# 04 golf tdi New brakes smoking, hard pedal, caliper dragging pass side



## AudiLikeA4 (Feb 9, 2004)

I just changed my front pads and rotors on my 2004 golf TDI. The pass side pads were worn more than the driver side. I'm taking a guess that my caliper is dragging. After replacing the brakes on both sides they pads are dragging, I have seen smoke, pulling over and pumping the pedal can help, but not always. I can tell when the pads are dragging because the pedal gets rock hard. I've done brakes many times before this and never had these results. Last time the brakes were bled was 40k miles ago, don't know if that is a factor. I didn't hear any hissing under the hood from the brake booster.
If anyone can help I appreciate it, I did search but couldn't find a comparable situation.


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## AudiLikeA4 (Feb 9, 2004)

No one? I bled the brakes and it got better, but it's still grabbing. Pedal is hard when grabbing, should I replace the passenger side caliper?


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## vdubtech14 (Jan 22, 2009)

did you lube the caliper pin slides, and where the pads contact the caliper, and where they contact the bracket.


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: (vdubtech14)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vdubtech14* »_did you lube the caliper pin slides, and where the pads contact the caliper, and where they contact the bracket.
 X2...you gotta clean and regrease (with synthetic caliper grease for the hi temps involved) those guide pins at every pad change! Many folks forget to do the back ones 'cause you can remove calipers without ever layin eyes on the pins (which stay in the carrier and you have to pull the dust boots off to get em out). http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## AudiLikeA4 (Feb 9, 2004)

I definitely didn't. One thing I did notice which seems to be noted in some searching, is I had to change the brake light switch recently, before I changed pads and rotors. The dragging started before I changed pads, I thought the pads and rotor were metal to metal, but they weren't. In a thread somewhere it said that the brake light switch pin could be applying a slight pressure to the pedal messing up the boosters vacuum. Any validity to this claim? I am going to tear it apart tuesday and re-grease everything anyway, but I'm curious. It seems quite a few people ended up replacing the brake booster when it was just an improperly adjusted brake light switch.
I kept pulling the brake pedal up with my foot today, no snags and I heard a pop, like plastic. Maybe the switch seated? Brake lights are working and no flashing glow plug light saying the switch is bad.







unno:


_Modified by AudiLikeA4 at 5:41 PM 2-22-2009_


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## mdhlaey (Nov 29, 2009)

*Re: 04 golf tdi New brakes smoking, hard pedal, caliper dragging pass side (AudiLikeA4)*

I'm having the same problem with my TDI jetta. The front calipers seem to drag and I have to pull off the road and pump the brake, which helps sometimes. It doesn't happen all the time, at least I don't notice it. It locks down hard about twice a tank full. My husband is going to try and grease the pins tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes. We should be getting 52 mpg and we are currently getting 46, so something is going on. I did get out of the car and smell each tire to determine where the problem was occuring and the culprit was definely the front driver's side and possibly the front passenger's side.


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## waabaah (Jun 24, 2006)

is the vehicle pulling any direction when applying the brakes or even while coasting?


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