I’ve got my old B7 back .. need some help ! Weak brakes .

[Klickflip]

Hi , not been here for a while .. 10 years ! It I’ve just got my old 2004 B7 2.0T Quattro back from my brother , and am trying to sort a few things out.
unfortunately While he loved it he, didn’t take proper care of it , cosmetically and mechanically
the engine is still running superb tho , and it‘s joy to drive .

- Apart from the brakes . Just had new pads and rear discs fitted . But they still are pretty ineffective. I can’t get them to lock up (emergency stop style ) or the ABS to kick in as they are so weak. - can’t recall them being so bad .
mechanic said the pistons were a bit seized so he cleaned , wire brushed them and lubed them .
I get an initial normal bite on normal soft town braking , but then they don’t get any stronger when you push harder. At motorway speeds , they are down right useless .
it’s like the hydraulic force isn’t building any more than a soft press, even when I stomp right to the floor .

Any ideas would be really helpful
thanks
s

 

[B7Tourer]

Welcome back and nice condition you've put it back to, apart from the wheels, which I'm sure you'll get around to, and I'm sure wasn't you lol. I would try having the system rebled properly first before you go down any other rabbit hole. Check with VCDS/OBDEleven too for any ABS codes. Then it's keeping an eye on levels. Did they completely renew the brake fluid, when you had the new discs, or just bleed them? It's advisable to fully change the fluid every so many, 2 I think, years. You can test the fluid to see if it's absorbed too much/any water too. Does your clutch (if manual) feel spongy too?

 

[Klickflip]

Welcome back and nice condition you've put it back to, apart from the wheels, which I'm sure you'll get around to, and I'm sure wasn't you lol. I would try having the system rebled properly first before you go down any other rabbit hole. Check with VCDS/OBDEleven too for any ABS codes. Then it's keeping an eye on levels. Did they completely renew the brake fluid, when you had the new discs, or just bleed them? It's advisable to fully change the fluid every so many, 2 I think, years. You can test the fluid to see if it's absorbed too much/any water too. Does your clutch (if manual) feel spongy too?

Hey, thanks mate ! Yes the wheels are hurting my eyes too :0
I’ll ask mechanic , I have a feeling he might of just replaced the pads and not bled the system again , as it’s basically the same feeling braking as before the new pads . Brake fluid was done with service last year , so that why I didn’t ask for new brake fluid . Could be water in it . I want to get it up on ramp and see condition of brake lines .
The clutch is brilliant , surprised for never had it replaced , it’s at 127k now .

Other bits that need looked at are :
flickering headlights , it’s always done it slightly when they first come on for 5 mins , then settle down. But much worse now .
I always told my bruv to get the ballast checked out . Not sure if trying new bulbs first would help ..
thunking eBay for s/h ballast , high voltage module to try.

ESP seems inactive , apparently a previous garage ‘removed‘ / cleared ESP light from dash to get through MOT ! , not sure what they did ! But the ESP button doesn’t light. And haven’t pushed car hard enough to find out if ESP is still working .

Drivers door window and mirror doesnt work, have identified that some wires are broken in the hose between door and car . I should be able to strip door and replace these wires myself.

Headliner, saggy as f—k ! Might attempt a DIY re-fabric of it .
cheers
s

 

[alps26]

ESP seems inactive , apparently a previous garage ‘removed‘ / cleared ESP light from dash to get through MOT ! , not sure what they did ! But the ESP button doesn’t light. And haven’t pushed car hard enough to find out if ESP is still working .

The ESP packed in on my '05 B7 too. The yaw sensor stopped working and its in the airbag module which is found behind the gear lever. A VCDS scan will confirm what's up. IF it is that, the early B7's had a part number which wasn't used for long and they were hard to find. Unsure if you can use a superseded part as a direct swap.

The broken ESP along with needing a new clutch and flywheel on a car that wasn't worth much were what made me sell it, still regret it, it was a solid, well cared for car other than that

 

[B7Tourer]

ESP seems inactive , apparently a previous garage ‘removed‘ / cleared ESP light from dash to get through MOT ! , not sure what they did ! But the ESP button doesn’t light. And haven’t pushed car hard enough to find out if ESP is still working .

I'd get that sorted buddy before the next MOT too. You can tell if it's not working, since there will be little to no limit on in-neutral revs (should limit to around 2.5 to 3K in neutral with ESP on), which may or may not mean they can rev the nuts off it, for emissions. They are not allowed as you found out to switch ESP off, hence light on, since that's taken as a fault condition. Scrub that - re-reading I can see it's a TFSI, no worries then, but the test in neutral although probably much higher rev limit should work, I think

 

[B7Tourer]

The clutch is brilliant , surprised for never had it replaced , it’s at 127k now .

They are long lasting on these cars - mine only went because of a failed slave cylinder at around 230K - no record if it ever being changed before. Pricey though with the DMF.

 

[Klickflip]

They are long lasting on these cars - mine only went because of a failed slave cylinder at around 230K - no record if it ever being changed before. Pricey though with the DMF.

Yeah they are. Just annoyed that he never took it to a good independent Audi specialist, he always took it to wee slightly dodgy backstreet garages . That seemed really helpful to cheaply sort something , which my bruv thought was good .. but not long term .
told him multiple times , take it to a good specialist .
turned up the other year with a dent in rear , rusting now, wee dent in front, wrong cheapest **** tyres on it . Headlight washer jet lost , loads of lights on dash .
asked him when he last changed battey , that cured quite a lot . And headliner sagging and it smells of dog
Just simple things, it would still be immaculate if I’d kept it !
it’s still fun to drive , and I’m now considering getting one again , Prob a b8.5 Quattro .
But there’s something solid more direct & mechanical about the b7 Quattro , maybe it’s the 50-50 system or less electronic steering feel. Tho the b7s do understeer a bit.
I always feel I know exactly where the grip is on this , the b8 was more detached feeling , and didn’t have the same level of grip, maybe Too light steering or maybe I was pushing it too hard !

 

[B7Tourer]

But there’s something solid more direct & mechanical about the b7 Quattro , maybe it’s the 50-50 system or less electronic steering feel. Tho the b7s do understeer a bit.
I always feel I know exactly where the grip is on this , the b8 was more detached feeling , and didn’t have the same level of grip, maybe Too light steering or maybe I was pushing it too hard !

Yes my FWD is mechanical steering and the feedback is very good. Whilst they do understeer, I've always liked it and I've never agreed with the Beamer boys that they are unengaging and no fun to drive. They hustle beautifully round fast country roads. Loosing the back end on RWD BMWs is not great driving and no fun in my book, and I've experienced a couple of hairy moments in them over the years. These B7s are really the last fully 'analogue' Audis, all manual, quite basic with an S-Line; old school. There's a lot of overhang on the Audi's but the front suspension is actually very ingenious, despite the bolt from hell, lol.

Talking of Audi specialists in Scotland - I used to do quite a bit of work in Glasgow and I can thoroughly recommend a place called, I think, Deutche Cars, in the centre. They did several things on my car, but their auto-electrician, absolute genius. When I got the car, I had a persistant EML light on; even my mate who was a master mechanic at Preston Audi, couldn't get to the bottom of it. That fella in Glasgow, immediately traced it to 4 broken wires to the ECU. They also replaced all my front idlers, still going good 5 years later.

 

[B7Tourer]

turned up the other year with a dent in rear , rusting now, wee dent in front, wrong cheapest **** tyres on it . Headlight washer jet lost , loads of lights on dash .
asked him when he last changed battey , that cured quite a lot . And headliner sagging and it smells of dog
Just simple things, it would still be immaculate if I’d kept it !

I never understand people who put cheap tyres on their cars - it's the only Goddamned thing that touches the road. Take quite an ordinary car - my 2.0 TDI S-line for example. Get the drivetrain sorted, put top quality rubber on it. Michelin PS4s usually, now Pirellis all round, and it transforms the car, as well as making it much much safer. You can have a modest car yet still experience quality motoring and a spirited driving experience too.

Headline sagging, very common on almost all naughties cars these days - Jags much worse, of this era. When they moved from ribbed to glued on. It's the foam that crumbles not the glue that fails. Mine's started going too. Had a quote for £380 but other things got in the way. It only took 4 of those screw in pins to keep it at bay, fortunately for me - not to much of an eyesore and nobody but me has ever noticed. So I'll wait until the sky falls down completely!

I love and grew up around dogs, but none of the beasts are allowed near my car. Gave a 10 minute lift to a friend's dog once. Even with a blanket over the back seat I was finding hairs weeks later. About a year back I was in a pub carpark, when a fella and his dog passed my car he let it piddle on my wheel. I told him straight I was coming round his house to do the same personally on his doorstep; very apologetic he was then, lol.

 

[Klickflip]

I never understand people who put cheap tyres on their cars - it's the only Goddamned thing that touches the road. Take quite an ordinary car - my 2.0 TDI S-line for example. Get the drivetrain sorted, put top quality rubber on it. Michelin PS4s usually, now Pirellis all round, and it transforms the car, as well as making it much much safer. You can have a modest car yet still experience quality motoring and a spirited driving experience too.

Headline sagging, very common on almost all naughties cars these days - Jags much worse, of this era. When they moved from ribbed to glued on. It's the foam that crumbles not the glue that fails. Mine's started going too. Had a quote for £380 but other things got in the way. It only took 4 of those screw in pins to keep it at bay, fortunately for me - not to much of an eyesore and nobody but me has ever noticed. So I'll wait until the sky falls down completely!

I love and grew up around dogs, but none of the beasts are allowed near my car. Gave a 10 minute lift to a friend's dog once. Even with a blanket over the back seat I was finding hairs weeks later. About a year back I was in a pub carpark, when a fella and his dog passed my car he let it piddle on my wheel. I told him straight I was coming round his house to do the same personally on his doorstep; very apologetic he was then, lol