Electrical Issues? "Static Current Too High"

[KamA4]

So since I bought the car used it has occasionally told me that my brake pad limit has been reached, and then the code will go away next time I start the car. That would happen every few months and then go away again. Recently the car has been throwing it almost everyday for the last week or two, as well as also throwing the passenger seatbelt not engaged code when I have maybe 5-10 pounds on the seat. Im wondering if these sensors are bad and need to be replaced?

I have an OBDEleven scanner and the only code it shows is "Static Current Too High" which I have no idea why. Clearly electrical though, which makes me wonder if whatever is causing that issue is possibly causing my brake pad and passenger seat weight sensors to act abnormal? Anyone run into this?

[KamA4]

Also Im nearly positive the brake pads are not actually at their lifespan. They were new when I bought it. I've put on about 30000km since. And the fact that its happened sporadically in the past makes me think even more its just the sensor malfunctioning.

[RickNY]

Stupid question, have you actually inspected the brake pads? If its reporting pad limit reached, that means the sensor is making contact.. If I recall, the sensors are on the front left and rear right and on the inner pads. Also, as far as the seatbelt message -- are you sure its not the message saying that the passenger airbag is disabled? That will come on if it believes a small child may be in the seat

[Smac770]

"Static Current Too High", from what control module?

The pad sensor is just a wire that connects two pins on the J519. If there's any issue in the wiring from the J519 through the "sensor" back to the J519, it'll all report the same, open circuit, ie sensor broken, ie pads low. Problem in the harness plug or the sensor plug or the splicing of the wheel well harness to the interior harness is not unheard of. And B9, so there's no only the front left sensor in the "circuit line", but also the right rear sensor. I know I've posted the involved pins and such in some same subject thread in one of the B9 A4, S4, A5/S5, Q5 forums.

The PODS detection is a completely unrelated problem. B9 PODS is based on inductance between the seat heating grid and the vehicle chassis. Depending on the electrical conductivity nature of the object in the seat, that could be throwing it off, especially wet objects.

[KamA4]

So it's definitely possible my brake pads could be near their limit, I havent inspected them. I feel like 30k isnt enough to burn through them though from new. But the seat issue is that the passnger no seatbelt light comes on because its detecting weight, but it shouldn't be at this much weight and it hasn't in the past. It does also sometimes say front passenger airbag off and the seatbelt light wont come on when it does that. Its the same stuff with roughly the same weight every single day so I have no idea why its doing it now. Now I do have a large water bottle on the seat that does sometimes leak a few drops onto the seat.

As for the static current code Im unsure of the control module, Id have to rescan and check and get back to you. Assuming its unrelated to the brake pad and seat sensor issues, is this code anything to worry about? I dont really know what it means other than it sounds like too much power going through something somewhere.

[Thumper3]

Inspect your brake pads. I mean it's not even a question, it's just troubleshooting step one. If the pads look good then inspect the sensors as mentioned, make sure the wires aren't melted or cut which are the two most likely causes of the problem. I had rear pads on a 09 Jetta we bought new wear out and gone after 20k miles once. Even if the dealer showed you an invoice for the new pads when you bought it and they didn't just say they were "new" meaning they had been put on within the last year or so you can't just assume they are good.

To be honest the seat warning almost sounds like normal operation except you said it didn't used to do it. So either it WAS broken and now it's working or something is shorted only sometimes or both. If it only comes on oddly when stuff is in the seat but not at all when there's nothing might be as already suggested just due to the items in your seat (laptop, water bottle, etc). I can't imagine a "drop or two" of water would cause it unless it full on spilled most of a bottle down the seat. If it acts normally when there's nothing there, and it acts normally when there's a passenger there, and unless the error you posted relates to that module I would almost just go with the old doctor's advise; if it acts weird with your water bottle in the seat..........don't put the water bottle in the seat.