killeraxemannic

I just bought a 2003 Allroad project car. One of the things wrong with it was the infamous 3 light combo ABS TC and Level. There is not really an Audi dealer close to me so I ended up at my local Auto Zone and guess what? They have a brake light switch that is their own Duralast brand. It looks completely different than the stock Audi one but it plugs right in and just has a simple spring loaded pin that doesn't need to be adjusted and doesn't seem to get stuck or break if you push it in too far. It was however $30 bucks. I figured that wasn't too bad of a price to pay for something that will probably never break again though! Seems like someone at Duralast realized that the stock one was a common failure point and decided to design their own switch.

EDIT:
I guess if I didn't make it clear this is a direct replacement made for the application not a universal switch. Just have the parts guys look up your car and the part and they should be able to find it.

hzcct

Took my 03 AR in for an alignment, and of course, when I drove off their lot, all three lights were on. Took it back and they said it was the brake light switch. Funny, none of those lights were on before i went in. They did nothing to own the problem...but that's another rant.

Was this just a plug and play part? Did you have to use zip ties, mod anything, or was it a seamless crossover?

Going to look that part up now. Any further info would be appreciated.

Thanks

killeraxemannic

It's a direct replacement. Made for the car. You simply pop the old one out and pop the duralast one in and plug it in. No adjustment no fuss it just works. It can really go out at any time. Mine died while it was sitting in line at a drivethru.

hzcct

Thanks for the info.
NAPA actually had one for $9 but would have been a week to get it in. Picked the Duralast up this morning and was done 10 minutes after pulling into the garage.

I did have a glitch though. This may help someone else, if it happens.
After the install and putting back the kick panels, I went to go for a test drive. Started the car and the warning lights were gone, but then they came back and the gear selector was locked, with the red foot light, illuminated on the selector bezel.
Went back to problem solving 101.
Car off, pulled the kick panels, un-install and reinstall the switch.
Started the car and presto, worked fine.

Test drive went without any problems.

Not sure why this happened, and maybe it's a computer recognizing a new part, thing (smarter people here may know).

As mentioned in all the other write ups, I would not play with the plunger, either before or after installing.

The tally:
Me....$12.99 part and 10 mins...fixed
Rip off artist at the STEALER...$35 part and an hour labor =$144...maybe it would have been fixed, but what else would they have screwed up.


Thanks again

svsanchez

Hello, thank you for posting this. I am looking for that part in Guatemala but is nowhere to be found. Could you post a link so that I can pay it online.

Thanks again!

hzcct

http://m.napaonline.com/parts/PartsDetail.aspx?k=ECHSL1037_0384127028

http://m.autozone.com/autozone-mobile/en/parts/Duralast-Stoplight-Switch/_/N-jjzwlZ37x3l0?id=201634

No idea about shipping to Guatamala from these companies.

Good luck

svsanchez

Hello hzcct, I bought it at FCP Euro for $21 plus $9 for shipping to my PO Box in Florida so $30 which I feel is alright for an original european part and not something made in China.

Thanks a lot for your links!