Volkswagen Golf IV (1998 - 2004) - 04 Feels like it's scraping the road when braking

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Mon 18 Jan 2010 22:50
04 Feels like it's scraping the road when braking - Q1
My 1.6 Golf was serviced 2 weeks ago at VW main dealership and since then, on 3 occasions, when I was braking quite sharply, it feels as though the bottom of the car by the brake pedal is scraping the road. As it happened for the 3rd time today I'm definitely going to get the garage that serviced it to look at it, but in the mean time, does anyone know what might be causing this?

The reason I ask is I don't trust the garage 100% - they managed to crack the windscreen of my car during the service and only when I insisted that the crack wasn't there before did they go and ask the mechanics what had happened and it transpired that it probably happened when the car was coming down off the ramp.... they are paying for insurance excess, but their initial reluctance to take responsibility for this makes me cautious.

It's a petrol automatic model.

many thanks!

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 05/02/2010 at 12:42

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Mon 18 Jan 2010 23:11
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - piston power
Get a written report of the problems you have or take it to another garage.
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Mon 18 Jan 2010 23:20
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - bathtub tom
ABS operating?

Perhaps new disc pads 'bedding in' on the rusty lip on the edge of the discs (new pads, or new pads and discs?).
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Mon 18 Jan 2010 23:26
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - Q1
They didn't change the brake pads at the service - just replaced the brake fluid.
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Sat 30 Jan 2010 20:59
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - Q1
Latest up date - had free safety check at other VW garage - brakes tested OK - told juddering was probably ABS braking performing better with topped up brake fluid! However, hasn't happened since (also not been driving a lot).

Anyone else get juddering with ABS?
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Fri 5 Feb 2010 12:35
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - misssunshine81
I get juddering when braking on occasions but I do not know why, getting to the point I will trade the car in. It is only 5 years old but constant problems are driving me mad. If I find anything out I will let you know.
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Sun 7 Feb 2010 23:27
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - Dave_TD
04 Golf, hmmm... It's got a plastic undertray beneath the engine. Sounds like they removed it during the service and didn't replace it properly, that or some of the fiddly plastic fasteners have started to fall apart after being disturbed. Have a look under the front of the car and see how much ground clearance is between the cover and the road, also feel it to see if the cover is "fluffy" from tarmac abrasion.

My '01 Octavia suffered from this problem, at first I skewered some holes in the cover and attached it firmly to the chassis legs with very long cable-ties, but after a while it made more sense to do away with the cover altogether. The only noticeable difference was a slight increase in engine noise from outside the car.
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Sun 7 Feb 2010 23:29
04 1.6 Feels like it's scraping the road when brak - Dave_TD
Warped brake discs most likely misssunshine81, caused by keeping your foot on the brakes when hot - for example at the end of a motorway slip road whilst waiting to join a roundabout after stopping from 70mph. You only have to do it once, and the brakes will judder forever more afterwards. Some cars are more prone to this problem than others.

New discs and pads the cure.

Edited by Dave_TD {P} on 07/02/2010 at 23:30

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