I have an 06 1.9 4x4 estate with 65k miles. I've owned it 6 months. I thought I had a little brake problem but am now wondering if it is a transmission problem?

It has always felt like the discs needed skimming as I feel a lot of vibration through the steering wheel under braking. They felt as if they were grabbing then releasing due to warped disks. They worked fine, but I knew they would soon require attention.

The problem has got worse in the last couple of weeks (and the cold weather?). It feels much more violent now and I'm wondering if the vibration is coming from the Haldex 4x4 system? It feels a bit similar to a dodgy prop shaft I had in an Escort 30 years ago!

Does anyone know of Haldex problems producing symptoms that may feel like warped disks? The problem is only there under braking, except from an very occasional judder when moving off which I assumed was the known DMF weakness.

Thanks in advance for any help / suggestions.

the haldex works basically by being a hydraulic pump and a clutch. Its a swash plate pump so when both halfs of the pump, (i.e. the prop shaft and the rear diff) move together no pressure is produced. As soon as theres some difference in speed between the two halfs the pistons move relative to the swash plate and hydraulic pressure is produced which closes the clutch up.

So unless your braking really hard and locking the wheels up I can't see how the haldex could be involved and then ESP would be brought into the equation which can direct pressure to the pump regardless of what the wheels are doing.

Under what sort of conditions do you normally get the fault? or is it every time you brake?

Edit:I Must have been ****ed when i first typed that, didnt make sense :p

Edited 14 December, 200916 yr by dan_the_v8man

Thanks Dan. There is vibration every time I brake. Even when breaking really gently coming to a stop I can feel the vibration (a bit like wheel imbalance but not) through the steering wheel. When I brake harder, the vibration is harsher. It seemed to be starting to vibrate the whole car, leading me to wonder if it was a drive shaft or similar. Braking with the clutch-in (as an experiment) doesn't change the situation.

I'd have almost certainly said warped discs then. Get the wheels off and check the discs for run out using a DTI or if you can't get hold of one, something fixed and pointy and see if you can see it move away from the disc as they rotate. Apologies if im teaching grannies to suck eggs here.

If it was a drive shaft/cv joint I would expect the fault all the time or under acceleration aswell as braking. As for the DMF it explains juddering when setting off but i've not come across being able to feel a duff DMF during braking

Can you feel it through the brake pedal?

i had a similar problem on my mk1 octavia. i presumed warped disks but the actal problem was worn arb bushes and loose steering arms. Worth getting the front suspension fully examined

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Thanks Guys. It is hard to describe exactly where I can feel the shake. I do get it through the steering wheel, perhaps a little through the brake pedal, but passengers can feel it as well so it is vibrating the whole car.

Off the public road I did try using the handbrake to slow me down..not an easy test but it seemed to 'cure' the problem as best as I could tell.

I've always thought it was more likely to be the discs, but didn't know much about known faults with the haldex.

Do you get if you change down and use engine braking to slow you instead? If it doesn't happen then, that would rule the haldex out

Thanks everyone. I can't get shudder with the gears, so it is pretty likely to be the brakes.

Does anyone know how much a new set of front discs and pads is likely to cost me for a 1.9d 4x4 (fitted)? Any special brand to be looking for?

Thanks

Mines not a 4x4, but a set or Original ATE Discs and Pads from Eurocarparts were around £90 early on in the year.

I would recommend them, i've been very satisfied with them since fitting. They even stopped the car very well when it was mapped.

But your usual suppliers like pagid, ferrodo, mintex should be sufficient.