Hi, heres an interesting one!

My brother now has my '05 Fabia vRS, which I owned from new. It has never had any brake problems other than noisey rear pads when cold which I was told is common.

Recently he fitted new front discs and pads, no probs. After about two weeks the brakes just seemed to come on by themselves. On several ocassions they did this to the point where they brought the car to a complete stop.

Last week the brakes came on violently by themselves at speed to the point where he could not move the car. Switched the engine off and back on and everything was fine. Took the car into a local garage and the brakes and pads he had fitted were dead. Paid to have a new set fitted and also new front brake pipes.

Straight away same problem on the way home. It's now at a skoda dealer and after two days they don't have a clue whats causing it other than for some reason the front nearside and rear offside lock of their own accord or vice versa the font offside and rear nearside are locking. I dont think it has anything to do with the recently fitted new discs and pads and it just a coincidence. Had no warning lights or anything.

Any ideas?

Sounds suspiciously like an ABS-type problem, as I think the brakes are split diagonally in case of drastic failure.

Has anyone run a VAGCOM diagnostic to check for any funnies in the ABS sensors / control-unit / electrics?

My only experience of braking problems are documented here http://briskoda.net/technical-guides/fabia-vrs-how-change-rear-discs-pads/62695/3/#post1452181

and that one was sorted with brute strength and ignorance.

Sounds like your bro's problem is more serious.

Hi, heres an interesting one!

My brother now has my '05 Fabia vRS, which I owned from new. It has never had any brake problems other than noisey rear pads when cold which I was told is common.

Recently he fitted new front discs and pads, no probs. After about two weeks the brakes just seemed to come on by themselves. On several ocassions they did this to the point where they brought the car to a complete stop.

Last week the brakes came on violently by themselves at speed to the point where he could not move the car. Switched the engine off and back on and everything was fine. Took the car into a local garage and the brakes and pads he had fitted were dead. Paid to have a new set fitted and also new front brake pipes.

Straight away same problem on the way home. It's now at a skoda dealer and after two days they don't have a clue whats causing it other than for some reason the front nearside and rear offside lock of their own accord or vice versa the font offside and rear nearside are locking. I dont think it has anything to do with the recently fitted new discs and pads and it just a coincidence. Had no warning lights or anything.

Any ideas?

Violently enough to stop the car must mean it's getting vacuum, unless there's another major problem. First place I'd check is the brake pedal mounting and linkages. Maybe there's a loose connector or dodgy pin...

Did he replace the brake fuild when replacing the disks/pads? As any air trapped in the system won't help.

J.

Thanks for the suggestions guys

It certainly is enough to stop the car, it can't be moved when they lock on although as soon as you switch the engine off and back on again it releases.

The Stealer has called him this morning and said they have run VAG on the ABS sytem and it has no error's "All the sensors are working and the valves open and close on the diagnostic test" Does that sound right?

They have phoned Skoda UK who have suggested it may be a master cylinder fault so they are going to try a new one on it this afternoon. It does split braking diagonally and this is why they think it could be the master cylinder.

Will let you all know the outcome incase anyone ever gets a similar fault. Sounds like it might have been a gradual fault as he noticed the car was a bit sluggish over the last few weeks and decelerated quite heavily off throttle.

Also noticed his MPG had dissapeared!

Matt