EGC

We keep a set of lock-nut removal sockets. They do work, but you need to use them with an impact wrench. This is a regular problem for many workshops and not too difficult to sort out. You dont need to resort to hammering things on and chiselling at the bolt! Dont bother with the McGard type, they are weak, get the splined type instead.

This is quite common on a range of cars. Its due to the pad backing being a little 'undersized' for the caliper carriers and the pad can move about 1mm or so in the carrier. Often depends what brand of pads are fitted. We just had a Suzuki Swift this last week with the same problem. We'd sold it as a used car and owner wasn't happy. Changed the OE TRW pads for some Mintex - problem solved! No detriment to the braking though, so dont woeey about it.

I think it will fail the Taxi test is the light is on (its stricter than the MoT). We have had taxi drivers ask us to put the SRS light out and there is no way other than sticking black tape over it! Stripping down the intrument pod is not really practical, and if you undo any connectors the warning light will still stay on and another fault code will be added. You need to code read and the fault fixed. Common troublespots on these are the connectors under the seats and the clockspring unit.

The adjustment is at the handbrake lever end (nut on the equaliser bar). The return springs should not really be necessary. After some years of attending to these problems on various VAG cars I have come to the conclusion that the pistons are a bit tighter than they should be. We have had cars, year after year, that wear out their rear pads before the fronts...

I have been servicing/repairing VAG cars for many years. Sticking rear brake calipers are unfortunately a common problem and often difficult to cure. Generally they free up after a while with regular use, although the small calipers on the Polo/Fabia etc can go very sticky and need replacement. Note that the handbrake MUST be correctly adjusted (lever NOT on the stops, but just clear of it by the specified amount on both sides) - even VAG dealers get this wrong and the result is an 'overadjusted' handbrake that binds a bit. Strip the pads out of the calipers and thoroughly clean the slides, make sure the pads float free. Then put the rear wheels on a rolling road (MoT test station) and check for significant drag. Most times there will be enough drag to heat the discs slightly, but not enough to cause any real problem or show up on the RR.

The design of this unit appears to be a shock absorber mounted inside the tube which goes into the hub mount and holds the spring seat. Some rust has formed inside the tube, but that is not the cause of the failure. Judging by your photo (its not entirely clear) the ARB drop link has actually bent. This would require a huge amount of force, so its not surprising that the bracket finally broke away. I suspect that either the bracket is incorrectly located on the coilover unit (not high far enough up) or there was some kind of installation error that caused the ARB to 'bottom out' and so you had the weight of the car on the droplink, bending it and eventually breaking the bracket. Either way, it will require the coilover units to be removed...

If you need the factory parking aid sesnor front brackets then try 1ZO919485C We have bought these in the past. You can also get the dealer-fit brackets. Relies on the storeman being a bit interested in helping you.

Very nasty. That's the ARB (antiroll bar) droplink bracket by the looks of it. Great amount of force has been applied there - it looks to me like the droplink has actually bent slightly and the bracket then torn off. I suspect a fitting error, rather than a fault with the parts. PS - do not drive the car any distance in this condition. If you must move it, then drive it VERY SLOWLY. Not sure entirely what is going on there, and what is happening to the other side. Better if your fitter can come out to you and take a look.

We routinely get VAG cars in with sticking rear calipers. Its common on Golfs and Polos. Normally there is no pulling noticed. Owners invariably bring the car in because they've noticed a burning smell when getting out of the car at the end of a trip.

I wonder at the value of the test. The top few tyres are overall less than a few percent apart. On some of the individual tests the tyres are scored less than 1% apart. How do you (subjectively) assess a tyre to an accuracy of better than one part in one hundred? I am not sure its a meaningful and repeatable difference.

This car is FWD, so if you are sure rear wheels are scrabbling on pull-off then it could be a sticking rear brake. Put you hand (gently) on the centre of each rear wheel after a run and see if they feel hot. Should be no hotter than front ones. If it is a sticking rear brake doing this then one wheel will be very hot since it must be well sticky.

If the brakes were binding enough to cause the problems that described then the smell of brake linings would be very noticable after a few miles, and there would be smoke from the brakes on longer runs. We see quite a few sticking rear brakes on Otavia II, usually one side only sticks. Golf V etc and after a few miles there is a very strong smell and the wheel almost too hot to touch. It could be that engine power is down for some reason. We had a DSG Audi with similar symptoms and that turned out to be a problem with exhaust blockage. Vast majority of problems we see with rough shifts and wrong shifts on DSGs are down to the MU though. Obviously there is no substitute for actually seeing the car since a lot of owners misdescribe symptoms or dont tell you vital information.

Erratic changes points and rough changes are invariably due to problems with the MU. We see quite a number of these as the age/mileage builds up. 19k is quite early for MU problems, but hardly unheard of. Low speed judder on take-off is usually down to problems with the clutch packs. Probles with the DSG should not affect the brake pedal feel, not the grip at the rear. These are likely to be unrelated problems (if they are real problems).

Alternatively use the repair kit now available from VAG. About £140. You need access to VCDS though.

We are agents for a major warranty company (not WD) and offer their warranties with used car sales. Usually WD have a large margin built into their premiums, so you should be able to negotiate a significant discount over their online quote by ringing their call centre and haggling. Expect to get 25-30% off their headline quote. I would expect something like an Octavia vRS to be covered for dealer repairs and W&T for £240-300 a year.