So i posted a while ago about having brake issues, namly my brake fluid was empied and the handbrake warning light kept coming on. Turns out that was to tell me I was low on fluid.

I bled all the brakes but the pedal still felt rather spongy. Since I bled them i've done 50 miles. The cars been in our garage for about a week and I took it out today.

I put the handbrake on once I was out on the drive way which is a slope, as I applied the brake it went to the floor, like the clutch. Warning bells in my head were going, so I slowly took it out the drive and parked up on the side of the road.

I have a nice trail of brake fluid following my car AND I found a little suprise on the road.

MY BRAKE PAD!!

It has came away from its metal housing where I suspect it is glued into. I kept it and showed my dad once he came around to have a look. Couldn't belive it himself.

So job for this weekend is to jack the car up again and get all the pads changed before the car goes in for the annual service in two weeks.

I'm suprised this wasn't picked up when I got the MOT in December but meh.

It sounds like someone has put your pads in very wrong, they can't just fall out I imagine one of the pistons having come all the way out and all the fluid following it.

You know how you have the brake pad, the rough stoney type material, and the metal housing with the clips on it. Well the stone brake pad has came completely out of it. Crazy stuff

It does happen, especially if your handbrake had been on during the week that the car was left.

Hope you get the brakes sorted out and the car back on the road.

It does happen, especially if your handbrake had been on during the week that the car was left.

The OP, I believe, is talking about the pads on the front as looking at his signature his car will have drums on the rear.

Edited 2 March, 201115 yr by chrisw880

Yeah, I have rear drums so its one of the front brakes. The hand brake was left off when its in the garage as well.

Does anyone have a link to a good guide on how to change the front brake pads? Going to attempt it on Saturday but I'd like to get read up on how to before hand and trusting myself to the holy grail that is the Haynes Manual.

Does anyone have a link to a good guide on how to change the front brake pads? Going to attempt it on Saturday but I'd like to get read up on how to before hand and trusting myself to the holy grail that is the Haynes Manual.

• Undo the calipers with the two 7mm allen key slider
  
• Take the calipers off
  
• Take the pads out
  
• Take the cap off the brake fluid reservoir
  
• push the piston back into the caliper (this is going to be an effort and will probably require some mcgyver type device! It will move very slowly) - make sure the reservoir doesn't overflow
  
• Apply copper grease to the back of the new pads and clip them into the caliper. They will clip onto the calipers pretty solidly.
  
• Push the caliper back onto the disc and locate the two bolt holes
  
• Put the slider bolts back in, be very careful not the crossthread them (expensive mistake)
  
• Pump the footbrake before you drive again and be aware the brakes may be pretty weak and spongy for the first couple of times you use them.
  

It is pretty simple to be honest, but if you're not 100% - get a garage to do it. Never worth messing with something like your brakes if your not confident. Whilst your doing it, check the disc for scoring or a big lip around the end. If its looking worse for wear, its always worth replacing.

ps. Remember the fact that yours had leaked brake fluid all over the place, there's obviously going to be a reason for that. Cracked or split caliper, damaged piston or seals, piston having come out, bleed nipple broken, split brake line or connectors - or the leak could be coming further up the system near the master cylinder or servo etc etc. May be best to have a garage look at it.

Edited 3 March, 201115 yr by Simonbt

Thats what I was thinking because brakes are the one thing I wouldnt want to mess with since they're your saftey net for everything. I think just leaving it until it goes in for the service on the 15th is probably the best thing to do. The garage is just up the road so I wont need to use my brakes much at all, just one junction between me and there so I could engine brake it all the way.

Its just planning the next week without using my car. I wish the garage I go to wasn't so busy with a backlog of work, but they are excellent so I'll just have to hope it doesn't rain until the 15th. I can use my push bike for now...

At least I'll be saving on petrol!

• Undo the calipers with the two 7mm allen key slider
  
• Take the calipers off
  
• Take the pads out
  
• Take the cap off the brake fluid reservoir
  
• push the piston back into the caliper (this is going to be an effort and will probably require some mcgyver type device! It will move very slowly) - make sure the reservoir doesn't overflow
  
• Apply copper grease to the back of the new pads and clip them into the caliper. They will clip onto the calipers pretty solidly.
  
• Push the caliper back onto the disc and locate the two bolt holes
  
• Put the slider bolts back in, be very careful not the crossthread them (expensive mistake)
  
• Pump the footbrake before you drive again and be aware the brakes may be pretty weak and spongy for the first couple of times you use them.
  

It is pretty simple to be honest, but if you're not 100% - get a garage to do it. Never worth messing with something like your brakes if your not confident. Whilst your doing it, check the disc for scoring or a big lip around the end. If its looking worse for wear, its always worth replacing.

ps. Remember the fact that yours had leaked brake fluid all over the place, there's obviously going to be a reason for that. Cracked or split caliper, damaged piston or seals, piston having come out, bleed nipple broken, split brake line or connectors - or the leak could be coming further up the system near the master cylinder or servo etc etc. May be best to have a garage look at it.

I'm tackling this job at the weekend, I've never done pads on a Skoda/VW brake system before, I've looked at the calipers already, after taking the little protective rubber bung off the top of the caliper bolts, do I just keep undoing the bolts till it physically comes out?

I tried undoing them, but seemed to be turning my 7mm allen key for ages and the bolts didn't seem to be going much further after a while.Don't think they are crossthreaded or anything, am I just being impatient cos they are in an awkward place to unscrew?!

Another quick question..what do those little clips on the back of the pad actually do? Just stop it moving around?

Thanks.

The clips literally hold the pads in the right place and help them not rattle around. The bolts holding the calipers on won't just fall out, once they arent coming out any more wiggle the allen key a little whilst you pull them and they will come out, they are a pretty snug fit in the rubber.

It's putting those bolts back in where you need to be careful, cross thread them and you'll be looking at needing a new hub - it's worth being extra careful with them.

If your doing the rear pads, you'll need a rewinder to get the pistons back in (it's to do with how the handbrake works), you'll need to use the handbrake and footbrake to firm them up afterwards.

The clips literally hold the pads in the right place and help them not rattle around. The bolts holding the calipers on won't just fall out, once they arent coming out any more wiggle the allen key a little whilst you pull them and they will come out, they are a pretty snug fit in the rubber.

It's putting those bolts back in where you need to be careful, cross thread them and you'll be looking at needing a new hub - it's worth being extra careful with them.

If your doing the rear pads, you'll need a rewinder to get the pistons back in (it's to do with how the handbrake works), you'll need to use the handbrake and footbrake to firm them up afterwards.

Many thanks for the info, so I was just being impatient then!

I only had a quick look to make double sure I had the correct brake pads for the job.

As for the rear brakes, my Fabia is booked in for a service next week and rear pads are first job on the list to be looked at.

Will make sure I am very careful with those bolts though.

Thanks again, god bless forums like these!

Andy.

• Undo the calipers with the two 7mm allen key slider
  
• Take the calipers off
  
• Take the pads out
  
• Take the cap off the brake fluid reservoir
  
• push the piston back into the caliper (this is going to be an effort and will probably require some mcgyver type device! It will move very slowly) - make sure the reservoir doesn't overflow
  
• Apply copper grease to the back of the new pads and clip them into the caliper. They will clip onto the calipers pretty solidly.
  
• Push the caliper back onto the disc and locate the two bolt holes
  
• Put the slider bolts back in, be very careful not the crossthread them (expensive mistake)
  
• Pump the footbrake before you drive again and be aware the brakes may be pretty weak and spongy for the first couple of times you use them.
  

It is pretty simple to be honest, but if you're not 100% - get a garage to do it. Never worth messing with something like your brakes if your not confident. Whilst your doing it, check the disc for scoring or a big lip around the end. If its looking worse for wear, its always worth replacing.

ps. Remember the fact that yours had leaked brake fluid all over the place, there's obviously going to be a reason for that. Cracked or split caliper, damaged piston or seals, piston having come out, bleed nipple broken, split brake line or connectors - or the leak could be coming further up the system near the master cylinder or servo etc etc. May be best to have a garage look at it.

OK So had a good go at this at the weekend. Got the bolts out ok, but removing the caliper is proving to be a swine of a job, am i missing something? I gave it a good few taps with a rubber mallet the caliper will move so far but there is resistance from the bottom/left hand side of the caliper. I daren't tap it much further because something is definatley holding it back.Only thing I can think of is the piston needs pushing back? but how do I do this if I can't get the damn caliper off? Help!

OK So had a good go at this at the weekend. Got the bolts out ok, but removing the caliper is proving to be a swine of a job, am i missing something? I gave it a good few taps with a rubber mallet the caliper will move so far but there is resistance from the bottom/left hand side of the caliper. I daren't tap it much further because something is definatley holding it back.Only thing I can think of is the piston needs pushing back? but how do I do this if I can't get the damn caliper off? Help!

Pads will be sticking to outer lip of disc if it is worn. Brute force with e large screwdriver between bottom of caliper and outer edge of disc.

Pads will be sticking to outer lip of disc if it is worn. Brute force with e large screwdriver between bottom of caliper and outer edge of disc.

Well thats what I thought, I have taken a photo, but having trouble uploading. It will not shift(believe me, me and my dad have tried!) and we have done loads of brake pads between us. The caliper is marked "FS - III". the brake pad 'arms' rest on runners, BUT below the left hand runner is the offending bit that stops the caliper just lifting off. I am really stumped by this, and can't see a logical way of getting the damn thing off! Hate being beaten by silly little things like this! (will try and upload a pic to explain what I mean)

Well thats what I thought, I have taken a photo, but having trouble uploading. It will not shift(believe me, me and my dad have tried!) and we have done loads of brake pads between us. The caliper is marked "FS - III". the brake pad 'arms' rest on runners, BUT below the left hand runner is the offending bit that stops the caliper just lifting off. I am really stumped by this, and can't see a logical way of getting the damn thing off! Hate being beaten by silly little things like this! (will try and upload a pic to explain what I mean)

FS 3 caliper is slightly different. The caliper pegs sits BEHIND a lip on the lower portion of the hub carrier. The caliper needs to be removed, by swiveling it DOWN from the top, then sliding it up so bottom peg clears the carrier pegs. Looks like a chinese finger puzzle until you have done one.

FS 3 caliper is slightly different. The caliper pegs sits BEHIND a lip on the lower portion of the hub carrier. The caliper needs to be removed, by swiveling it DOWN from the top, then sliding it up so bottom peg clears the carrier pegs. Looks like a chinese finger puzzle until you have done one.

Ah ha! So me and my dad aren't going crazy! we spent ages trying to figure this out earlier! Will certainly have a try, but it doesn't feel/look easy!

Thank You for the info. Why can't they just make things easy,eh?

Edited 6 March, 201115 yr by fabia_andy

A photo of my problem mentioned above.

Glad I'm leaving this to the garage now lol. Cars due in on tuesday, managed to avoid all the bad weather on my bike, hope it holds off for the next week!

Glad I'm leaving this to the garage now lol. Cars due in on tuesday, managed to avoid all the bad weather on my bike, hope it holds off for the next week!

Yesterday I fitted new front discs and pads to my Fabia. Same FS3 brakes as your car.

It was really easy

1) 7mm Hex Bolt (allen key) to undo two caliper guide pins. You will need a flat blade screwdriver to tease them out of the threads once you've undone them - otherwise you'll sit there forever wondering why they aren't coming out.

2) stick an old big screwdriver in between the pads and the disc, and give it a nice fat wedgey in there, to force the PISTON to retract (it helps if you undo the brake reservoir cap too) so you can have enough room to remove the caliper up and over the worn LIP on the brake disc.....

3) with your now removed caliper, flip it around so u can see between the pads, and get a fat long bar, (screwdriver, or rachet extension bar) and try best u can to PUSH the piston back all the way into the caliper. I find it easier if you leave the old brake pads in place, as it gives you something to push against. PUSH the piston ALL the way back in so it's level and flat. You need all the room you can get, cause the new pads will be very very thick, and the new disc will be thicker too

4) Now you've got the piston pushed back in, it's time to remove the pads (which are just clipped in place), they maybe a bit tight so a quick whack with a hammer should get them to come out.

5) change the disc. Undo the tiny cross head screw holding the disc in place. You might find it's proper seized up, and you'll be needing a can of penetrating oil, OR better still an IMPACT SCREWDRIVER. Once the screw is undone the disc should just fall off, if not , give it a few hard whacks from behind and it should come free.

6) Fit the new discs, apply a tiny bit of copper slip to the mounting surface, and a bit of grease inside where the screw was holding the disc in place before.

7) get a wire brush, and stiff wire brush off all the crap that's accumalated where the brake pads SIT (the brake pad guides/runners), give it a decent cleaning as you want this part to be nice and smooth to allow the brakes to work nicely.

carefully apply a thin film of grease once cleaned up.

8) Fit the pads. Make note there is usually an inside and an outside pad, apply some grease to where the pad meets the guide. Apply a tiny amount of anti squeel grease to the back of the pads, and push the pads into place. It might be a bit of a flaff, so adjust the spring clips if needed with a set of pliers.

9) check there's enough space between the pads, and then offer the caliper upto the brake disc

10) the bottom of the caliper has to go OVER the edge of the carrier. You can see this in your picture. This caught me out and had me stumped for a few minutes yesterday, and it needed a whack of the hammer to get it to go into place.

11) The caliper should now be in the correct position, the pad's surface should 100% meet up with the face of the disc. Time to get the caliper pins back in. I'd take some wire wool and clean the pins up first, and add a tiny bit of grease to coat them. Now take the caliper pins one at a time, and lightly hand tighten them, maybe you need to press the caliper inwards to get them to line up properly.

Once you've got them in and confident they aren't cross threaded, then it's time to do them up nice and tight.

12) replace dust covers for the caliper pins

13) repeat for the other side of the car

14) REPLACE THE brake reservoir cover. Check fluid level if need be

15) start engine. let car idle. Press brake pedal down, and up, down and up to allow the pistons to reset.

16) go for a short drive and see what the brakes feel like.

Edited 9 March, 201115 yr by Gti Fly