Long brake pedal on D4

[entropy]

Hi All

I'm new to Discovery, and wondering if it's normal for the Disco to have such long pedal travel before the brakes engage?

I like a firm brake pedal, which is why driving my 16.5 HSE makes me nervous. Seems I need a lot of foot travel before the brakes begin to engage, then even more to get them to do anything meaningful. Vehicle has less than 3000 on the clock.

Normal, or do I need to see the dealer?

[LRD414]

Doesn't sound normal but difficult to assess without actual values of travel distance. I find the brakes engage meaningfully as you'd expect and on average no different to other vehicles I've driven.

Scott

[BobD]

One man's long pedal is another man's normal. Very hard to tell what you actually mean from that description but I've never noticed anything untoward and the brakes are brilliant.

[rhinosm]

If your not comfortable, take it back to dealer.
Best to be safe than sorry.

[letherm]

When I picked mine up from the dealer (MY13 D4 HSE) I did not notice any issue with the brakes after driving my old Pajero to the dealer as the trade.

As previously said, contact the dealer. Brakes are too important to muck around with.

Martin

[entropy]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll go see the dealer. I agree that what is "excessive" brake travel is subjective according to each user. As it is, pedal travel is around 100mm before it reaches full application. Pedal finishes about 30mm from floor. That's more movement than I'm used to in previous vehicles.

Cheers all.
Peter

[DiscoJeffster]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll go see the dealer. I agree that what is "excessive" brake travel is subjective according to each user. As it is, pedal travel is around 100mm before it reaches full application. Pedal finishes about 30mm from floor. That's more movement than I'm used to in previous vehicles.

Cheers all.
Peter

That sounds very wrong to me. While they're no VW Golf (binary brakes), they're much better than that. Symptom you describe is akin to air in the system to me.

[LandyAndy]

Not right.
See if it improves with a pump of the pedal!!!!
Andrew

[jliquorish]

Definitely sounds wrong to me. If anything my brakes are too responsive but more controlled, compared to other cars I've driven and have plenty of reserve without much travel.

[entropy]

That sounds very wrong to me. While they're no VW Golf (binary brakes), they're much better than that. Symptom you describe is akin to air in the system to me.

Feels wrong as well. Mid travel there's a whisper of brake, then they finally come on.


Not right.
See if it improves with a pump of the pedal!!!!
Andrew

Yes, pedal comes up if pumped.

I'll get it to the dealer tomorrow. Hopefully no big deal to sort out, just a system bleed.

[discorevy]

Feels wrong as well. Mid travel there's a whisper of brake, then they finally come on. Yes, pedal comes up if pumped.I'll get it to the dealer tomorrow. Hopefully no big deal to sort out, just a system bleed.Make sure you have fluid in the reservoir before taking it to the dealers, if there's a leak and it runs out it could be nasty , tell them you've run out of brakes and they'll come to you

[DiscoJeffster]

Did you get a resolution to this?

[Mungus]

I have reported the same issue basically since new. Each time they simply bleed the system and all is good for another few months until long pedal is evident again. A quick touch prior to braking gets it back up again. They have checked the booster for oil contamination and found nothing. On one occasion I opened the reservoir cap and pedal came back to normal. Service manager has noted that there is obviously air getting in the system over time and will continue to investigate. I noticed the other day, dust accumulation around the calipers, but after three years I would have expected such. At the very least make sure you keep reporting it so it is on your record.

[discorevy]

I have reported the same issue basically since new. Each time they simply bleed the system and all is good for another few months until long pedal is evident again. A quick touch prior to braking gets it back up again. They have checked the booster for oil contamination and found nothing. On one occasion I opened the reservoir cap and pedal came back to normal. Service manager has noted that there is obviously air getting in the system over time and will continue to investigate. I noticed the other day, dust accumulation around the calipers, but after three years I would have expected such. At the very least make sure you keep reporting it so it is on your record.



Sounds like a vacuum is forming with yours Mingus, have you mentioned this to the workshop?

[Mungus]

Sounds like a vacuum is forming with yours Mingus, have you mentioned this to the workshop?

No but I will. Cheers! Can you elaborate as to how/where a vacuum would form. Are you referring to the release of the reservoir cap?

[discorevy]

yep , thinking it might be coincidental that its the removal of cap when they bleed it that makes it ok again for a while until vacuum builds , the breather on the cap could be blocked, giving you the symptoms, I did spell Mungus but auto correct auto wrecked[tonguewink]

[entropy]

Wow, what a difference having brakes makes. Dealership ended up doing a manual bleed (?) to all wheels and the brake pedal feel is now nice and firm. Such a difference I can't stop smiling. Maybe it's even a permasmile :)

cheers and thanks all for your input.