Had my new Sportback for a few weeks now. It is my first DSG and MHEV so I’m still becoming accustomed to it. However I find the brake are strange at times. On several occasions it has felt as if the brakes are not working properly and I felt the car was not going to stop. Sometimes if I’m applying the brakes gently it has felt as if the brake pressure has momentarily been reduced. Other times they are fine. Anyone had similar issues?
Possible brake problem?
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It is to do with the MHEV system. The car will regen and slow the car down through engine braking as you apply the brakes or as it approaches an object or a junction/roundabout. As the car reduces speed that the regen is not effective no more it turns off the regen so with it the effects of the engine braking. This feels like the brakes are not braking as effectively but the braking force is still the same. It means that you then have to apply more brake pressure to get the same overall ‘braking effect’.
it feels strange at first but you soon get use to it and compensate without realising.
it feels strange at first but you soon get use to it and compensate without realising.
Yes, I have. I think the brakes feel weak compared to (most) other cars. I have an S3, but all A3s use the same servo. It's an electro-mechanical one designed for EV and HEV cars (as no vacuum). I took the car to Audi, who reported that all was working normally.
(To compound things, OBDEleven frequently shows brake booster faults, but apparently these are "not faults").
If these links work, you can read my previous threads:
www.audi-sport.net
(To compound things, OBDEleven frequently shows brake booster faults, but apparently these are "not faults").
If these links work, you can read my previous threads:
S3 - Disappointing brakes?
Anyone else underwhelmed by the S3's brakes? To me they lack responsiveness, rather like old non-servo brakes. I find I am having to press harder than I expect to, especially in emergencies. I've fitted EBC Yellowstuff pads, which were absolutely perfect on my previous car - a 2015 TT, which...
S3 8Y Brakes disappointing
New to the forum and to S3s! Going from a 2015 TT (standard brakes but yellowstuff pads) I have found the new S3's brakes quite underwhelming, and sometimes alarming. There is very little bite and it takes a lot of foot force to slow quickly. It feels like the power assistance is lacking...
www.audizine.com
I found my 8Y S3 brakes weren't as good as my 8V versionYes, I have. I think the brakes feel weak compared to (most) other cars. I have an S3, but all A3s use the same servo. It's an electro-mechanical one designed for EV and HEV cars (as no vacuum). I took the car to Audi, who reported that all was working normally.
(To compound things, OBDEleven frequently shows brake booster faults, but apparently these are "not faults").
If these links work, you can read my previous threads:
S3 - Disappointing brakes?
Anyone else underwhelmed by the S3's brakes? To me they lack responsiveness, rather like old non-servo brakes. I find I am having to press harder than I expect to, especially in emergencies. I've fitted EBC Yellowstuff pads, which were absolutely perfect on my previous car - a 2015 TT, which...
S3 8Y Brakes disappointing
New to the forum and to S3s! Going from a 2015 TT (standard brakes but yellowstuff pads) I have found the new S3's brakes quite underwhelming, and sometimes alarming. There is very little bite and it takes a lot of foot force to slow quickly. It feels like the power assistance is lacking...www.audizine.com
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As other have said, the inconsistent feel of the brakes is a feature of the MHEV system: the brake force changes with car speed, engine speed, gear selection, clutch engagement and (perhaps) battery state in a less intuitive way than conventional brakes. And if you have driver assist, then the car will also help by engine braking into junctions, when the speed limit changes, on hills and when coasting up to other cars. It’s just something that takes a bit of time to get used to.
On the rare occasions I have had to bring my A3 to a swift halt, the brakes have seemed very effective at effortlessly washing off speed.
On the rare occasions I have had to bring my A3 to a swift halt, the brakes have seemed very effective at effortlessly washing off speed.
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Indeed the brakes are the one thing I don't really like about my 8Y (both of them). As it's a brake-by-wire system, the pedal feels just as disconnected than it really is. Even now it sometimes gives me the feeling like it wasn't slowing as it really is, then I shove the pedal a bit upset which certainly causes too sharp braking. And the "jump" in between regen and brakes is still hard to predict sometimes.
I can live with that and it doesn't spoil otherwise great-driving car, but it's a downside for sure. And thankfully the pedal feel isn't springy, like it was in 8V PHEV models.
I can live with that and it doesn't spoil otherwise great-driving car, but it's a downside for sure. And thankfully the pedal feel isn't springy, like it was in 8V PHEV models.
Thanks to everyone for their response. Certainly looks like a common issue. The brake feel is definitely not as good as my previous 8V and as a passenger my wife has noticed her journey is not as 'smooth'.
I turned off auto brake regeneration to see if it would make any difference but still getting the same result, but perhaps not as marked.
I turned off auto brake regeneration to see if it would make any difference but still getting the same result, but perhaps not as marked.
Where can you turn off brake regen ? I have looked in settings > car. Can't see it.
