UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hey,

So the Polo is actually my other halfs, and thought I would just post here to see if anyone had come across this issue.

It's an automatic SE.

Basically when we left the dealership all seemed fine, we got back to the house (about a 20 mile drive), turned the engine off and then my other half decided to straighten up her parking a bit, she was pressing on the brake when starting the engine, but it kept asking her to depress the brake but she was saying it felt really stiff, so after 20 minutes of sitting reading a bit of the manual to no avail, it decided that it would start.

But my other half noticed that when she pushed on the brake it felt quite soft and was giving off an air like hiss sound. When she turned the engine off, and she pumped the break it would hiss a few more times then the brake would tighten up, but as soon as you started the car back up and pressed the brake it would hiss again. We haven't driven anywhere since this happened, it's her first car, I can't drive so am a bit useless when it comes to these things.

We've called the dealership, i'm just wondering if anyone has had this and if it's a simple fix, or if there is something genuinely wrong.

Has anyone else had this?

Cheers

All sounds normal
The hiss you hear is the vacuum of the servo.
The servo multiplies the pressure of your foot into enough pressure to apply the brakes.
If it wasn't for the servo you'd have to have thighs like a weighlifter to brake!
The pedal pressure feels different when the car is switched off because the servo is also switched off.

Hey Andy,

Thanks for the reply, so once the car is rolling and you are at speed, is that hiss sound going to go away because you are having to apply more pressure to slow the car/bring it to a stop? And it's noticeably making the sound/feeling soft because you are stationary so it's taking no pressure to apply the brakes?

And the stiffening after you give it a few pumps is purely down to the car being turned off, is that because the servo is technically off so after you've pumped it a few times the system is no longer running to assist you?

Sorry for knowing literally nothing

Cheers,

Colin

Once driving, the pedal should remain the same at all times, regardless of speed.
If it doesn't, you've got a problem.
The only time the pedal should feel harder than normal is if you pump the pedal with the engine running (why would you) or with the car stopped (again, why would you)

Hi Colin,
If you and the Mrs are not sure about any problem about your new car, phone up the dealer ask them and take it back.
While the engine is not running, your brakes are near non existent as well as your steering. How long has the Mrs been driving?

Hi Silverhairs,

This is her first car since passing, and that was about 9 months ago she passed so not long hah.

Yeah when the car is off, the steering is tight and after a few pumps on the brakes the brake pedal goes solid. She did ask someone at work today just to see if it was the same in their car and they went and had a listen and it done the exact same thing so it's maybe us just being over cautious?

We did take it for a little spin around the block last night and she thinks it feels fine, and maybe she just never noticed it when we first got it because we literally pulled out the dealership and drove off.

We have contacted them and they are speaking to their service guys, we have a recording of the sound as well to let them hear.

Thanks for the response

Forget about what the car does when it's switched off.
When you pump the pedal with the engine/servo switched off, you're building pressure up and it's got nowhere to go because it's switched off.
Really, worrying about what the brakes do when the car is switched off is about as valid as worrying that the indicators don't work when the car is off....
As long as the brakes work consistently when the car is running, they're fine.
And I suspect you're only hearing the 'hiss' of the pedal/servo when the car is running because she's a new driver and doesn't have the radio on yet, would I be right?

Hey Andy,

Yeah so after speaking to a few people I know that have automatic VW's specifiaclly, I think we are worrying about nothing at all and as you say, it's the servo, as I said I don't really know very much at all about cars and the way my other half described it she wasn't sure if something was wrong or not either.

Thanks for all your help, i've not even driven the thing but it seems like a great wee car.

Cheers,

Colin