Hi,

I'm going to service the brakes on my Fabia 1.9Tdi Comfort model. They are OK but the brake pedal is a bit spongy and they squeal a bit at times. I'm not sure what state I will find the brake pads/discs in so I may need to be prepared to change them.

Was just wondering:

If this model has a brake pad wear sensor?

What you need to change the pads - on most cars I've had before you don't need anything and just pop the pads in and out from the rear of the caliper, but I read somewhere that to get at the pads on the Fabia you have to remove the caliper and you can't reuse the bolts so must use new ones? Does anyone have the part numbers for these? I also read that you need circlip pliers too?!?

That's all

Thanks,

Dave

The bolts come with the new pads.

If no new 12mm bolts just put a dab of 'LOCKTITE' on end of each thread end bolt.

Make sure discs don't also need replacing.

Attached write-up, missed adding ring spanners 12mm and think 14mm, (for brake carriage runners.)

No wear sensors on my pads, I just cut them off if they are on new pads.

Edited 6 July, 201015 yr by giandougl

If no new 12mm bolts just put a dab of 'LOCKTITE' on end of each thread end bolt.

Make sure discs don't also need replacing.

Attached write-up, missed adding ring spanners 12mm and think 14mm, (for brake carriage runners.)

I'm not completely "with it" with Fabias, but I'd reckon that a 1.9 Comfort will have the FS3 (or is that FS2) calliper on the front, which is nothing like the VRS one. If I am correct, and if you have rear discs brakes, then there is more to replacing them than doing the front ones. Maybe buy a Haynes repair manual to fill in the missing parts!

Also, I don't think that Skoda fitted this car with disc pad wear sensors - best way is to get the O/S wheel off and see if you can find a cable coming from the inside pad - this will also let you establish if the pads are needing replaced as well as the discs.

Edited 3 July, 201016 yr by rum4mo

It's always a good idea to check the caliper free "float" movement without the pads fitted to ensure that the calipers slide freely . This only takes a few minutes extra but then you can be sure no binding exists. Make sure disc surfaces are clean before you put the pads back.

Wow it seems that changing the pads is very complicated on this car compared to others and everything else is so simples. I think maybe I'll take it to a garage for the brakes and just do the other service things. I have a Haynes manual and it looked complicated. Problem as always with a 2nd hand car is not knowing when they were last done. Thanks for the help

Wow it seems that changing the pads is very complicated on this car compared to others and everything else is so simples. I think maybe I'll take it to a garage for the brakes and just do the other service things. I have a Haynes manual and it looked complicated. Problem as always with a 2nd hand car is not knowing when they were last done. Thanks for the help

No, its not difficult at all, I was just pointing out that the previous to me poster was handing over probably the wrong info. Only thing to watch out for on the fronts is that there is a "tang" sticking down at the bottom of the front calliper fist assembly and that tang needs to be eased into place first or you will never get both secureing/guide bolts in. For the rears, you will need to buy a piston retracting toll from Halfords - to let you zero or wind back in fully, the rear pistons, after refitting the rear calliper fists Haynes does outline how to get the brakes to sort themselves out so that the handbrake is okay. If you need to replace the discs, the front ones come off quite easily, for the rears, the calliper mounting bracket needs to come off (extra 2-off bolts - maybe buy new ones). To move the rear callipers well out of the way it is better to remove the clip that retains the handbrake cable - it just eases out with a small screwdriver - and presses back in.

I'd say that the next comments on checking the free movement of the moving assembly was said to assist in your bid to get a better feel to the brakes, ie just in case the pads and discs were okay "then check the free movement of the moving assembly" just in case it was seized - either way, I'd expect anyone replacing their brake pads or pads and discs to always do a proper clean up of all parts and remove rust where is was causing a problem, with Lucas front brakes make the guide pins spotless and apply a spot of brake grease where appropriate on the surfaces that touch (not frictional surfaces though!).

I'd like to think that anyone looking after their own cars, would do a brake "clean up" after winter as that will avoid the moving parts from seizing up - its a very easy job if you have front and rear discs - and if you have rear discs, maybe consider fitting some external helper return springs if the handbrake levers are not being returned to "off".

Edited 4 July, 201016 yr by rum4mo