Brake Booster

hmm, i don't like the GTI brake too much. I mean it brakes great but the feeling is a bit too weak. I have a alfa 145 sport which has a really nice and sportive response, which i like. But the GTI has a soft brake. I'd like it harder, but that's just my opinion

I have to agree with you on that one. The brakes seem weak, almost mushy. At times, I've ended up stopping nearly IN the intersection because of poor brake response.

DrJones said:

I have to agree with you on that one. The brakes seem weak, almost mushy. At times, I've ended up stopping nearly IN the intersection because of poor brake response.

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That doesn't sound safe, I think I would take it to the dealer and have it checked out.

I haven't noticed the brakes feeling real mushy. Some stainless brake lines would help though.

Not spongy, like there's air in the lines or anything, just not really as responsive as I was hoping for/expecting.

Could be completely in my head, though.

right. i once drove a bit too fast...it was wet. I had to brake, cause there was someone standig in front of me. Well it was pretty close. not because of the car, just because you have to push the pedal quite hard to get an apropriate braking... :/ Normally the tires would have stood still with that pressure on the brake, but not with the GTI. Strange, but that's normal, not a factory failure.

hmpf, today again. I drove about 180 kmh on the autobahn and had to brake quite "hard" (it wasn't that bad) and the street was very wet. I had to push the brake so hard to get some adapted braking and there is no response on the pedal. I can never calculate how hard I have to push and it feels like the car can't brake, althoug yu just have to push even harder...very strange :/

I'll look into wether or not there's a way to adjust that. There may be a way to get the booster to pull more vacuum. But yeah, I've noticed that too, though I am getting used to it at this point. Plus I don't have the autobahn to worry about. Top speed here's about 70mph (113 kph or so).

The Gti break is great but it does feel a little weat. Maybe if the brake system was larger it would be better. Bigger brake pads. roders, calipars and etc.

After doing some research, I discovered that this whole soft brake issue was done somewhat intentionally. Previous owners complained that the brake pads in earlier models created too much dust. So for the MkV's, a low dust compound pad was used. A result of that lower dust is less bite when you apply the break.

Meh, I'll go spend the $60 on some ceramic pads or something...

how much of a differnece are those pads from the MKV's?

We also have a 2001 Jetta and the braking is "soft" in that car as well. I think it's just a Vee Dub thing and you just don't understand.

zulu said:

We also have a 2001 Jetta and the braking is "soft" in that car as well. I think it's just a Vee Dub thing and you just don't understand.

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My girlfriend's '02 New Bettle doesn't have that problem and neither did my '02 GTI or my '91 Corrado

Brakes in my GTI are much more powerful than the rusted up old brakes in my '97 Jetta.

clavos said:

DrJones said:

I have to agree with you on that one. The brakes seem weak, almost mushy. At times, I've ended up stopping nearly IN the intersection because of poor brake response.

Click to expand...

That doesn't sound safe, I think I would take it to the dealer and have it checked out.

I haven't noticed the brakes feeling real mushy. Some stainless brake lines would help though.

Click to expand...

I have also noticed the brakes mushy problem too and I was told to swap out break lines for steel braded ones and also to get high temp brake fluid. I was told under heavy use normal break fluid tends to heat up and become thin making you loose your stopping ability.

I have noticed that the brakes seem to fade.. now i have ridden them pretty hard and do the same thing over and over and over . So technically it is not brake fade. I have to continue to apply more pressure to the pedal to keep the car stopping vs. x amount of pressure and it stop.. kinda like the car is attempting to create a smooth stop..

Here is another note.. Is the E brake hydraulic? ever park apply the E brake and feel the foot pedal change?

the ebrake is mechanical (not hydraulic). it attaches to the rear calipers by a cable.

I think it's pretty normal to pull the parking brake and feel the pedal give. The mechanical pull of the rear brakes set full on will lessen the push needed on the hydraulics. That's happened on many of my cars.

But I've also noticed that the ABS kicks in on the hills around my house while breaking, when I didn't think it was needed. There is definately a disconnect between the driver and the system on what's really happening in this car. It's so great otherwise, I'm trying to learn it, but it's been difficult...

DrJones said:

I'll look into wether or not there's a way to adjust that. There may be a way to get the booster to pull more vacuum. But yeah, I've noticed that too, though I am getting used to it at this point. Plus I don't have the autobahn to worry about. Top speed here's about 70mph (113 kph or so).

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has that really ever stopped you form flooring it got my 2007 mkv to 130 mph on a nice straightaway quite comfortably to maybe i am just overexcited cause its new :

My last car was a '93 Suburban with the shittiest set of brakes I have ever used.

The GTI's brakes feel super-touchy to me, and awesome for that matter.