# MKiv New Brakes and now I have no brakes



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

I changed my front rotors and pads today and then went to test them out and It feels as if I have no front brakes the car cant even stall itself out... What is going on


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

Some clues?...Have you inspected brakes?...I've seen guys get distracted and forget to tighten caliper hold down bolt/pin...pad drops out..brakes go away!....So did you go back and look things over?...When you say "no brakes" do you mean pedal goes to floor..or is pedal hard but no braking action?...If it's the latter... then I'd suspect something like shipping coating not being removed from new rotors..some rotors come coated with antirust stuff that can ruin new pads if you don't scrub it off good with BrakeCleen B4 installing pads...in that case pedal is nice 'n firm but pads don't have any brakin power...if you soak pads in grease/oil you pretty much have to throw them away...you clean stuff off..but heat draws more out of pad material and you're right back in no brake action...


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## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

spitpilot said:


> Some clues?...Have you inspected brakes?...I've seen guys get distracted and forget to tighten caliper hold down bolt/pin...pad drops out..brakes go away!....So did you go back and look things over?...When you say "no brakes" do you mean pedal goes to floor..or is pedal hard but no braking action?...If it's the latter... then I'd suspect something like shipping coating not being removed from new rotors..some rotors come coated with antirust stuff that can ruin new pads if you don't scrub it off good with BrakeCleen B4 installing pads...in that case pedal is nice 'n firm but pads don't have any brakin power...if you soak pads in grease/oil you pretty much have to throw them away...you clean stuff off..but heat draws more out of pad material and you're right back in no brake action...


 No oil brand new rotors and pads they had that coating and it has worn off... It fees as if the rear is the only thing that is stopping the car..


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## EuroSportChicago (Jun 9, 2010)

Are there any leaks? Did you check like spitpilot said about the pads falling out?

Did you mess with the bleeder screw at all? did the calipers hang and possibly damage the lines?


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## jaso028 (Aug 12, 2007)

did you pump your pedal before starting your car after you did the brakes?? 

this happened to me once... was backing up after I did my brakes and forgot to pump them.. well sure enough I had no pedal and smacked a tree.... lol... shame on me.. no damage!


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## Goheels555 (Feb 10, 2010)

If there was not proper care taken to keep stress off your brake lines they could have been damaged which would fit what your description of the problem.


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## DC Jetta Guy (Jul 31, 2004)

bagdwag said:


> No oil brand new rotors and pads they had that coating and it has worn off... It fees as if the rear is the only thing that is stopping the car..


 I believe spitpilot's point was the rotors were most likely shipped with a cosmoline coating or something similar. That stuff should have been completely cleaned off of the rotors before installing them. If the coating is now "worn off" as you mentioned, it probably ruined your front pads. You will still have pedal but the brake pads will have no gripping action on the rotors becuase they are now contaminated with cosmoline. And, as you mentioned, the rear brakes are the only things stopping the car. You need to replace your front pads again, and this time completely clean your rotors before installing the new pads.


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