miggit wrote:

That's what I thought, it looks only to be a single wire, unless it is a very thin coax. Most cars that I have dealt with have a single wire that shorts to earth when the pads are worn, but they do go on and off with the use of the bakes. It would appear that either the sensor is connected by a thin coax or when the ecu sees the first short to earth, it stays on and drives you mad! this would then require a reset from a fault code reader to put the light out, only mine reads it and then dose nothing. I know the pads were worn the car keeps telling me, I dont need the scanner to join in too

Yes that's how they work. Just a loop of wire that wears through and goes open circuit. If there is a break anywhere else in the system it will give a warning, hence it fails safe. Single wire systems that earth/short won't fail safe so are not a great design, I don't know any modern cars that use it, think my old Renault 5 from the 80's did.
To bypass a two wire system just short circuit the two wires at the connector or cut the 'sensor' cable and crimp the two wires together.
I've done that a few times where the system has given issues on other cars.
The wear sensor doesn't replace proper brake inspections and can give a false sense of the state of the pads so to be honest I would rather not have it.

Good to know how they work and how to bye-pass if required.
I must admit I'm used to the single wire to earth system.

Did we ever get a definitive answer as to how to turn the light off? I've put a new sensor on and light is still on. Have read so many stories.. Goes off in 2 days... Turn on and off 9 times... Roll one trouser leg up and hop etc etc. only changed it this afternoon but is still on as of now.

Cheers.
Tel Accept, some days your the pigeon, some days your the statue!

Hi there, I just replaced the sensor and the warnings stopped straight away
If you are still getting the Bong of doom and the screen of Death, I would suggest that you have a bad connection between the plug and the car ( inside that stupid plastic cover )
I would try a paper clip opened up and pushed into the plug (car side) just to make sure that it's not a duff sensor, joke, I mean loop of wire. If that don't work then you will have to trace the wiring back until you find the brake or the bad connection.

If your not fussed about having a sensor then you might think about cutting the wire back and twisting it together. if that shuts it up, then a dob of solder and some tape and Bob's your fathers brother, well he is my fathers brother  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Try turning the ignition on wait for the light to go out , about 20 seconds I think. Then switch off should now be reset.
there's a powerful uk video somewhere showing the trick with the paperclip.
greg.