Go home last night and could hear a noise.

Had a look under the bonnet and the pipe from the brake servo to inlet manifold was cracked.

Quick question does this need to be a hard plastic pipe, I have a load of 8mm fuel hose left over from past projects and it is the perfect size.

There was a warranty recall for these breaking up iirc. Might be worth checking with your local dealer to see if yours was range for the recall.... you might get it done for free.

funnily enough, I have discovered the same problem this very morning. The hard pipe has cracked where it would join the piece that carries onto the inlet manifold and even with a good hose clamp its still leaking. Priced the part up with my local dealer and its around £20+vat. The part number on mine is 1 JO 612 041 BS although apparently the BS has been superceded by ES.

Mine split too....

There was a warranty recall for these breaking up iirc. Might be worth checking with your local dealer to see if yours was range for the recall.... you might get it done for free.

Really? I just bought a new one for £24.10.

They should do a recall on the effin breather hoses too!

If you can find any more info about this being a recall it would be much appreciated. Would be nice to get my £24 back, that would buy me 3 crates of beer and lots of crisps.

A quickle google gives this link:

http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/recalls/recalls.jsp?&makeName=Skoda&modelID=A8&modelName=Octavia&makeId=E2&lowIndex=3

(you want entry 6 of 9)

Recall: No. 6 of 9

Recall Ref: R/2003/042

Exact Model:

Description: BRAKE VACUUM SUPPLY PIPE CONCERN

VIN: TMB***1U*X2148718 to TMB***1U*X2227663, TMB***1UY2285279 to TMB***1UY2294866

Build Date:

Numbers: 2200

Defect: On Octavia vehicles within the affected chassis number range tension cracks may occur on the vacuum pipe to the brake servo in the area of the pipe connections, due to a manufacturing fault. If a vacuum pipe leaks, the brake servo loses it’s function. Without servo assistance a lot more force must be used on the pedal. But this will not lead to total failure of the brake system.

Action: The fitted vacuum pipes will be checked and if necessary replaced.

Launch Date: 26 March 2003

Cheers, will check my VIN and contact the dealer if I can get it done.

In the general case, it's a vacumn line, so if it's not hard or re-enforced flexible pipe, it will collapse under hard vacumn, with the same effects on your assistance as the cracked pipe has.

A quickle google gives this link:

http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/recalls/recalls.jsp?&makeName=Skoda&modelID=A8&modelName=Octavia&makeId=E2&lowIndex=3

(you want entry 6 of 9)

Recall: No. 6 of 9

Recall Ref: R/2003/042

Exact Model:

Description: BRAKE VACUUM SUPPLY PIPE CONCERN

VIN: TMB***1U*X2148718 to TMB***1U*X2227663, TMB***1UY2285279 to TMB***1UY2294866

Build Date:

Numbers: 2200

Defect: On Octavia vehicles within the affected chassis number range tension cracks may occur on the vacuum pipe to the brake servo in the area of the pipe connections, due to a manufacturing fault. If a vacuum pipe leaks, the brake servo loses it’s function. Without servo assistance a lot more force must be used on the pedal. But this will not lead to total failure of the brake system.

Action: The fitted vacuum pipes will be checked and if necessary replaced.

Launch Date: 26 March 2003

My VIN isn't in either of those ranges. Fault is exactly as that recall describes though! Can any other 2001/2002 VRS owners check their VINs against the above ranges (even if yours hasn't split )?

Edited 14 September, 201114 yr by vrsTom

My VIN isn't in either of those ranges. Fault is exactly as that recall describes though! Can any other 2001/2002 VRS owners check their VINs against the above ranges (even if yours hasn't split )?

My 2001 failed (as picture above), but my VIN wasn't in the range either. Tight @r$edSkoda

Well Skoda cannot supply the right part, so will be trying VW next.

Well Skoda cannot supply the right part, so will be trying VW next.

When I looked on ETKA I could not quite figure out which pipe it was, as there seem to be a number of different configurations. Mind you that was over the counter an VeeW Spares in Bristol. I guess I could check properly when I am at home.