Hard break pedal when starting from cold - common problem?

[Chasca]

I drive a 57 reg Ibiza, and since last week the break pedal has been hard for the first 10-20 seconds of starting my engine from cold. The pedal cannot be depressed at all for at least 10 seconds, until it gradually softens.

This had never occurred before last week, although when I spoke to my local SEAT garage, they ran some tests, then told me that it was an issue common to all Ibizas.

Is this the case? I'd appreciate it if you could let me know if you all have the same issue.

Thanks in advance!

 

[badbill_uk]

I have a 56 reg ibiza and mine doesnt do this.

 

[TazB]

i take it the brakes don't work while the pedal is hard?
don't blame you if you haven't tried driving it like that. mine doesn't have that problem and it doesn't sound safe. i know that if you pump the pedal while the engine is off it goes hard but returns to normal as soon as the engine is started.

 

[Nath.]

The vacuum is leaking from the brake servo overnight, probably a loose pipe fitting or a split pipe, not sure if there is a one way valve in line that could also be at fault. There was a recall on the mk3 for this exact fault

I have not read about this fault on here before though

 

[kriso]

I've never heard of it happening to mk4 Ibizas..and it hasn't happened to any of mine or family/friends'. Sounds like the garage is trying to fob you off. Get it fixed under warranty...you need working brakes!

 

[chrisboyle999]

definitely a servo problem mate, and it needs looking at.

when you get in the car put it in nuetral and put your foot on the brake. start the engine.
you should almost immediately be able to begin pressing the brake with 'feel'.

if it takes a while then as someone has already said you are loosing vacuum. not a good thing.

 

[Chasca]

Cheers for the replies - at least it's clear there is no chance this problem is common.

I should have mentioned, when the problem first happened last week, we initially thought it was the servo, and then when I mentioned it to the garage on the phone the bloke there agreed that was probably the problem too. However, when I took the car in they ran the tests and said the vacuum was fine. My next move is to take the car to a different SEAT garage and get a second opinion, hopefully they will suss it.

Alarm bells started ringing when the garage said that all Ibizas do it, but funnily enough mine magically started only last week...

 

[jamesy_1820vt]

chasca ma cupra does it as well i have had time to take it bk yet if u find out wat it is can u let me know mate

 

[RUM4MO]

The vacuum is leaking from the brake servo overnight, probably a loose pipe fitting or a split pipe, not sure if there is a one way valve in line that could also be at fault. There was a recall on the mk3 for this exact fault
I have not read about this fault on here before though

Yes, the MK3 issue was concerning the quality of the flexible pipe to the servo. This issue with either a hard brake pedal or siezed brakes is common to all users of this platform and not just Ibiza - it seems that its mainly Fabia folk that are having a problem - maybe look on the Skoda forum for more info. I seem to remember it usually ends up being traced back to the servo assembly, although dealers will take all the cheaper routes first and hopefully not suggest the ABS block!

 

[nealo]

my vacuum hose split on my cupra last year and was causing the brake pedal to go hard. braking power was very poor as well. had it replaced under warranty

 

[markthommo_84]

i had similar issues a few months back, first it started where if i braked twice quickly in succession, eg going to stop at a roundabout, then going, and then deciding to stop, the second press would feel harder and less responsive. or approaching a speed bump if i braked with one pressure, and then went to brake harder, the pedal went hard.

thought nothing of it for a while as its not often u have to brake like that, then one day i was driving through my estate down a hill when a car coming the other way didnt give way for a parked car and i had to slam on, and it was as if there was just the pressure from my own foot braking, no help from the brakes at all. this is when i got my dad to have a look and he found a crack in a pipe somewhere. im not the mechanic he is, but i think it was servo related. there's a u shaped pipe, or an L shaped one, and the inside of the bend had a crack in it, so when pressure applied it leaked.

hope this helps