Hi, I'm new here and wondering if anyone can help me with a query on the braking system on Skoda Fabia 1.9 Diesel 2002 model.  I live in France.

I had the car MOT'd and fully-serviced last year and the brake pads were replaced but not the discs.  Afterwards, I was never happy with the brakes.  I travelled to UK but did not feel confident with the brakes at all:  Especially going downhill and on wet roads. The brake pedal seems to go a long way down and makes a noise.  I always have to brake slowly, I can't imagine having to do an emergency stop.

So, I went to a garage in UK and had them check the brakes and they said the discs were badly worn, so I changed the pads and the discs together this time just before I left but I'm still having the same problem.

The car has only done 80 000miles.  Does anyone know of another problem that could be causing this please?

 

On another note, the garage here has made a 'pigs ear' of my wiper arms.  Does anyone know where I can find 

good replacements for this model?  I can get them delivered from Eurocarparts to France but does anyone know of a really good set?  The ones I had in France have all squealed a lot.  Not sure if they fitted the right ones for it, mine being a right-hand drive.

 

 

 

Has it been bled properly?

 

Air in the system can cause spongy brake pedal with a long travel as you're compressing the air rather than pushing the pad against the disc.

Thank you for your reply.

I'm not sure if they were bled properly.  I did ask when they were replaced if I need to bed them in but the garage said no.

Long pedal travel makes me think of air in the brake lines or ABS unit too. ABS equipped VAG cars should always be bled with one of dealer computer, VCDS or a vacuum (not pressure) bleeder.

It sounds to me like the master cylinder seals got flipped when the garage changed the pads, it can happen if the pistons are pushed back in too fast with a long prybar rather than a windback tool. I'd get the master cylinder replaced if I were you.

 

If it were air then the pedal would pump up and go firm. The ABS unit only needs bleeding if it's been removed or replaced.

 

Edit: Surely you can buy Bosch wiper blades even en France?

Edited 17 August, 201510 yr by sepulchrave

Long pedal travel makes me think of air in the brake lines or ABS unit too. ABS equipped VAG cars should always be bled with one of dealer computer, VCDS or a vacuum (not pressure) bleeder.

 

Pressure bleeder is just fine, it is in fact the approved workshop equipment.

Just something to bear in mind, weak shock absorbers on the front can make the brakes seem less effective though it wouldn't affect brake pedal travel so doesn't seem a likely cause in your case.

Pressure bleeder is just fine, it is in fact the approved workshop equipment.

That's odd; in a previous discussion you said that a pressure bleeder can actually force air bubbles into the ABS valve block.

That's odd; in a previous discussion you said that a pressure bleeder can actually force air bubbles into the ABS valve block.

 

Have a close look at Tech1e's avator, what you have said just will not cut the mustard. (I'll get my coat)

So what are the causes of long pedal travel? If not air in system?

My Brakes have been bled but getting a bit of travel since being replaced.

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Have a close look at Tech1e's avator, what you have said just will not cut the mustard. (I'll get my coat)

I already did, and am aware of that.

 

Just as I am aware that keeping the pressure in a pressure bleeder under 14PSI (should be 14.7 but let's leave some margin) avoids the issue of forcing air into the ABS block.

So what are the causes of long pedal travel? If not air in system?

My Brakes have been bled but getting a bit of travel since being replaced.

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In order of easiness/cheapness to detect and sort:-

 

1. Handbrake needs adjusting. Since you have an auto-adjust handbrake, hold footbrake on hard, apply handbrake hard. release footbrake and handbrake in that order. Repeat.
2. Bleed did not get all air out of the system. See discussions on air in the ABS block.
3. Excess disc runout. You need a dial gauge to measure this. You need to clean the disc to hub mating surfaces and possibly replace warped discs.
4. Inverted master cylinder seals (qv). This is rare, but not impossible if someone used the pedal to supply pressure for bleeding.

You lot seem to have completely lost the plot, look, the OP said the pedal travel issue was straight after a front PAD change, no other braking component was disturbed.

The OP then had the front discs AND pads changed again while in the UK, again no other braking component was disturbed yet the pedal travel issue remained.

 

So I ask you:

 

Where did all this air come from, no hydraulic component has been disturbed yet suddenly the system is full of fresh air? No.

How can the handbrake suddenly have lost all adjustment due to a front brake pad change? It can't.

How can brand new discs suddenly have warped causing a pedal travel issue which was present BEFORE they were even changed? They can't.

 

It's the master cylinder, it may be rare but it does happen.

I already did, and am aware of that.

 

Just as I am aware that keeping the pressure in a pressure bleeder under 14PSI (should be 14.7 but let's leave some margin) avoids the issue of forcing air into the ABS block.

 

 

That's odd; in a previous discussion you said that a pressure bleeder can actually force air bubbles into the ABS valve block.

 

 

If you pressure bleed with a pressure of over 1 bar the EDL line in the ABS block will lock out and it will not clear any air in that part of the system (if it has been run dry). That's not to say pressure bleeding isn't the best way of doing it, just don't have the equipment set to high.

It sounds to me like the master cylinder seals got flipped when the garage changed the pads, it can happen if the pistons are pushed back in too fast with a long prybar rather than a windback tool. I'd get the master cylinder replaced if I were you.

 

If it were air then the pedal would pump up and go firm. The ABS unit only needs bleeding if it's been removed or replaced.

 

Edit: Surely you can buy Bosch wiper blades even en France?

 

Thank you for your reply.  I'll take the car to an official Skoda garage here and let them solve it and I'll come back with the result.

and yes, of course I can buy Bosch wipers here in France but they are all for L/H/D vehicles and mine is R/H/D, which is possibly how the mechanic managed to break the arms as well.

I can't see how French wiper blades can be different lengths or hook fits from UK ones.

I can't see how French wiper blades can be different lengths or hook fits from UK ones.

 

They aren't. The only difference is the centre clip that goes into the arm is on the other way around. You can swap it over in seconds.

They aren't. The only difference is the centre clip that goes into the arm is on the other way around. You can swap it over in seconds.

Which is pretty much what I expected thanks, although neither my car nor I have ever been to France!

I'd guess, seals on MC or even calliper seals if you could see sign of damp inside calliper

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Result!  The problem according to Skoda garage was 'air in the system'.  Brake pedal is fine now.  Thanks to all for your comments and help.