(From Volkswagen Driver magazine reader Vic pilka)
I would like to share with the readers a very frightening incident I had with my 1999 Golf 1.8T, when I suffered a total brake failure we're talking brake pedal all the way to the floor !!!!
Last September I noticed a brake fluid leak coming from the rear passenger side-wheel area. Initial suspicion was a problem with the brake calliper, but after further investigation it turned out to be the metal washer which creates the seal between the brake pipe and calliper had corroded enough to cause a leak. When I went to the local VW dealer to buy some washers, I was told you had to buy a complete brake pipe assembly, of which the washer is a part. It was available from stock ?because we are selling loads of them? was his quote. The assembly was reasonably priced at approx ?12.
Because the brake fluid loss was not too great, the brakes continued to work well enough, and it was not too difficult to bleed the brakes when the new pipe was fitted
In hindsight, I should have replaced the other side at the same time, when I got the bottom of what caused the fluid loss
Over the xmas holidays, I did not use the car for over a week, and because of the damp weather I did not notice any fluid lying on the drive under the car. When I eventually took the car out, and reached the junction at the end of the street that I live in, I pushed the brake pedal, and suffered the before-mentioned failure ? how much worse it could have been had it been the next junction at the main road !!!
Two things worth mentioning:-
The low fluid warning light only came on after I pumped the brake pedal
If the MK IV Golf is fitted with dual circuit brakes, why did I suffer a total brake failure ???
Anyway, exactly the same problem again, which required another new brake pipe assembly to be fitted to the drivers side. This time, however, bleeding the brakes using the ?pumping the brake pedal technique? proved to be useless, presumably because of how low the brake fluid level had dropped to in the system. In the end, I had to take the car to a local non-franchised workshop, who bled the brakes using power bleeding equipment ? my advice to anyone is not to try bleeding the brakes on a Mark IV Golf unless you have such equipment !!!
My Golf is 6 years come the end of February, and there are some older Mark IVs than mine going around. Given that brake fluid loss caused by corrosion of this washer appears to be a weak spot on Mark IV Golfs of this age, I would urge all owners to examine the rear brake pipes on their vehicle very carefully, and given the relatively low cost involved, consider replacing the rear brake pipe assemblies completely. This it least should prevent a nasty shock similar to what I experienced
Vic Pilka
I would like to share with the readers a very frightening incident I had with my 1999 Golf 1.8T, when I suffered a total brake failure we're talking brake pedal all the way to the floor !!!!
Last September I noticed a brake fluid leak coming from the rear passenger side-wheel area. Initial suspicion was a problem with the brake calliper, but after further investigation it turned out to be the metal washer which creates the seal between the brake pipe and calliper had corroded enough to cause a leak. When I went to the local VW dealer to buy some washers, I was told you had to buy a complete brake pipe assembly, of which the washer is a part. It was available from stock ?because we are selling loads of them? was his quote. The assembly was reasonably priced at approx ?12.
Because the brake fluid loss was not too great, the brakes continued to work well enough, and it was not too difficult to bleed the brakes when the new pipe was fitted
In hindsight, I should have replaced the other side at the same time, when I got the bottom of what caused the fluid loss
Over the xmas holidays, I did not use the car for over a week, and because of the damp weather I did not notice any fluid lying on the drive under the car. When I eventually took the car out, and reached the junction at the end of the street that I live in, I pushed the brake pedal, and suffered the before-mentioned failure ? how much worse it could have been had it been the next junction at the main road !!!
Two things worth mentioning:-
The low fluid warning light only came on after I pumped the brake pedal
If the MK IV Golf is fitted with dual circuit brakes, why did I suffer a total brake failure ???
Anyway, exactly the same problem again, which required another new brake pipe assembly to be fitted to the drivers side. This time, however, bleeding the brakes using the ?pumping the brake pedal technique? proved to be useless, presumably because of how low the brake fluid level had dropped to in the system. In the end, I had to take the car to a local non-franchised workshop, who bled the brakes using power bleeding equipment ? my advice to anyone is not to try bleeding the brakes on a Mark IV Golf unless you have such equipment !!!
My Golf is 6 years come the end of February, and there are some older Mark IVs than mine going around. Given that brake fluid loss caused by corrosion of this washer appears to be a weak spot on Mark IV Golfs of this age, I would urge all owners to examine the rear brake pipes on their vehicle very carefully, and given the relatively low cost involved, consider replacing the rear brake pipe assemblies completely. This it least should prevent a nasty shock similar to what I experienced
Vic Pilka
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