yes, its a loop (although grounding can result in much the same effect, btu that's another story) -

Hi all,

I was changing my front brake pads on my 98 986 this morning and am not sure whether I need to change the wear sensor also. Over the few hundred miles, the wear sensor light has intermittently turned on. More recently, it turns on quicker after I start the car.

However.... when I removed the old sensors, I could see that the red wires that go into the brake pad holes have not been cut. The rotor has worn off a little bit of one of the plugs that goes into the pad to hold the red wire in place. There is still some extra plug left before the rotor will cut the wire - not even touching the wire's insulation yet. And, there is electrical continuity through the sensors.

I thought this sensor turns the light on when the rotor cuts through the wire, so I'm confused as to why the warning light has been turning on. Lots of pad left on the back brakes.

So... should I replace the sensors? Can anyone explain why the light has been turning on?

Thanks!

... the continuity in each sensor.
Pull out a sensor and disconnect from the main connector.
Check the continuity while wiggling and moving the wires.
If you loose continuity intermittently you have a bad cable.

You'll get the brake wear light when continuity is broken, not by grounding itself with the rotor.

Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

i would actually consider eliminating them, if you have wheels off sufficiently often to check. Just make a shorting plug out of old sensors. Cut the wires short, wire tie, done.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Thanks Pedro and Grant.

I wiggle-tested all four sensors and they test good, so I'm not replacing them. I guess I'll have to wait for better weather to road-test and see what's going on. Kinda puzzling..