Rear brake overheat AFTER disc pad and caliper replaced!

[porterdog]

Hi good people.  Really odd problem that shows signs of defeating my garage as well as costing a fortune.

 

Just had all the discs and pads replaced on my 1.9 4x4 Estate.  Rear nearside caliper was reported to be knackered (had only been on a year) so after some playing it was declared ok.

 

After a few miles driving, JUST that rear nearside disc is really hot vs the others, and a mild burning smell.  Decided to throw a new caliper on it.

 

But the problem remains...so even with new disc pads and caliper, that wheel is getting very hot, just from running.

Garage perplexed, but offered to change the flexy brake hose, but still the problem persists.  He begins to suspect ABS pump fault.

 

Car VAG COM (?) has been read but no fault codes shown. 

 

Garage is now suggesting (in hope rather than scientific plan) to change the 'ABS pump'....he has mentioned £1,000 ish!

 

Car does very low miles and does seemed to have been getting through discs and pads far too often, but just thought it was due to crap parts and low use.

 

Many moons ago it had the ESP (?) fault fixed by Skoda (you know, the one where the ESP light wouldn't go off and VW eventually accepted it was their fault). I think it was called the Teves fault.

 

Any help much appreciated?  I've had a good search before posting without success.  I did find a suggestion that the ABS system can temporarily be disabled by removing a fuse. Might that be a plan?
 

[Phil-E]

I doubt it's the ABS pump at fault.

 

It sounds more like it needs some basic maintenance. Have they cleaned up the brakes properly? And put plenty of copper grease on them?

[CWARD]

Disconnect the hand brake cable on the problem caliper, wind the piston back a bit and pump the brakes to reset the pad position. Take the car for a drive and if the over heating disc has gone then it's the handbrake cable sticking and simply replace but before doing ensure there is nothing fouling the cables path all the way back to the lever and it's all clipped in place.

[porterdog]

Thanks guys so far.  FAST!
I did have them check the handbrake - maybe not as you described - and they say it is releasing properly but I think I'll ask them to follow CWARD's method.
Phil - all the components are new so could it still be dirt?

[CWARD]

I would do it myself if I were you just remember to leave the handbrake off when trying to unhook the cable or you'll get nowhere.. They would probably refuse stating it's not road worthy without the both cables attached.

[Tech1e]

Is the brake binding when it is hot? Can you spin the wheel freely?

[mikey vrs]

I replaced my rear brake pads & discs on my octavia vrs as i was replacing the back plates as they had rotted out,up to this point my brakes were fine & working with no issues but the pads were getting low so i decided to change them at the same time as the back plates,after id done this i noticed that my n/s/r wheel was getting hot so i replaced the caliper as they are known to be a weak point but this didnt cure the fault,i couldnt understand why it was still getting hot but wasnt binding on,in the end i found that the handbrake was adjusted incorrectly & the cable was to tight with no slack in the cable as it meets the caliper hence the brake getting hot after use,i backed off the handbrake cable & the fault went,no more hot wheel & brakes working fine & passed the next 2 mot's no problem! You can easily adjust the handbrake by removing the rear astray & you will see the adjusting nut for the handbrake,a 10mm spanner is all that required to undo the nut,id try this & see if it solves your problem. 

[porterdog]

Is the brake binding when it is hot? Can you spin the wheel freely?

The mechanic says not - at least not by the time they get it on the ramp.  Because it is 4 wheel drive, I think they are expecting some resistance which may be fooling them.

 

They've sent me away tonight asking me to run it for another 100 miles, and to use the brakes hard, in case the pads were a bit oversize. He seems to be going off the ABS pump fault.  

He still thinks the fault is there, but they have played with the handbrake again, which feels a bit different.  I'm off for a drive tomorrow and will report back.

 

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[porterdog]

Just seeing if there was any more input into this.  Reminder of problem.....just one disc getting mad hot just from running (not breaking). It has new discs pads and caliper!

 

Problem persists after 190 miles of use (some of it intentionally hard) and it's back in the garage on Tuesday.

Only other clue is the disc on the opposite corner (drivers front) isn't clearing the disc particularly well.  The mechanic says my brakes work on a diagonal fail safe so wondered if this may be a clue? (that corner has new disc pad and caliper too!).

Car stops well and straight under hard breaking.

[Insect_repellent:)]

Did you solve this? I have a similar problem. 

[robbbie]

I have an identical problem on my 2010 VRS and am wondering if you ever got to the bottom of it? 

 

Replaced pads, discs, caliper, slider pins, flexi hose and still the brake pressure doesn't release on n/s/r. 

[Guest]

The following may be of some help.

 

Had OS front and rear calipers and all brake pads and discs replaced in November 2017 due to the OS brakes binding, the fronts predominantly. 

 

Skoda couldn't fit me in for a fortnight, local respected garage carried out the work. Within a few weeks the burning smell from OSF was back. Local independent had a look and gave it the all clear. 

 

Few months later after a particularly long journey, burning smell from OSF was back. Took it to local Skoda dealer, they stated the parts supplied by the local independent were of good quality, he just hadn't cleaned /greased/lubricated (delete where applicable!) the components properly. 

 

They stripped, cleaned and lubed the parts that required it, as per Skoda. The mechanic stated it was something he sees quite a lot with brakework carried out by independents. 

 

What he said may or may not be Skoda BS, but I've not had any issues with the OSF overheating since then, and I've done some fairly long journeys in that time. 

[kirkynut]

I've not got an Octavia yet but do these have sliders that might get seized? 

 

Kirkynut 

[drmike]

It can be something really simple, like the layer of paint on the new pads making them just a bit tight in the caliper. Filing the paint off the edge of the pad sorts this.

[jalopy]

Hi.  I have a very similar problem that's got me stumped.

 

I noticed the N/S/R pads were worn right down, disc red hot so I replaced with reconditioned caliper and new pads.  The OSR caliper was also stiff so I took this off the car and freed and cleaned up the mechanism.  In fact, this wheel felt even stiffer to turn but had way more material left on the pads.

 

Now with everything back together the same problem persists, ie. NSR disc is red hot, the other side (with the old caliper back on) is just warm to the touch and seems normal.

 

It is NOT the handbrake as I tried temporarily disconnecting it - no difference.

The wheel turns freely with the car jacked up, both the handbrake and footbrake lock the wheel and then release immediately release it when pressure removed.

 

The only thing I can think is either the flexi hose has an internal tear (unlikely surely?) or that the ABS is faulty and routing maximum pressure to this wheel, though this seems unlikely too.  I occasionally get the orange brake pad warning light on the dash but I drove 65 miles last night without this and the disc was still red hot.  Note this is a hollow circle with no "ABS" in it and I don't use pads with wires.

 

I'm stumped.  Any ideas anyone please?!

[Crasher]

Sounds like an ABS pump fault

[jalopy]

I've just tried it with the 2 ABS fuses removed - same result.  I would think maybe the pads are sticking somehow but it behaved the same with the old pads and as I said, the brake seems to release as whenever I jack it up the wheel turns easily.