Scirocco brake problem?

EndlessSky · 31 Dec 2010 at 16:59

Hello Motors!

So I took my 2009 plate Scirocco out earlier today and on approaching a roundabout I brake, but nothing, I then pump like mad and it grinds to a halt. For the rest of the journey it seems okay.

A few minutes ago, I nipped out again for a few minutes, feels like the handbrake was stuck on on the rear. Pumping the brakes gives a "clunk" sound and the car frees up. Before I carry on, I pump the brakes a bit more and I can hear a hissing sound every-time I press the peddle. Am I being paranoid about the brakes? is something wrong and I should get to the garage or does it just need a good run out with some vigorous braking to sort it out?

Thanks in advance

thewanted · 31 Dec 2010 at 17:02

It's under warranty...why even question it? It's obvious that something isn't right as you pressed the brakes in the first sentence and nothing happened.

It may need a brake fluid service, but as it isn't quite 2 years old yet, this probably isn't the case.

lawz · 31 Dec 2010 at 17:29

EndlessSky said:
is something wrong and I should get to the garage or does it just need a good run out with some vigorous braking to sort it out?

Would you rather find out it has a problem before or after you give it a 'vigorous braking' and find they dont work and you smash into something?

Get it to the garage under warranty, and if your not 100% confident call out breakdown and get it towed there. Brakes are something you dont take chances with, as I found out :S

Jono8 · 31 Dec 2010 at 17:34

So your brakes didnt work when you pressed the peddle? Take it straight to your nearest dealer. Its under warranty anyway so nothing to worry about, just get it fixed.

EndlessSky · 31 Dec 2010 at 17:43

I'm deffo taking it to the garage, don't worry about that!

To clarify, after the "no brakes" incident, it stopped fine. I thought it might be because it hadn't a good run out for a few days that maybe the discs had glazed up or something. The hissing on pumping later in the day was the thing that really set my radar off.

MrMoonX · 31 Dec 2010 at 18:06

with it switched off does the brake pedal go hard when u pump it a couple of times, if not then its your deffo a brake problem

EndlessSky · 31 Dec 2010 at 18:13

I've just popped out to try and yes they do go hard after a few pumps. When the car is running pumping the brakes makes a hissing/whooshing noise.

Dogbreath · 31 Dec 2010 at 22:10

EndlessSky said:
Hello Motors!

So I took my 2009 plate Scirocco out earlier today and on approaching a roundabout I brake, but nothing, I then pump like mad and it grinds to a halt. For the rest of the journey it seems okay.

Was the pedal still hard or did it go to the floor when it didn't work? Any evidence of ABS operating, grinding noise or vibration through pedal or steering? Was this the first application of the brakes on your journey?

Dandle · 31 Dec 2010 at 23:37

Air leak on the pipes to the servo, seal around the master cylinder or the servo itself, that's the noise you hear. Causing you to loose the vacuum assistance, the brakes will still work you just have to push very very hard on the pedal.

EndlessSky · 1 Jan 2011 at 01:15

Dogbreath, it went to the floor but, there was the vibration of abs kicking in and it was the first real braking of the trip.

I think we're all agreed it's time to go to the garage

Smokey McPot · 1 Jan 2011 at 02:55

MrMoonX said:
go hard when u pump it a couple of times,

*snigger*

icyshore · 1 Jan 2011 at 04:18

As said, the hissing is probably a leak in the vacume pipes to the servo or in the servo itself. The clunk could just be that in the colder weather the rear shoes had stuck to the brake drums and only released when you hiit the pedal, this sometimes happens with trailing shoe type brakes.