Hi all

 

I bought a Fabia II 2009 a week ago.  Took the car straight in for a full service last weekend so it's all been gone over.  Drum brakes on the rear axel were done because brake fluid was leaking onto them and the mechanic said they were therefore contaminated and needed replacing. 

 

1. Last night on the way back from work the ABS light came on and stayed on until I turned off the engine about 15 minutes later.  After restarting the engine the light has remained off (so far). 
2. This morning I lost breaking twice on the way to work.  I put my foot on the brake pedal and it dropped toward the floor quite easily but with quite a disconcerting lack of actual braking.  When I remove my foot from the brake and apply it again it seems that the braking returns.
3. I've noticed that there is a bit of a judder when braking, even gently, at high speed.  This is not noticeable at speeds less than approx. 60 mph.

 

Brakes don't seem to be sticking.  They're not noisy, don't appear to be overheating and MPG is fine.

 

Any ideas to resolve these issues (if indeed they are separate issues) would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

Take it back to the garage who serviced it and left you with an unroadworthy car. Let them sort out at their expense.

 

If you bought it from that garage you can reject it and get your money back as you are entitled to in law.

Check the vacuum pipe, at the ends, on the servo for splits. I'd have changed the rear brake shoes and the cylinders but not the actual drums, I hope they didn't change the drums, all you do is clean them.

Edited 25 September, 20187 yr by peter3197

Check the brake seal gaskets aren't leaking, if you clean ur wheels at car wash, can see if brake fluid seeping out onto alloys, difficult to see oil and dirt if black alloys however

3 hours ago, xman said:

Take it back to the garage who serviced it and left you with an unroadworthy car. Let them sort out at their expense.

 

If you bought it from that garage you can reject it and get your money back as you are entitled to in law.

Great point.  I thought about this on the way home and was getting madder and madder.  I handed over close to £400 to the garage on Saturday to give the new motor a full service to ensure the safety of myself and my family.  It can't be right that a few days later the brakes completely fail...twice...on a single journey.

 

Strongly worded email has been sent detailing my expected outcomes.

3 hours ago, peter3197 said:

Check the vacuum pipe, at the ends, on the servo for splits. I'd have changed the rear brake shoes and the cylinders but not the actual drums, I hope they didn't change the drums, all you do is clean t

Thanks Peter.  I've read about defective vacuum pipes causing issues with braking although it seems most people experience very stiff brakes when this is the case because the vacuum isn't magnifying the forces applied my foot.  My brake pedal lost a lot of resistance and was pushed easily to the floor, while no braking was actually applied.  Only a second, slightly desperate, depression of the pedal engaged the brakes. 

45 minutes ago, YorkyPuddin said:

Thanks Peter.  I've read about defective vacuum pipes causing issues with braking although it seems most people experience very stiff brakes when this is the case because the vacuum isn't magnifying the forces applied my foot.  My brake pedal lost a lot of resistance and was pushed easily to the floor, while no braking was actually applied.  Only a second, slightly desperate, depression of the pedal engaged the brakes. 

 

If they have been pumping the brake pedal all the way down when messing with your brakes there is a chance they have damaged a seal in the master cylinder, I would definitely take it back and make sure they don't charge you for it

To be fair to them the garage have responded well. 

 

They collected the fabia this morning, gave me a CC and stripped all the brakes. They found that a seal on one of the parts they fitted to the rear axel had failed, presumably a manufacturing defect. They've replaced that part and are now fitting new discs/pads to the front as a gesture of goodwill.

 

Car will be back with me this afternoon. 

27 minutes ago, YorkyPuddin said:

To be fair to them the garage have responded well. 

 

They collected the fabia this morning, gave me a CC and stripped all the brakes. They found that a seal on one of the parts they fitted to the rear axel had failed, presumably a manufacturing defect. They've replaced that part and are now fitting new discs/pads to the front as a gesture of goodwill.

 

Car will be back with me this afternoon. 

That is a one off event. You were lucky not to have had an accident. Good result with the garage, I would be using them again.