Just had new discs and pads all around and two rear calipers. There is way more free travel in the brake pedal than before and it feels a bit spongey. Is this just them bedding in, or is there an issue?

 

Cheers

Sounds like the brakes haven’t been bled properly after fitting the rear calipers. Take it back to however did the work for you or if you did it yourself then bleed them again. VW don’t use the traditional furthest from the master cylinder to nearest. I can’t remember the specific order but do a search on here for the details. 

After driving more, the brakes do work fine. But the pedal is definitely looser and inspires less confidence! I’ve sent the garage an email.

You’ve probably just pumped the pedal a bit with use but it soft again in the morning. 

Maybe a stuck caliper gave more resistance on the pedal feel. Now replaced more travel ? Mine felt like that after caliper changed. 

If the new pads are not contacting the discs at the perfect angle and /or are a bit rough, it can make the brake feel a bit spongy until bedded in. On the other hand, a bit of air in the system is also a possibility. 

If the garage let the fluid level drop too low then they might have to bleed the abs pump with diagnostics if air as got in the system 

Bleeding sequence

1 -Front left brake caliper

2 -Front right brake caliper

3 -Rear left brake caliper

4 -Rear right brake caliper

 

As above if they let the fluid levels drop too low then you need VCDS/Diagnostics to put the ABS into "service" mode to properly bleed the air out

Am going to drive it for a day or two and see if it improves at all. If not then they are having it back to re-bleed them

Just a side note. One of the discs had a whiteish mark on it after my first drive ( didn’t check before leaving ) I’ll attach it. Does it look normal?

That’s just the protective coating being worn away as the pads and disc bed in. 

7 hours ago, gman88667733 said:

Am going to drive it for a day or two and see if it improves at all. If not then they are having it back to re-bleed them

 

I would give it few more days until the pads have fully bedded in as mine felt the same when I had new pads fitted and felt fine after a week

Okay. Thanks for that! I’ll give it until Tuesday or so. Garage have said it isn’t a problem to go and have them re-bled if needed, so no rush really.

How you getting on with your brakes?

 

I'm doing mine tomorrow, so this thread couldn't have come at a better time.

 

First time for me doing them myself but got a guy at a garage helping me with vcds on hand should I **** it up Haha 

The pedal still has a longer travel than before. I’m giving it another few days before I take it back to have them re-bled.

 

Your photo of the discs don't look right to me , If the pads are fully in contact  with the discs then they should look evenly marked over the full face ,. Either wrong pads, too wide and the edge catching on the disc hub,  or right pads jamming someway as they don't seem in contact with the inner face  of the disc. If they  were  just were needing bled then it would show mark over the whole disc face. 

That’s what I thought... the white area has decreased now though. Not fully though. If i have to take it back to the garage this week I’ll mention it. It’s only like that on that one wheel