Brake clunk

Chat about your 2018+ AW/BZ model Polos here!
Polo+Pete
New
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:03 am
Drives: 1.0 se
Location: Devon

Brake clunk

Post by Polo+Pete »

Hi there, I have a 2018 Polo SE and when reversing the brakes clunk on first press. It didn’t happen on my old Polo. Does anyone know if this is normal?
Thanks
SRGTD
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 3508
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 9:40 pm
Drives: 2020 AW Polo GTI+, Pure White.
Location: UK

Re: Brake clunk

Post by SRGTD »

It’s likely that a small movement of the brake pads in the brake calipers is the reason for the ‘clunk’ noise you’re hearing. I’ve read that it’s quite normal and shouldn’t be anything to worry about. My previous generation Polo used to do this when it was new; I’ve not noticed it doing it recently though.

If you do a quick internet search, you’ll see it’s quite common.
RUM4MO
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 5859
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:12 pm
Drives: B8 S4 & 6R/6C1 1.2TSI 110
Location: Mid Lothian

Re: Brake clunk

Post by RUM4MO »

That is annoying, my wife has had Polos with rear disc brakes since September 2002 and never ever have either of her cars had that issue.
mike sel
Silver Member
Posts: 482
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:16 am
Drives: SEL
Location: Dorset

Re: Brake clunk

Post by mike sel »

Yea the SE has drum rear brakes. you have to go up to the R line or SEL to get rear Disks that's is for the 115hp engine which is not available on the SE and below.

I have only done 450 miles in my SEL 115 DSG but so far I have had no problems what so ever. Really expecting that to continue.
Polo+Pete
New
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:03 am
Drives: 1.0 se
Location: Devon

Re: Brake clunk

Post by Polo+Pete »

Thanks for the reply’s. My previous polo of 2014 had rear drums and I don’t recall a clunk. It would be good to hear of any new polo SE with drums and whether their owners experience the same, before I decide whether to return to dealer. Cheers
SRGTD
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 3508
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 9:40 pm
Drives: 2020 AW Polo GTI+, Pure White.
Location: UK

Re: Brake clunk

Post by SRGTD »

SRGTD wrote: Wed Jun 27, 2018 7:45 am It’s likely that a small movement of the brake pads in the brake calipers is the reason for the ‘clunk’ noise you’re hearing. I’ve read that it’s quite normal and shouldn’t be anything to worry about. My previous generation Polo used to do this when it was new; I’ve not noticed it doing it recently though.

If you do a quick internet search, you’ll see it’s quite common.
Polo+Pete wrote: Wed Jun 27, 2018 9:33 pm Thanks for the reply’s. My previous polo of 2014 had rear drums and I don’t recall a clunk. It would be good to hear of any new polo SE with drums and whether their owners experience the same, before I decide whether to return to dealer. Cheers
Pretty certain it was my front brakes that used to make the clunking noise when I braked from reversing. My car doesn’t have rear drum brakes.
kmm249
Getting There!
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2018 10:49 pm
Drives: 2018
Location: Derbyshire

Re: Brake clunk

Post by kmm249 »

Hi!

Be gentle this my first post, I get a clunk noise with my brakes. I drive a SE 95 bhp. I only had the car over a week, done 300 miles so brakes are wearing in

My boyfriend who’s a mechanic has check it out as he want to make sure it was safe for me to drive. He saying that it the brake pads have got small amount of movement in calliper which is creating the noise. He’s saying it must be a design fault possible.
silverhairs
Gold Member
Posts: 686
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:15 pm
Drives: 2018 Polo SEL
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Brake clunk

Post by silverhairs »

On most cars, when fitting disc pads, you put your bottom pin in and under the top pin is a thin spring steel plate to hold the pads down in position, in other cars it's like a shallow "W" shape.
If you have this clunking sound, which you shouldn't have, take it back.
Looking again at the posts it seems it's the rear drums, now the brake shoes are held between the hydraulic cylinder and a fixed peg, plus it should have a pin from the back plate through to the shoe with a spring before having a captive plate holding it all together, plus it should have an automatic adjuster to keep the shoes near the drum face. Really there's no way that they can move, this system has been with us for many years, so it's well and truly tested.
Unless VW in their wisdom have thought they could improve it and gone with something else? You cannot trust these Germans :lol:
RUM4MO
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 5859
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:12 pm
Drives: B8 S4 & 6R/6C1 1.2TSI 110
Location: Mid Lothian

Re: Brake clunk

Post by RUM4MO »

Or maybe down to the “new to Europeans” manufacturer of these smaller versions of the front brake calliper?
I can’t comment on which manufacturer currently supplies the rear drum brakes though.

Edit:- one thing wrt the rear disc brakes, the stainless metal clip on covers for the top and bottom pad<>calliper bracket points has been done away with! Every penny/cent counts nowadays as VW Group have some unexpected bills to pay!
ryanpmay_1998
New
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 8:08 pm
Drives: 2018 polo beats 1.0 95
Location: london

Re: Brake clunk

Post by ryanpmay_1998 »

mine also does this when reversing. sounds awful when the windows are down. 1.0 95
Leif
Silver Member
Posts: 498
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:21 pm
Drives: SE 95 PS
Location: East Hampshire

Re: Brake clunk

Post by Leif »

I had an Up and after four or five years the rear drums brakes would definitely clunk when reversing. The last time, before I sold it, it had not moved for a week and they locked up, I had to rock back and forth for them to release. I have no idea if this is related but it was common on the Up.
RUM4MO
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 5859
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:12 pm
Drives: B8 S4 & 6R/6C1 1.2TSI 110
Location: Mid Lothian

Re: Brake clunk

Post by RUM4MO »

I think that "seizing on" if left parked for an extended period with handbrake on after driving in rain/wet roads is fairly normal for modern day rear drum brakes - unfortunately.
p0l0man
New
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:53 pm
Drives: polo2018
Location: bristol

Re: Brake clunk

Post by p0l0man »

My car does this, as well. Quite a loud "clunk" whilst reversing into drive and applying the brakes.
Has anyone taken their car back to the dealer with this? and what was the remedy?
wabbit1
New
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:25 am
Drives: SE 1.0 95PS
Location: Surrey

Re: Brake clunk

Post by wabbit1 »

p0l0man wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 7:09 pm My car does this, as well. Quite a loud "clunk" whilst reversing into drive and applying the brakes.
Has anyone taken their car back to the dealer with this? and what was the remedy?

The OH’s Polo does this too. Gonna follow this thread and see what ideas/suggestions pop up 👍🏻
Ramseyman
New
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 7:09 pm
Drives: !.2 TSI SE
Location: Cheshire

Re: Brake clunk

Post by Ramseyman »

My 2016 Polo Match 1.2 TSI started doing this clunking noise a few months ago, took it in for a service and the senior technician I spoke to said it was normal for this model.
Surely this can't be right, must be disc pads not correct dimensions and over time they move about too much in the carrier. If I didn't know any better I would think that VW are trying to do as little warranty work as possible to make up financially for "diesel gate". I have problems with various noises from the engine as well and was told - normal for this model!
All very disappointing.
Post Reply