Almost crashed last night. What's wrong with my brakes? Help!?

[JayyyyyC]

So it was pouring last night and I was on I-66 making my way over to Arlington, VA to meet some friends. The mini van in front of me tried merging right at the same time a car was merging into the same lane from the other lane. Both swerved out once they realized it and the mini-van slammed the brakes. I maintained a safe distance so I saw it coming, but as I tried braking slowly, my car didn't slow down... The car just seemed like it was gliding forward without stopping. I pressed even harder, and the car slowed down ever so slightly, but without much of a "braking" feel. I downshifted from 6th to 4th and then to 3rd as I was braking because the car didn't seem to slow down much. I ended up being about a few feet away from the mini van.

So after that I was a bit shook. Went to meet my friends, hung out, and then made my way home. On the way home, right before the highway ramp, I came to a slow stop from 45 mph at a red light. I gave the brake some slight pressure, and what do you know, the ABS kicked in for a split second. Oh, and it was no longer raining on the way home. Weird. I get on the highway it was pretty empty at 1:30am so I did a 90-50 mph stop. Same thing. Car felt like it was gliding forward without stopping, and only until I gave it some decent pressure did the car "start to stop." [O_O]

What's wrong with my brakes? If it helps any, I am noticing my brakes squeal like crazy just backing down my driveway in the morning. Also sometimes when my car sits in the garage for a full day and the car is started and rolled out, I hear a clunk in the front but haven't pinpointed it yet.

Your help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

[tike0rz]

My brakes squeal like crazy when I'm backing out of the driveway too, but I've never had the gliding sensation you experienced.

Have you checked your brake fluid recently? Maybe there is a leak in the hose. Maybe its not creating pressure to the calipers? (for lack of a better term)..Was the time with the minivan the first time you experienced this problem?

This is a quite a serious problem. I'd put it on the top of my priorities, unless you have another daily driver.

[JayyyyyC]

My brakes squeal like crazy when I'm backing out of the driveway too, but I've never had the gliding sensation you experienced.

Have you checked your brake fluid recently? Maybe there is a leak in the hose. Maybe its not creating pressure to the calipers? (for lack of a better term)..Was the time with the minivan the first time you experienced this problem?

This is a quite a serious problem. I'd put it on the top of my priorities, unless you have another daily driver.

Yea it's pretty serious. The thing is, brake pedal feel is decent. I did check my brake fluid and it seems like it's good, but I can't tell because I can only see the damn tank from the top. I tried jiggling it around and saw the fluid sloshing in it, and it seemed to be at a good level.

Dry pavement braking is good, but during hard stops the car just doesn't seem to want to brake.

[Jsmooth65]

If the ground is wet and you brake hard, you will slide, raining or not. Maybe you experienced hydroplaning?

Otherwise, you don't have a closed system anymore, and slight pressure leaks fluid and doesn't brake, and big pressure leaks still, but you have enough flow to stop. If this was the case, you would have alot of brake fluid wetness on the back side of your upright and probably all over your wheel well, and your fluid level would drop.

[RolledMySTi]

Get off the road my friend. I had the exact same thing happen to me. Turned out to be a busted brake line. It's some scary shit. Stop driving asap because it will only get worst. Mine happened on a sunny day so I could see the brake fluid in my wheel. My cv boot was somehow rubbing against my hard brake line and it eventually wore a hole in it.

[exorcet]

also pressure test and see if the brake booster line (the hard line that snakes into the firewall just to the left of where ECU sits) is cracked or leaking.

it has a plastic tee (check valve?) with 3 lines (1 to back of manifold, 1 to larger rubber grommet in firewall, 1 into the accordian hose base)

mine was leaking and i was getting a bit of 'chatter' at high speed braking (80mph+) which is gone now that i've fixed. In searching here and AW i came across some anecdotes that it caused some scary braking issues for others, too.

[JayyyyyC]

Thanks I'll try to do that this weekend. Car brakes fine under dry conditions. Brake fluid does seem like it's normal, but can someone chime in and tell me if there is a more accurate way of checking the fluid level? The tank can only be seen from the top as far as I can tell, and I can't seem to see the "max and min" level lines.

[KompMan420]

Stick your finger in the fluid resevoir and check the color. If it's dark, it's time to change it. Brake fluid should be change every 2 years under normal usage. I'd also recommend what the others suggested about checking your lines for fluid leaks and testing the brake booster line. I had a scary moment myself when the line disconnected completely doing 60mph down the highway. Roads were dry and I had no brakes.

[hyperlight944]

hahah same hing happened to me check your brake booster valve its prob broken and pops back in sometimes

[oatmeal so good]

Get B7 RS4 reps, and this will never happen again. You'll look so cool, you would just want to cruise all the time, and brakes will be a thing of the past.

[KompMan420]

hahah same hing happened to me check your brake booster valve its prob broken and pops back in sometimes

If this has happened, don't just pop it back in, replace the line. I put 4 zipties around that bitch to make sure it wasn't going anywhere until I could order the hose (dealer only). Probably around $90-$100, but WAY less than an accident. DON'T RISK IT!!!

[Fast Euro]

I got bizarre wet braking behavior from time to time - had it ever since I got the car a few years back. It almost seems like the brakes get soaked and don't bite as well until I hit them harder once or twice... but it doesn't seem as bad as what you're getting.

[Fast Euro]

If this has happened, don't just pop it back in, replace the line. I put 4 zipties around that bitch to make sure it wasn't going anywhere until I could order the hose (dealer only). Probably around $90-$100, but WAY less than an accident. DON'T RISK IT!!!

Is this the line tha connects under the accordian hose? Where does it normally pop off from?

[nuctech]

the brakes are automatically lightly applied by to keep the rotors dry so that shouldn't be an issue

[KompMan420]

Is this the line tha connects under the accordian hose? Where does it normally pop off from?

The brake booster line is the curvy 'S' shaped hard line coming out of the firewall and under the Y-Pipe. It then splits into two ends. It's at this split that it popped off for me.

[Reich]

So it was pouring last night and I was on I-66 making my way over to Arlington, VA to meet some friends. The mini van in front of me tried merging right at the same time a car was merging into the same lane from the other lane. Both swerved out once they realized it and the mini-van slammed the brakes. I maintained a safe distance so I saw it coming, but as I tried braking slowly, my car didn't slow down... The car just seemed like it was gliding forward without stopping. I pressed even harder, and the car slowed down ever so slightly, but without much of a "braking" feel. I downshifted from 6th to 4th and then to 3rd as I was braking because the car didn't seem to slow down much. I ended up being about a few feet away from the mini van.

So after that I was a bit shook. Went to meet my friends, hung out, and then made my way home. On the way home, right before the highway ramp, I came to a slow stop from 45 mph at a red light. I gave the brake some slight pressure, and what do you know, the ABS kicked in for a split second. Oh, and it was no longer raining on the way home. Weird. I get on the highway it was pretty empty at 1:30am so I did a 90-50 mph stop. Same thing. Car felt like it was gliding forward without stopping, and only until I gave it some decent pressure did the car "start to stop." [O_O]

What's wrong with my brakes? If it helps any, I am noticing my brakes squeal like crazy just backing down my driveway in the morning. Also sometimes when my car sits in the garage for a full day and the car is started and rolled out, I hear a clunk in the front but haven't pinpointed it yet.

Your help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

As i told to somebody else in this forum, don't remember who, it's a wheel sensor. My friend s4 did same thing. There was like no brakes until almost stoped then you could hear the abs and after full brakes.

[nizmosx]

i have a complete set of a4 brake lines if they are the same as s4 i will sell em for cheap.

[hyperlight944]

If this has happened, don't just pop it back in, replace the line. I put 4 zipties around that bitch to make sure it wasn't going anywhere until I could order the hose (dealer only). Probably around $90-$100, but WAY less than an accident. DON'T RISK IT!!!

hah relax an i took it out an epoxied it with industrial grade epoxy ...that hoe is gon nowhere for now ....i needa get a new one but have been way to busy

[The_Jerbel]

The brake booster line is the curvy 'S' shaped hard line coming out of the firewall and under the Y-Pipe. It then splits into two ends. It's at this split that it popped off for me.

MY '01 and up had the split. On the '00 it just went directly from the intake mani to the firewall. It's simpler for us '00 boys

[BiTurboLovin]

Is the hose y'all are talking about the spider hose?

[beerock]

this is the piece you need to look at, it might be sitting like this,


and when you get on the gas the vaccum decreases and it pops off




I epoxied mine Supposedly even with a new one it can happen again.

[exorcet]

If this has happened, don't just pop it back in, replace the line. I put 4 zipties around that bitch to make sure it wasn't going anywhere until I could order the hose (dealer only). Probably around $90-$100, but WAY less than an accident. DON'T RISK IT!!!

it was ~$78 delivered from Craig at www.genuineaudiparts.com ..