I would be very reluctant to let a dealer anywhere near it for this problem - the car would come back with far more faults than it went in for. Try the trick of driving it around well loaded for a week. The present wet weather won't help - mine was always at its worst on damp Autumn mornings.

Brake vibration is likely to be either warped front disks or knackered front suspension. Your car was unsold for a "few weeks" (more likely a few months). It's vey likely that a pad has rusted to the disk and left a pad-shaped imprint on it. Have a look at all disk surfaces, this happens when cars are stored with wet disks and not moved - the pad holds the water and the disk rusts in one spot. Does it knock over speed humps?

rotodiesel.

nope there is no knocking at all over speed bumps or other bumps. I only get the shudder when i am braking from speed rapidly for example on a dual carriageway coming upto a roundabout.

I did have a look at the front pads and they seem to have lots left on them, the front discs have little spots/marks on them in some places which i originally thought was rust but i guess not.

The rear discs look a bit smoother, although the pads look like they have half the amount of pad left compared to the fronts.

Another thing i noticed that when braking whilst driving round town etc, as you come to a stop it feels jerky and not a smooth stop. Best way to describe would be lf you were braking and released your foot then put your foot back on the brake pedal gently, over and over again until the car stopped. - hope that makes sense ?

Are discs and pads expensive ?

Almost sounds like the ABS kicking in. Have a look at the dashboard when it is happening; if it is the ABS a tell-tale warning light will flash.

Almost sounds like the ABS kicking in. Have a look at the dashboard when it is happening; if it is the ABS a tell-tale warning light will flash.

Really? When my ABS comes on I've never noticed a warning light. Admittedly I'm not really looking for a light in those situations, but I've always gone with the pulsing on the brake pedal.

Incidentally, Chappers, I think your braking problems come from warped discs - unless the vibration is present at about 70-80 ish all the time, in which case it'll be wheel balancing, drive shaft or suspension related.

yeah i agree, had the wheels balanced yesterday and are all perfect now, no vibration at all whilst driving on motorway at 70-80ish. Only happens when i brake so has got to be warped discs, just need to work out whether it is the front or rears as don't get much vibration if any through steering wheel when it happens.

How can the discs get warped at such low mileage ?

bought some discs and pads today, getting them fitted tomorrow hopefully, so that should all be sorted.

Clutch judder is still annoying me though!!! Why did i buy this car! :(

If you bought the car with a 3 month warranty, why on earth have you purchased parts for it?

rotodiesel.

as i managed to get them at a good price and i know they are good parts as if i go back to the garage where i bought the car they would only stick cheap discs and pads on it and it isn't worth it! Sometimes it's just easier to get it done yourself as at least you know whats being used. Plus i don't really trust the garage where i bought it from

Those parts aren't usually covered by warranty I would have thought...

With regard to clutch judder etc when pulling away, I have had this on the three Superbs I have driven, worse when wet or damp. Just something I have learned to deal with. The first time I experienced it I took it back to the dealer, but with no remedy, the second one did it a few times, hill starts etc, and my new one has done it twice in recent days with the cold wet weather.

ok so i guess i better learn to live with it then :eek: Do you think that it is a design fault on the clutch's part or purely down to how it has been driven in the past ?

ok so i guess i better learn to live with it then :eek: Do you think that it is a design fault on the clutch's part or purely down to how it has been driven in the past ?

I hope not, my current one only had 8 miles on it when I took delivery of it!

As for the design, I believe it has something to do with the thrust plate springs or a diaphragm between them (torque convertor) some mechanic tried to explain it to me once.

Some one will put me right some where on here.

It's a case of poor applications engineering. The clutch linings have been optimised for wear not smooth take-up and the rate of the axial bellville spring in the driven plate (not the circumferential cush springs in the DMF) is wrong. It's just a **** up.

They've only had about 10 years to put it right. (Anyone fancy a MkII Superb with a fresh lot of problems?)

Having said all that, since using it for a lot of towing, the clutch on my Superb is perfectly smooth - maybe you should drag an anchor for a while.

rotodiesel.

off to the local harbour tomorrow to find an anchor

Hey chappers849

Congrats with the Superb. Just one little advice: make sure all drainage holes are cleaned regularly. They might get clogged, and a couple of them are located beneath the battery and powerbrake. Hard to find, but if clogged water tips over and under carpets in car where much of the wiring harnesses is located. Messy :-)

But: I've had many different cars, and no-one can match the Superb so far :-)

do you mean handbrake or brake pedal ?

...maybe you should drag an anchor for a while.

You should work for Skoda Customer Services...

lol

just had a phone call from dealer and they say that car has no clutch judder!!! :( I can't be imagining it, can i ?

Of course it doesn't judder if it's still in warranty. This is VAG you are dealing with, remember.

Take it back when it's out of warranty - they'll instantly tell you the clutch and the DMF require renewal, give you a huge bill and then cause loads of other faults into the bargain through careless workmanship.

Seriously, try to make the best of it as it is - it sounds to me as though your clutch and brake problems are related and are due to a vehicle which has been sitting around damp and unsold for a while. It could still improve with use as the flywheel and pressure plate become polished.

I wonder how long it sat around...

rotodiesel.

thanks for your reply. The car is out of warranty as is an 05 plate. I have just returned from Dundee in Scotland and that put 1,500 miles on the clock. The judder can be felt more through the pedal and doesn't always do it!

It was probably sat around for a while and it hasn't done many miles in its life so probably sat around alot as well then.

Are the dealers that bad ?

Yes. (Have a trawl round the "reviews" section).

rotodiesel.

Edited 5 August, 200817 yr by rotodiesel

Does the car judder or just the pedal? Could it be it avoiding stalling? Or do the revs climb? roto might be able to advise but if its clutch slip then wouldn't you notice on very steep hill that clutch was slipping

the car doesn't feel like it is shuddering etc, i feel it more through the pedal but have tried pulling away quickly and slowly! I haven't had it slip on a hill start!

I'm with Roto on this one.

It may be low-tech, but shoving paving slabs in the boot will probably work wonders - "cleaning" clutch mechanisms and making your brakes work a little harder.

Sometimes the low-tech solutions are the best ones.