I own a tsi 1.0 mk4 Fabia 2022. When pressing brake they extreme sharp and very responsive, stops so sudden. Anyone else noticed this with there skoda. I booked it in skoda dealer, they filed down the edges of pads, made no difference, the technician said he noticed this on another car. Any advice.

This argumentative 2024 forum discussion may be of interest.

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/523080-fabia-le-comfort-grabbing-brakes/#comment-5847372

Since cars began to be fitted with ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) their braking has tended to be heavily servo-assisted at low speed rather than 'linear' across the complete speed range.

VAG cars (eg. Audi, SEAT, Skoda Volkswagen,) have been particularly criticised for overly 'sharp' brakes (example here)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1396732

but it's the norm, rather than the exception, for modern cars to decelerate abruptly from slow speed when the brake-pedal is only lightly depressed.

My 2024-built Fabia Mk4's braking performance is definitely non-linear and 'sharp' at low speed, but my 2009 Skoda Roomster is the same (as was the 2021 Hyundai i20 that preceded the Fabia). However, at higher speeds, the braking of all three is/was fine, with deceleration proportional to brake-pedal pressure. If you've been accustomed to drive cars that had linear braking performance (eg. older cars without ABS) the sharpness of a modern ABS-equipped car's brakes at low speed can be a shock.

The sharpness of your Fabia's brakes must be unusually high for a Skoda dealership to attempt to address this by filing the brake pads, rather than just advise you that it's a characteristic of the Fabia breed and you'll need to learn to live with it. It MIGHT be possible to 'tame' the sharpness by fitting different pads, but I can't see a Skoda dealership being prepared to experiment by doing that.

Edited 26 July, 202526 Jul by DerekU

"When pressing brake they extreme sharp and very responsive, stops so sudden."

Difficult, I know, but try to see this as one of the (few) positives of owning a Fabia 4. The brakes were probably the first thing we noticed but they won't seem an issue when you look harder at the software and electronics. If you need to slam the brakes on they won't let you down.🙂

It's easier to adapt to the car than fight a losing battle with its peculiarities.

My cars exactly the same v sharp brakes especially when the car hasn't been used for a day or 2 then I noticed it has drums on the rear thinking that might be something to do with the overly sensitive brake pedal they seem to ease up slightly as I drive for few miles tho but I admit I find it difficult to gt used to the sensitive brake pedal it's not progressive it's bang there on so to speak .

Lar, I've had my car since 2022 now only 11000 miles and the brakes are still sharp. I took my car to skosa who filed down edges of disc's, but made little difference. The diagnostic person said he'd see this on other skodas. He said try change disc's. now out of warranty so stuck

This is my 1st skoda but I'm surprised I never noticed it on my test drive it's a 2022 dsg colour edition 15k miles i really like the car and will just have to get used to it as I've said they seem to ease off on the sharpness as drive few miles other than this I really enjoy the car .

My 2024 Skoda Fabia SE L has drum rear brakes, but my 2009 Skoda Roomster has rear disc brakes. At low speed (walking pace) both cars will decelerate savagely if the brake pedal is depressed abruptly, but at higher speed the braking effect is reasonably linear and progressive.

This seems perfectly reasonable to me and, as I'm picky about getting a comfortable and efficient driving position when I drive a vehicle (and don't drive wearing wellingtons or hob-nail boots) I have no difficulty braking gently in either car at low speeds.

It's to be expected that the low speed braking abruptness will be accentuated if the car has stood for a while and surface rust has formed on the discs. As mentioned above, this should improve when the car has been driven for a while and the rust rubbed off.

I'm very doubtful that replacing a Fabia mk4's front discs and/or brake pads on a like-for-like basis would tame down the abrupt low-speed braking. 'Track day' braking parts are available, but these are intended to cope with heavy braking from high speed, rather than alter low speed braking behaviour.

I owned two VW Golf GTi Mk 1 cars that had appalling brakes. I replaced the pads and front brake discs (the rear brakes were drum-type) with 'competition' parts but to no avail. The lousy brakes were universally criticised by UK owners and were a consequence of VW's LHD to RHD conversion. The 'cure' came when a UK Golf specialist offered a conversion that moved the brake-servo from the car's left to the right.

My wife's VW Polo Formel E also had brakes that required a very heavy brake-pedal pressure to stop the car quickly. This was because, when VW marketed RHD polos, they just dispensed with the brake servo!

I confirm that Fabia’s mk4 brakes (mine has rear disc brakes but don’t believe that it matters) in 1st contact it surprises with how hard and sharp brakes with barely reasonable/usual  force on the pedal. Of course after a while you get used to it but in first contact or when you drive it after another car you always notice it and it takes a little driving time to adapt. I don't consider it a “problem” but it is something observable without me knowing or having bothered to find out what is causing it. Seems to me more like a choice of the vw engineers than anything else.

Mines the same, I spoke with skoda dealership, you only got touch brake, they said its coming on fabia, They attempted to file edge of pads, made little difference, skoda won't give a reason why the brakes are so sharp. Im selling mine nx july as 3 yrs old.

Regardless of how they are now it is service and maintenance time for the brakes, main dealer service does not have them touched unless paid for as an extra. The Brake fluid change was for more than a decade first at 3 years, then each 2. Now back to first at 2 years. Might well be ignored by many, if there are rear drums they need the drums off and checked and a clean out service. PS. There is Brake Assist that can be increased and sometimes is for disabled drivers, maybe on Motability cars, worth checking if the factory setting can be reduced as far as assistance.

Edited 20 December, 202520 Dec by Evolution13

My mums fabia 4 one litre tsi (year 2024) skoda she bought from new. The brakes are so sensitive its insane. Can skoda reduce the sensitivity?

On 21/12/2025 at 12:24, atomicgreyhound said:

...Can skoda reduce the sensitivity?

The realistic answer to your question is "No".

A GOOGLE-search using the search-term "brake" "insane" "sensitive" will retrieve plenty of online discussions about hyper-sensitive brakes on modern-ish cars generally, not just on VW Group vehicles (eg. Skoda cars).

It's sometimes suggested that the sensitivity (at low speed) results from the 'profile' of the ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and that the coding of the ABS control module might be modifiable to lessen the brakes' initial bite. However (as far as I can make out) when ABS coding is carried out, the task always relates to matching a replacement ABS control module to a car and not to altering an existing control module's settings to change the manner in which the car brakes.

(I've also come across more radical ideas like grafting some sort of smart pressure bleed-valve into the brake-servo, but nobody has said they've actually done this!)

Just in case there were an easy non-invasive 'fix' that would help your mum with her Fabia (and that a Skoda dealership might be prepared to apply) I contacted a local independent garage that specialises in servicing/modifying German-built cars and has the VW Group's ODIS diagnostic tool. They said they were quite often asked about 'sharp' low-speed braking on VW/Seat/Skoda vehicles and had to tell the owners that this characteristic could not be altered 'electronically'.

Edited 23 December, 202523 Dec by DerekU

A great response which answers my query. Appreciated. Have a Merry Xmas.

Earlier in this thread Evolution13 referred to "Brake Assist". This feature is not mentioned in Fabia Mk4 Owner's Manuals, but Fabia Mk3 Manuals explain it as follows:

I assume a Fabia Mk 4 has HBA, but I don't think this feature would have any negative effect on a bought-new 2024 car's braking characteristics when it is being driven 'normally' and slowly. (If I 'stab' my bought-new 2024 Mk 4's brake pedal while manoeuvring slowly, my car will stop dead and stand on its nose, but I'd expect that to happen.)

People don't all drive in the same way and there's no doubt that a Fabia Mk 4's brakes need a gentle touch when the car is moving slowly (particularly when it is lightly loaded). So it might be worth you (diplomatically!) asking your mum to demonstrate to you the problem she is having with her Fabia's brakes and to test-drive the car yourself.

Mk2,s you could increase or reduce Brake Assist as you could Steering Assist and the XDS / EDL to greater or less. Many a Motability car that had Hand Controls or not but adjustments made would be returned at end of lease with controls / modifications removed but not reset to Factory Settings.

On 20/12/2025 at 09:12, DerekU said:

My 2024 Skoda Fabia SE L has drum rear brakes, but my 2009 Skoda Roomster has rear disc brakes. At low speed (walking pace) both cars will decelerate savagely if the brake pedal is depressed abruptly, but at higher speed the braking effect is reasonably linear and progressive.

This seems perfectly reasonable to me and, as I'm picky about getting a comfortable and efficient driving position when I drive a vehicle (and don't drive wearing wellingtons or hob-nail boots) I have no difficulty braking gently in either car at low speeds.

It's to be expected that the low speed braking abruptness will be accentuated if the car has stood for a while and surface rust has formed on the discs. As mentioned above, this should improve when the car has been driven for a while and the rust rubbed off.

I'm very doubtful that replacing a Fabia mk4's front discs and/or brake pads on a like-for-like basis would tame down the abrupt low-speed braking. 'Track day' braking parts are available, but these are intended to cope with heavy braking from high speed, rather than alter low speed braking behaviour.

I owned two VW Golf GTi Mk 1 cars that had appalling brakes. I replaced the pads and front brake discs (the rear brakes were drum-type) with 'competition' parts but to no avail. The lousy brakes were universally criticised by UK owners and were a consequence of VW's LHD to RHD conversion. The 'cure' came when a UK Golf specialist offered a conversion that moved the brake-servo from the car's left to the right.

My wife's VW Polo Formel E also had brakes that required a very heavy brake-pedal pressure to stop the car quickly. This was because, when VW marketed RHD polos, they just dispensed with the brake servo!

My 2019 Polo is very sensitive but only as said above when it's barely moving .

I too had a VW Formel E, 22 years in the family, a fabulous car only marred by the need to remove the Carb's auxiliary jet a few times a year and clear it by sticking a bit of wire fom a bristle brush through it, could never figure out why a very hard deposit used to build up in it. Anyhow back to the brakes, my model certainly had a servo but the brake pads were tiny (with rear drums), the only way I could get somewhat reasonable braking was to install very cheap, quick wearing pads that lasted only around 6 to 8 thousand miles, interesting though about the servo being on the wrong side on some other model, above, I thought my servo was on the drivers side but could be mistaken, will check my manual.

Just checked, servo was on the left, not the driver's side.

Edited 6 January6 Jan by Johngerard

My wife's VW Formel-E was a 1983 model with the 'mini-estate' body and had no brake servo.

http://polodriver.com/eco-polos/polo-formel-e-1983-1987/

There had been a magazine review of the model that mentioned its brakes being heavy despite being servo-assisted. I contacted the reviewer saying that the reason the brakes were heavy was because they were un-servoed and got a reply on the lines of "Oh dear - I could have sworn I saw a servo!".

This Polo Mk 2 Buyers Guide article

https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/volkswagen-polo-mk2-buyers-guide/

includes the statement "Running gear remained conventional, with MacPherson struts front, torsion beam rear, unassisted steering, and front disc/rear drum brakes. LHD cars had a brake servo, but RHD models did not, meaning UK braking drew criticism." Fitting different disc pads helped - but not much!

I had two successive (new) Golf GTi cars in the late-1970s/early-1980s and both had hopeless brakes as a result of the LHD-to-RHD conversion that had the brake-servo remaining on the left and connected to the driver's brake-pedal on the right with a mechanical linkage that visibly bent when the brake-pedal was pressed hard. It took until 1983 and the introduction of the 2nd generation Golf for VW to deign to fit a 'right hand' servo to RHD models.

Edited 7 January7 Jan by DerekU

My original topic was fabia reg 2022 mk4 1.0 tsi with sharp brakes on just touching pedal. Members seem to gone of subject and coment on 25 year old cars.

Threads rarely stay on topic with this forum which can make it hard to find what you are looking for.

The brakes on the Fabia 4 are very effective and our mc has drum brakes on the rear. If it also had disks at the rear I can imagine it doing forward somersaults in an emergency stop. The brakes are one of the cars better features.

We have had our 2022 Fabia SE Comfort since new, we spec’d rear discs when ordering and we don’t feel the brakes are any different to previous cars we’ve owned with all round discs, we have today had the rear discs and pads replaced as they were put as an advisory when it was Mot’d, cheers Paul

Any possibility that the conventional set up of disks at the front and drums at the back is in practice a more suitable and efficient layout for these cars? Maintenance of disks and pads will also cost more money. Skoda are good at persuading us to pay extra for dubious accessories and upgrades. It sounds sporty to have all round disk brake but that may be as far as it goes. I have become increasingly distrustful of "expert reviews" for most products and that includes the newer generation of cars.

We certainly didn’t opt for rear discs on our 3 cylinder 1.0 95 bhp Fabia to look or appear sporty, we did it as we tow either a trailer or a small boat fairly regularly and like the performance of all round discs as opposed to front discs and rear drums, in my opinion they do make a difference. Cheers Paul

Overall, the discs+drums on mine gives excellent braking and doesn't seem to be quite as sensitive at very low speeds as others experience, however I can truly say that it wins first prize for the worst hand brake I've encountered in 63 years of (VW) driving.

Edited 8 January8 Jan by Johngerard

It's interesting (to me at least!) that, when the Fabia Mk4 was initially marketed, the 1.5litre motor was not offered and there were no "Monte Carlo" models. The available 'trims' were S, SE Comfort, SE L and Colour Edition, and ALL of these had drum rear brakes as standard with optional disc rear brakes (£95) for ALL four trims.

Nowadays, in the UK, all new Fabia Mk4 cars have drum rear brakes, except for those that have the 1.5litre motor and have rear discs as standard.. There's no longer an option to choose rear disc brakes for Fabias that do not have the 1.5litre motor.

New Fabia Mk4 cars marketed in France ALL have disc rear brakes as standard, except for the basic trim that has no-option drum rear brakes. Whether this is because the French motorways have a higher maximum speed-limit than the UK, or because France is more mountainous than the UK is anybody's guess. (It might be educational to establish whether the the UK is unique in having most Fabia Mk 4 cars with no-option drum rear brakes, but I ain't doing it!)

The back axle of a small front-wheel-drive car is mainly there to keep the car's backside from dragging on the ground and the rear brakes only contribute around 20% to the car's deceleration capability. Although disc brakes are less prone to overheating, I'm very doubtful that a Fabia Mk4 with rear discs would - at slow speeds - decelerate even more violently than an equivalent Fabia with rear drums.

Returning to fabia1960's original posting last July, it's plain from online comments about modern cars' brakes (and particularly about the brakes of VW Group cars) that their brakes generally at slow speed are sharp/sensitive/unprogressive, sometimes verging on the savage, and that this is a (much disliked/criticised) 'characteristic' rather than a correctable fault.

For me, the main reason for rear disc brakes compared to drums is aesthetic. Rear disc brakes look much nicer when paired with beautiful aluminum wheels.  My style edition MK4, which has rear disc brakes along with beatiful alloy wheels, looks much nicer than the basic versions i see on the road that have drum brakes and steel wheels with hubs.

Functionally, i don't think they make any difference for 99% of users and cases.