Having recently become the proud owner of a Yeti, I initially thought I was just taking a long time to acclimatise to the response of the brake pedal, with some clumsy applications leading to abrupt braking. I drive a lot of different cars and have never needed more than a couple of brake applications to become smooth and progressive with retardation.

 

However, even with heightened awareness and sensitive footwork I am still occasionally caught out with the Yeti. It's almost like the pads are backing off the discs and the first half-inch of pedal travel is bringing them back onto the disc (I've had this from rattling over apex kerbs in a race car), but then grabbing abruptly. I've noticed it more early on during the first drive of the day, but rattling bumps don't seem to be a factor. Having been a keen driver for nearly forty years, a quality engineer for BMW braking systems, a driving and race instructor, and an adequate amatuer racer in my youth, I am somewhat reluctant to ascribe this solely to advancing years. I refuse to be a duffer yet!

 

In my wanderings through this informative forum, I'm sure that I have stumbled across some mention of settings deep in VCDS where braking assistance/response can be adjusted, but I can't relocate it even with searches. Am I imagining this?  I'm fairly sure that the previous owner was a keen driver and may have had a play if such things are possible.

 

Otherwise, does the collective wisdom have any suggestions as to what technical solutions I should explore? I've had a local indy check it out but no issues are reported, and it's not my choice of footwear as I've experienced it with everything from wellies to old race boots to check.

 

I look forward to your suggestions.

 

T

There is a setting for steering assist, I think the brake assist only functions if it senses you have stamped on the brake pedal hard & fast but within its logic not hard enough so unless the pressure sensor is playing up I dont think that is your problem, having said that if it measures the pedal travel instead or as well then it might interprete your long pedal as an emergency braking manouevre, I would try to get the bottom of what is causing the initial long pedal travel.

 

I have experienced a similar braking effect to yours when I rebuilt a servo and the main piston seal (it was a large drum piston & not a diaphragm) was creating resistance and lag, I would brake gently and the car would not slow enough due to the lack of servo assistance, then brake harder at which point the servo would overbrake and the car would pull up short of the junction I was slowing for, it was a real pedal dance to compensate for it!!!

Yes, it was covered on here several years ago, 3 settings as I recall(soft, medium, and hard)  --  it was suggested as an alternative to upsizing the front brake discs on the 140 to 170'size(diameter)

Edited 16 February, 20215 yr by Frenchtone

You can set brake assist to 3 settings but your problem seems a lot more dire than that, do you want more or less assist?
Asa you will know there are only a couple of things that would cause the pads to back off from the disk and that is a bent disk or very worn wheel bearings.

4 hours ago, Frenchtone said:

Yes, it was covered on here several years ago, 3 settings as I recall(soft, medium, and hard)  --  it was suggested as an alternative to upsizing the front brake discs on the 140 to 170'size(diameter)

So if it's brake assist settings, is that:

not very much/medium/lots of assistance during a panic brake, or

not very much/medium/lots of pressure required before the assist assists, so to speak (or type)?

 

I don't suppose you have a link to that thread please?

 

As I said, it usually only happens on the first one or two braking occasions during the first drive of the day, so maybe the pads are withdrawing overnight? Not something I've heard of before. A caliper piston filp seal pointing the wrong way?

Other than that, while they seem a bit sharp there's no lack of braking effect.

 

4 hours ago, Urrell said:

Asa you will know there are only a couple of things that would cause the pads to back off from the disk and that is a bent disk or very worn wheel bearings.

...neither of which are present, but thanks for the suggestion. Minimal disc runout, and no noisy bearings or wheel play.

 

T

 

 

I suspect that it's the rear brake pistons backing off.  Both my old Mk5 Golf and my current 2016 Yeti have the same affliction.  With the engine running, stand on the brake pedal and pump the handbrake up and down.  That will adjust up the rear brakes.

 

As for the Brake Assist settings which, as I understand it, affect the brake servo effect, the procedure is:

 

In VCDS Select Control Module, go to (03) ABS Brakes, then (10) Adaptation, go to Channel:

Channel 09 Brake Assist (This will then activates Channel 36)

There are 3 settings:

0-center (stock setting)

1-small

2-hard

 

Channel 36 allows you to change the XDS settings which as stock are set to 0.

 

Channel 36 XDS

There are 3 settings:

0-center (stock setting)

1-weak

2-strong

Edited 16 February, 20215 yr by Schtum

Brake assistance settings like Steering assistance might be adjusted on Motability Cars or at Drivers request where a changing in the setting might suit a driver with standard controls or hand controls or adaptions.  Skoda used to use the term Disability adaptions to the controls.     When buying a used car it is a good idea not to assume that the Brake, Steering Assist is not at a Factory setting as the adjustment might be already done for more or even less assistant.  As might happen with XDS settings.   Cars traded in or bought at auction may well not be reset to the factory setting, so check, especially if the car was owned first by Motability. 

Edited 16 February, 20215 yr by e-Roottoot

I adjusted my brake assist setting to "hard" this afternoon and I think the confirmation came up as "strong" or some other random noun (typical of VCDS confusion), to drive I cannot really feel any difference, I think perhaps it needs less pedal pressure for the initial bite but that has always been lacking on this car despite new discs & pads & then a change to Ferodo Eco friction pads which resolved the same issue on the MK2 Octavia, thereafter the braking is no better and takes just as much pedal effort.

 

It definitely is not a substitute for the larger 320mm brakes which I have ready to fit once I find some hub carriers from a later vehicle that are not rusted to pieces.

14 minutes ago, J.R. said:

It definitely is not a substitute for the larger 320mm brakes which I have ready to fit once I find some hub carriers from a later vehicle that are not rusted to pieces.

 

I obtained a set of Mk5 Golf GTI calipers and carriers from Danny Hill, in my experience, one of life's good guys, at Wigan VAG Parts  https://www.facebook.com/vagpartswigan for a very reasonable price.

 

I then gave the calipers away and had the carriers blasted and powder coated which cost me a bit more than a very reasonable price. 

 

 

Thanks, I will try that although i am not a Fessbook user, I was searching at the time you posted!

I felt the brakes were not up to much when I got the Yeti having come from an  Octavia vRs 

So I swapped to the larger discs, and the problem went away.  Three years later all is still fine.

I have the smaller diameter suspension struts so they will also need changing or I will need spacers.

 

What has put me off most of the hubs I have seen available is that they have clearly come from a much older vehicle than mine that has spent its life under the sea!

 

I really dont want to end up with bearings that may be on their last legs, mine I think have the 3  fixings and not the 4 for the larger hubs, looking at the photos I would not even be sure that the torx bolts would undo.

 

Maybe I need to spend proper money and buy the whole suspension struts, hub carriers, hubs discs & calipers from a late write off & sell on the ratty discs & calipers that I bought thinking they would be a simple bolt on job.

 

Its encouraging to hear that the brakes perfom well after the upgrade.