Octy brakes

[HongKongPhooey]

A question for the sages of the forum.

The brakes on my bog standard 11K mileage vRS sound 'rough' when used at low speed (ie in traffic). They're not grinding exactly, and I can't feel it through the pedal, and over about 10 or 15 mph the sound disappears, even if I brake moderately hard.

It doesn't feel like the pads are on their way out, so I wondered whether it's just that the pads/discs are noisy on all vRS's. I realise that it depends on the type of pads that are fitted, but I would assume that these are still the OE one's. I'll check the pads at the weekend when I get some daylight to have a fiddle, but I'd be comforted to know if I'm worrying about nothing.

Thanks

Chris

:santa:

[Leeboy]

Chris

Might be a stupid question so forgive me if I insult your intelligence, but is this all the time or during initial use - I think the whole country has had a lot of rain lately so is it rust on the discs being erroded which you can hear more noticeably a low speed because of the lack of wind, road and engine noise?

Lee

[HongKongPhooey]

Hi Lee,

not a stupid question at all, I should have covered that point.

The noise is the same all the time, even at the end of my drive home (15 miles or so).

I usually drag the brakes for a few seconds before I park on a wet day (I normally park in a covered car park during the day) to dry the discs off, 'cos I noticed that it was much worse after being stood.

It's probably nothing, but I just wondered if anyone had noticed the same noise.

Chris

:drive:

[spinndrift]

Hi Chris

Can't say I have noticed it on the Octy apart from as has been mentioned when the car has stood around in the rain.

Wifes new one does seem to squeal a bit but doesn't make a grinding noise.

[Leeboy]

Chris

In that case you might want to remove the pads (I have no idea if this is a simple job on the Skoda - should be though - and check if you've any in-grained crap in the pads. While they are off, give them a dress up with a file as well and check the disc for uneven wear - can you feel uneveness across the disc surface?

Regarding your worry whether you've worn your pads out, You should be able to see (in daylight as you put it) if you've got sufficient pad material left without taking the wheels off. I don't expect you're worn down to the metal without noticing - mind you I had a Mondeo before my vRS, and did suffer from metal to metal braking before I got the pads changed (and discs because they knacker very quickly in such instances), and yes this does make a rather unpleasent grinding noise. But you will notice this anyway from the bits of metal that wear off and will leave rusty pin-***** sized stains on your alloys (oh and maybe the brakes don't stop very well either).

Have you tried to narrow down whether the noise is front or back? Easy done, drive and brake with the handbrake rather than foot brake to see if the noise is still there - that is if you can hear over the handbrake warning buzzer......

Lee

[HongKongPhooey]

Hi Lee,

the noise is from the front, definitely. I'm convinced it's not the pads, and as it didn't seem to be doing it this morning, I suspect that the trapped grit might have been the correct diagnosis.

Anyway, it's got to go into the dealers on Saturday to have a couple of ickle warranty jobs done, so I'll get them to cast a beady eye over the brakes and in the meantime I'll try to calm my "new car paranoia"!

Thanks for the advice.

Nice motor you've got there too, by the way. I took a look at the pics :1:

Chris

[Leeboy]

Chris

Thanks for the comments, I decided to "tart" it up a bit after some tw*t decided to drag a sharp implement down the length of two doors and the rear wing earlier this year, so while having that resprayed, had the spoiler fitted too. At the same time I also needed the roof repaired after a large pine cone dropped from a tree and dented the roof!!!!!

Everyone beware, pine cones hurt cars!!!!

Lee

[makk]

My Octavia 1.6 auto does this as well. It's a groaning sound that reverberates throughout the car. Since I have an auto tranny, it's almost unavoidable when you're creeping forward in traffic using a small amount of brakes to prevent the car from creeping right into the bumper in front of you.

My car has done this from brand new. My buddy from the office who has an almost identical car that he got the same day as me, has this problem too. We both thought that it would disappear once the brakes were bedded in but 16,000 kms later in my car and 20,000 kms later in his car the noise is still there.

[Jono]

So... By looking at your Brake pads (in this case on an Octy VRS), how can you tell how much pad there is left.

Taking a peek at my rear pads through the wheels seems to suggest there is no more that a few millimetres of pad between Caliper and disc.

At what point should I get worried?

Are there brake wear detectors then? or is it unwise to rely on these?

As a small straw poll... Any Octy VRS drivers out there, how much mileage did you do before you needed front/rear pad changes?

Ive just Hit 13K or so.

Thanks

Jono

[Tech1e]

You will have pad wear sensors on the Octavia vRS so the light should come on the dash to tell you they are low (it actually comes on at about 65% worn if im honest).

What happens on alot of lower mileage Octavia's that dont really get 'used' is the inside edge of the disc tends to corrode on the braking surface which leads to noises when braking.

[mellowyellow]

Jono , if it's never been raced or rallyed , or too many track days , then they should be good for at least 25-30K miles IMHO .

Yes they do have brake wear indicators , and pads and discs should be checked at service time , you shouldn't have to worry for a long while yet .

[Tech1e]

My Octavia 1.6 auto does this as well. It's a groaning sound that reverberates throughout the car. Since I have an auto tranny' date=' it's almost unavoidable when you're creeping forward in traffic using a small amount of brakes to prevent the car from creeping right into the bumper in front of you.

My car has done this from brand new. My buddy from the office who has an almost identical car that he got the same day as me, has this problem too. We both thought that it would disappear once the brakes were bedded in but 16,000 kms later in my car and 20,000 kms later in his car the noise is still there.[/quote']

They will do this as the car tries to move against the brakes. The newer VAG auto boxes shift into neutral automatically at rest so this doesnt happen, and then when you go to pull away it knocks you into first.

[Jono]

So really I can be totally unworried until the warning lights come on (unless weird noises happen anyway...)

Ta,

Jono

[tomo2001]

Ross

Just sent you a private message regarding brake pad wear but ignore it if you want....... my first set were changed at the 80k service inc, disks (all round)

[Tech1e]

First brake pads at 80,000 miles? Not from new surely? If so do you use them at all?

40k is usually the max, problem we have now especially with longlife servcing is we have to try and work out if they will last to the next service, which aint allways easy.

[tomo2001]

First brake pads at 80' date='000 miles? Not from new surely? If so do you use them at all?

40k is usually the max, problem we have now especially with longlife servcing is we have to try and work out if they will last to the next service, which aint allways easy.[/quote']

Ross

Didn't use variable servicing - opted for fixed 10,000 mile intervals instead. Full service history at Bickerton Sheffield. Lots of stamps in book to prove!!

[pdhealy]

My Octy RS has 47k miles on the clock.... still have original pads.

Cant say I have noticed too much noise from the brakes except when brakes are used initially after rain. I tend to leave the car in gear with the handbrake off, as the rear pads have a tendency to stick to the discs. Klunk!

I have noticed that when driving in very wet traffic, you need to leave more distance between you and the car in front than normal. The pads/ discs seem to collect surface water, and they take a second or two longer to grip. It happens with most cars, but in my experience the Octy RS standard brakes are very good in the dry, but scary in the wet! Which is why I like to overtake cars rather than queue behind them......Officer!