do not have the wear sensor,
particularly those of the high performance variety. The presumption
seems to be that if you up-rating your brakes in this way, you are
very aware of the condition of your pads warning lamp or not. It
may also be that some lower quality replacement pad brands choose
not to be bothered with the inconvenience of wear sensors.

The sensor consists of a metal strip embedded in the pad material
which is worn through as the pads wear down, thus opening an
electrical circuit and, in turn, operating the warning lamp. Any open
in this electrical circuit, e.g. a faulty connector on either side of
the car or a broken wire will trigger the lamp.  So it is possible to
have this warning even when the pads have wear sensors.

The importance of this warning function is a function of your
maintenance style. You may prefer to attend to the brake pads
only when service is definitely necessary. In that case, you
should take steps to restore the sensing circuit. Others I know of
have not hesitated to cut off the sensor connectors completely,
crimping the wire ends together in permanently closed circuits.
This is possibly analogous to a lobotomy. Those folks probably look
at their pads every few months, days or hours depending on the
progression of their diseases.

DeWitt Harrison
Boulder, CO
88 5kcstq