It ain't me babe . . .

[Mike Arman]

>From: "susana martinez" <nanayceci at hotmail.com>
>To: quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: Help - Brake complicated problem
>Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 00:54:35 +0200
>
>
>
>Hello guys
>Got a '89 200 Turbo and when I'm driving about 30 to 50 miles I got this
>problem: My steering wheel begins shaking badly, at the same time brake
>pedal gets stiff, later pedal begins to go to floor and at the end you have
>no brakes, the car starts braking itself. You let it getI took it to a shop
>(an expensive import service) and got out with a $1400 bill, a new brake
>accumulator,hoses and pentosin (according to them it was a leaking problem),
>but I never saw any loss of fluid not even when the car had no brakes. I
>pay, take the car out of the shop and I got exactly the same problem 30
>miles after. The guy in the shop says that the solution now must be that the
>front calipers are sticking ,the brake fluid boils and that the car needs
>both front calipers (girling, double piston). I check other shop and the guy
>says there may be the calipers but that he's never heard of the two calipers
>going wrong at the same time, and that the stiff pedal story does not match
>with a caliper failure. He suspects a brake master cylinder instead.
>Sorry for writing such long mail but I'd appreciate if anyone has ever heard
>of something like this before.
>Ceci Cerdan
>Kentucky


Two items to replace:

First, replace the "expensive import service" joint - they seem to be in
the business of taking money, not fixing cars. (And *you* got to
demonstrate that . . . sorry.)

Second, replace the brake master cylinder. That is the problem with
intermittent dragging brakes - this is a known Audi issue, and SHOULD have
been the hotshot repair place's first thing to replace. (Although it does
sound from your description that you did need a new accumulator.)

There's nothing wrong with the calipers, but you might want to check the
discs to see if they are warped from the heat generated by the
intermittently dragging brakes, and do a precautionary pad change.
Personally, I like the lifetime guaranteed aftermarket stuff - these are
marketed toward "most people" who only keep cars a few years, so they never
get to use the guarantee. I keep cars forever, and the local auto parts
stores CRINGE when they see me coming with this month's truckload of
warranteed parts, which they DO replace for free - all *I* have to do is
install them. Now if I could only get lifetime guaranteed gasoline . . .

Best Regards,

Mike Arman