# Spurious Parking Brake ON warning message - park brake is off



## culverwood (May 20, 2005)

Almost every time I start now I get a handbrake warning. I just flick the handbrake release a second time and the light goes out, I'm sure it's just a switch contact and I'll get it looked at when the car is serviced but I wondered if it was a common problem or a one off.
William


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## ChrisV6 (Nov 20, 2005)

*Re: Handbrake-on warning (culverwood)*

I've had a handbrake release switch replaced. So might be a common fault.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Handbrake-on warning (culverwood)*

Hi William:
I had a look through the service manual, and the best I could come up with is this illustration. I wonder if the problem could be resolved with a little bit of lubrication of the sliding portion of the switch mechanism, or by making a fractional adjustment of the position of the switch? Or, perhaps the cause of the problem is not the switch, it is that the parking brake foot-pedal assembly is not fully retracting to the 'up' position when you pull the release lever - again, something that a tiny bit of cleaning and lubrication might fix?
Personally, I hate to replace parts if the problem can be solved by servicing the existing parts. It has been my experience that there are far too many additional problems that are caused by parts replacement - in other words, someone replaces a part, but they inadvertently leave out a fastener, or don't quite put things back together perfectly, and all of a sudden, you have a noise or vibration problem, or some other kind of problem that didn't exist before the part was replaced.
The illustration below presumes a left hand drive car, however, I think the components will be the same in a RHD car, although the covers and method of attachment of the entire assembly to the transmission tunnel might be a bit different.
Just for sake of interest - in North America, very few people ever use the parking brake. The most common 'parking brake problem' over here is that the cable assembly has corroded into a single solid blob because the brake has not been used once during the past 10 or 15 years. 
Michael
*Phaeton Parking Brake Assembly*


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## culverwood (May 20, 2005)

Michael
Thanks for your help I know I should not have been surprised by your diligence but it was an unexpected bonus. I'll give it a try.
William


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (culverwood)*

Hi William:
I was working in the parking brake area of my car this week (had to replace a Climatronic controller) - so, I took a few pictures of the switch that senses if the parking brake has been applied or not.
I don't know if the design of this assembly will be the same on your car (RHD) as mine (LHD), however, I suspect that the switch part of it will be the same. As you can see in the photos, the switch is not depressed until the parking brake has fully retracted. I wonder if it is possible that there might be a bit of matter on the rubber stop, or, if the rubber stop has rotated slightly, and is preventing the parking brake from retracting the last 1/8 of an inch and thus depressing the switch?
Michael
*Parking Brake - Switch not quite depressed*








*Parking Brake - Switch depressed*


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## mattsimis (Sep 19, 2005)

*Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on*

Tried a search for this, but its stalling on ads2.vortexmediagroup.com (IRC).
Basically the Parking Brake works fine.
-The release handle does release it just fine.. however
-The "(!) Release Parking Brake" warning on the dash doesnt turn off on the first pull of the Parking Brake release handle. The warning message is of course accompanied by annoying error beeps.
I assume its a sensor sticking or a something very stupid like that. The car is being picked up by its new owner on Monday, so I would really like to either have this fixed or be able to provide some insight to the problem, any input appreciated!


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## KCPhaetonTech (Aug 17, 2008)

*Re: Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on (mattsimis)*

There is a mini gas filled strut that may weaken over time that upon releasing isn't fully extending the lever. The strut is now available separately and is a fairly easy install so the repair is quite cheap.


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## culverwood (May 20, 2005)

*Re: Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on (mattsimis)*

This may help
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2459503


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## jimay (Aug 1, 2006)

*Re: Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on (mattsimis)*

Here in America we'd just duct tape the pedal to the release lever. The tape conveniently comes in the same anthracite grey that VW used in the interior of so many US model Phaetons. How convenient it that?


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## mattsimis (Sep 19, 2005)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

Any chance of getting these images rehosted?
thanks


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## mattsimis (Sep 19, 2005)

*Re: Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on (mattsimis)*

I think the link to the switch issues is the problem alright. 
Again, the lever and release are fine, just indicator stays on. The brake is definitely released though.


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## chrisj428 (Feb 26, 2005)

*Re: Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on (mattsimis)*

I've merged the two parking brake warning light threads to consolidate discussion.


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## Tegid (Oct 15, 2006)

*Re: Emergency/Parking brake release warning sticking on (chrisj428)*

Hi Everyone,
Hope all well.
I too am having problems with the parking brake. I wonder if the photos can be rehosted as they would be most useful.
Kind regards and thanks
Tegid


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Photos re-hosted (sorry it took 3 years to do... hope you still have the car) 

Michael


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