ADVICE PLEEEAASSSSEEEEE
Discussion
Hi , apologies if this has already been answered I’m a newbie, I am travelling a long journey tomorrow, my AUDI A4 03 1.9 tdi has an intermittant breaklight at the back , it’s had a new bulb (twice! ) also the number plate light is out again changed twice, I know driving without break light is illegal however if my strip of red lights I have in the back window that lights up when I break is still working is that ok to still drive without a rear break light ? Is it illegal for the number plate light to be defective? Also now my driver window has stopped working and my back right passenger as well ! And to top it all off when I go above 65/68 ish MPH in speed the whole dash lights up and flashes the word BREAKS! When I switch the car off and on again it isn’t their only when I go above that speed! I have contacted most garages yesterday and they are too busy till after Christmas and I’m desperate to get to my mother to care for her for Christmas, however I do have AA thankfully but I know they will only advise a garage but I do have onward travel on the policy where they give you a hire car but does anyone know if they will for those problems ? Are they deemed important enough to give me a car as it may be illegal plus I am a super nervous driver and I have 250 miles to drive tomorrow , the flashing on the dash nearly gave me a heart attack ! Any advice please to the above questions ?
Rhiload said:
Hi , apologies if this has already been answered I’m a newbie, I am travelling a long journey tomorrow, my AUDI A4 03 1.9 tdi has an intermittant breaklight at the back , it’s had a new bulb (twice! ) also the number plate light is out again changed twice, I know driving without break light is illegal however if my strip of red lights I have in the back window that lights up when I break is still working is that ok to still drive without a rear break light ? Is it illegal for the number plate light to be defective? Also now my driver window has stopped working and my back right passenger as well ! And to top it all off when I go above 65/68 ish MPH in speed the whole dash lights up and flashes the word BREAKS! When I switch the car off and on again it isn’t their only when I go above that speed! I have contacted most garages yesterday and they are too busy till after Christmas and I’m desperate to get to my mother to care for her for Christmas, however I do have AA thankfully but I know they will only advise a garage but I do have onward travel on the policy where they give you a hire car but does anyone know if they will for those problems ? Are they deemed important enough to give me a car as it may be illegal plus I am a super nervous driver and I have 250 miles to drive tomorrow , the flashing on the dash nearly gave me a heart attack ! Any advice please to the above questions ?
I think ALL fitted brake lights have to be working. It's the same with number plate lights.I'd be stunned if the AA gave you a hire car because you have dodgy electrics. I'd be surprised if they even took you to your final destination but I could be wrong.
Breakdown services won't cover you for pre-existing faults.
If bulbs are blowing, it's usually a live wire earthing where it shouldn't or if it's not working but not blown, a faulty earth somewhere.
Seems doubtful the window issue is linked.
I takes it that when it says BRAKES, you have had the pads checked as when pads wear down to minimum, an electrical contact lights the warning light.
If bulbs are blowing, it's usually a live wire earthing where it shouldn't or if it's not working but not blown, a faulty earth somewhere.
Seems doubtful the window issue is linked.
I takes it that when it says BRAKES, you have had the pads checked as when pads wear down to minimum, an electrical contact lights the warning light.
Rhiload said:
....And to top it all off when I go above 65/68 ish MPH in speed the whole dash lights up and flashes the word BREAKS! ....
I bet it doesn't..... 
Light unit issues and bulbs apparently blowing sounds like an electrical issue, such as bad earth or a problem with the body control unit in the car such as water ingress. It's not ideal to be driving around with defective lights and if nothing else it's going to make you stand out and easy target for a roadside stop by the plod.
A specific BRAKE warning message on the dash could mean something altogether more serious and potentially dangerous - such as fault with the ABS module that is going to have a material affect if you needed to stop suddenly, or if the road is slippery. Or you may have neglected earlier warnings that your brake pads are worn out.... For that reason I would not suggest you go on a long journey without getting it checked out.
Alternatively, both issues might be a result of low battery voltage as already suggested. Even if you can't get a proper garage to book the car in before Christmas you might try the likes of Halfords for a battery check, and/or a Tyre specialist like ATS that can do a check on the physical condition of the braking components to help provide some reassurance before your journey. Those kind of garages usually can cope with a number of 'drive in' customers and not just prebooked work.
Did you replace the bulbs yourself & were they actually blown?
Fit new bulbs & if stopped you can tell the Officer that you checked your lights before setting off & they were working. As they would then have failed during the journey they MAY not take any action.
If they did then whilst they are offences they fall under the Vehicle Defects Rectification Scheme.
Read this:
www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/vehicle-defect-...
Not ideal as there are clearly increasing electrical issues & the BRAKES warning is a concern as you don't know what that issue is & there can be a number of causes.
If you still feel worried about the car's electrical issues then consider hiring a car.
Fit new bulbs & if stopped you can tell the Officer that you checked your lights before setting off & they were working. As they would then have failed during the journey they MAY not take any action.
If they did then whilst they are offences they fall under the Vehicle Defects Rectification Scheme.
Read this:
www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/vehicle-defect-...
Not ideal as there are clearly increasing electrical issues & the BRAKES warning is a concern as you don't know what that issue is & there can be a number of causes.
If you still feel worried about the car's electrical issues then consider hiring a car.
Edited by paintman on Wednesday 21st December 11:54
Thanks all for the advice, I had the bulbs fitted in Halfords last week and changed again yesterday , I had the breaks checked and all were fine well within minimum. It just frightens me when I see that flashing up as I’m driving along as like I said a nervous driver , I live rurally so motorway driving is a twice yearly occurrence for me ! As for the battery that was replaced 3 months ago and the AA if I said I’ve just realised as I was driving it’s intermittent surely they should help me , I’ve never called them out in 2 years ! Is the windows being defective not a danger? My policy covers onward travel , I just don’t feel confident driving all that way with lights flashing ,
Rhiload said:
Hi , apologies if this has already been answered I’m a newbie, I am travelling a long journey tomorrow, my AUDI A4 03 1.9 tdi has an intermittant breaklight at the back , it’s had a new bulb (twice! ) also the number plate light is out again changed twice,
Sounds like a dodgy electrical connection. I wouldn't waste any more money on changing bulbs. Rhiload said:
I know driving without break light is illegal however if my strip of red lights I have in the back window that lights up when I break is still working is that ok to still drive without a rear break light ?
I think the law probably requires that all the brake lights are working. I suspect that, as long as you have two working brake lights, you're more likely to get a telling-off than a fine and points on your license. Rhiload said:
Is it illegal for the number plate light to be defective?
Yes. Rhiload said:
Also now my driver window has stopped working and my back right passenger as well !
More evidence that there's an dodgy electrical connection somewhere. Also, if you're stopped by a police officer (for example, because you have a brake light and a rear number plate light out), the normal sequence of events would involve you lowering your window and saying "What seems to be the problem, officer?"
Have a think about the impression that will be created if you have to open the door because your window won't go down.
Rhiload said:
And to top it all off when I go above 65/68 ish MPH in speed the whole dash lights up and flashes the word BREAKS!
Do you mean "BRAKES"? Rhiload said:
When I switch the car off and on again it isn’t their only when I go above that speed!
The issues are starting to mount up now, and you should have a long hard think about whether your car, which is clearly defective, will survive a 250-mile journey without conking out on you. Rhiload said:
I have contacted most garages yesterday and they are too busy till after Christmas and I’m desperate to get to my mother to care for her for Christmas, however I do have AA thankfully but I know they will only advise a garage but I do have onward travel on the policy where they give you a hire car but does anyone know if they will for those problems ? Are they deemed important enough to give me a car as it may be illegal plus I am a super nervous driver and I have 250 miles to drive tomorrow , the flashing on the dash nearly gave me a heart attack ! Any advice please to the above questions ?
If your car conks out, and you have onward travel, I can't imagine that the AA would refuse it unless you tell them that your car had these problems before you started your journey. That said, looking at the AA website, it says it will cover the cost of a breakdown hire car, so if you're expecting the AA to show up at the side of the road where you've broken down with a hire car ready for you to drive off, you're going to be disappointed.
If I were you, I would book a hire car today to pick up tomorrow to drive to your mum's.
Your reply has put things into perspective for me , yes it would not be the best impression to the police if stopped with a window not lowering to talk to them ! As for the AA last time which was 2 years ago I called them out to my home as I had homestart and they organised a hire car for the next day for me as I told them I wasn’t in a rush ! , my good old Audi has been a cracking car for me fo rather last 14 years but I suppose it’s now time to wave it goodbye 
it has 147000 on the clock and it’s an 03 plate . Thank you all
it has 147000 on the clock and it’s an 03 plate . Thank you all If it's just one brake light out but you've still got the other plus the third brake light (and your tail lights are working) I'd just crack on.
In the very unlikely event of getting stopped just say it was working when you set off and you'll get it fixed ASAP.
If it's both brake lights are out then that really is v dangerous as other vehicles might not notice you slowing down.
In the very unlikely event of getting stopped just say it was working when you set off and you'll get it fixed ASAP.
If it's both brake lights are out then that really is v dangerous as other vehicles might not notice you slowing down.
A number plate light is required, but barely relevant now with reflective plates (and filthy cars!). Clean the number plates and no-one will notice a bulb is out (but ideally change the bulb).
I would pop into Halfords and change the defective brake light (or do it yourself, in fact some countries require drivers to have spare bulb sets in the car!).
I would pop into Halfords and change the defective brake light (or do it yourself, in fact some countries require drivers to have spare bulb sets in the car!).
Firstly, just to be quite correct it is you BRAKES that slow/stop you if something is broken then it BREAKS, they are different words with different meanings.
That aside you seem to have 3 actual problems with your car.
I would expect that what actually happens is you get an ABS fault above a certain speed caused by having incorrectly sized tyres or extreme differences in wear/tyre pressures.
That aside you seem to have 3 actual problems with your car.
Rhiload said:
my AUDI A4 03 1.9 tdi has an intermittant breaklight at the back , it’s had a new bulb (twice! ) also the number plate light is out again changed twice, I know driving without break light is illegal however if my strip of red lights I have in the back window that lights up when I break is still working is that ok to still drive without a rear break light ?
These should be quite simple problems to fix, but obviously if you don't know your way around a car's electrics then they are a job for an auto electrician.Rhiload said:
Also now my driver window has stopped working and my back right passenger as well
The same auto electrician should be able to find the issue with these also.Rhiload said:
And to top it all off when I go above 65/68 ish MPH in speed the whole dash lights up and flashes the word BREAKS! When I switch the car off and on again it isn’t their only when I go above that speed
Is that actually what happens?I would expect that what actually happens is you get an ABS fault above a certain speed caused by having incorrectly sized tyres or extreme differences in wear/tyre pressures.
E-bmw said:
Rhiload said:
And to top it all off when I go above 65/68 ish MPH in speed the whole dash lights up and flashes the word BREAKS! When I switch the car off and on again it isn’t their only when I go above that speed
Is that actually what happens?I would expect that what actually happens is you get an ABS fault above a certain speed caused by having incorrectly sized tyres or extreme differences in wear/tyre pressures.
Although, it my case, it wouldn't show the warning until I hit, erm, 85ish...
Anyway, it was a faulty ABS sensor, even though the ABS warning itself was not illuminated.
I can tell you I shat my pants the first time it happened as I had to debate whether or not I'd be able to slow down again...
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