Stalling & brake noise

Just took my 2.0 TDI for a holiday in France, 2500 miles in two weeks, very comfortable and great on the motorways, cruise control made keeping to the speed limit a doddle and loads of room for all the stuff you take on holiday and don't need.

The car is a 57 plate I got as an ex-demonstrator, I have never had a diesel before and I am a bit mystified why I keep stalling it, usually in the middle of the road as I am trying to break into traffic, once on a roundabout (!!!). Is there something I should know? I was told by someone that diesels are "very tractable" with "lots of low down grunt", but mine seems to be very sensitive and does not like trickling along through traffic in second, any comments? I know the turbo cuts in at 1800rpm or thereabouts, do I just need to keep the revs up or do I need to drop into first gear earlier than I would with a petrol engine?

The other question I would like to throw out to you good people is about noise from the brakes; when I apply them there is a noise from the brakes (kinda rubbing sound - "cuhhhhhhhh..."). I am not used to hearing my brakes on previous cars. Also, when just rolling along normally I can hear what I interpret to be the wheel bearings making a similar but quieter noise. I wonder if I might have picked up a stone or if the pads are glazed.

The car now has 8000 miles on the clock and is telling me that it needs a service in 400 miles time (funny period?). Can you hear your brakes?

Not too sure about the stalling (mine has DSG), but I have seen other posts complaining about the light flywheel making getaways a bit tricky. I don't have much in the way of brake noise, but it usually indicates worn pads, so get them checked out, which brings me to your service; 8k miles :yikes:

On fixed servicing this should be 10-12k (can't remember which, or variable servicing which is anywhere between 17k and 20k. I have had mine since new (07 plate), and it has just passed 18k miles, and now wants a service within 700 miles.

Far be it from me to cast doubts, but noisy brakes, service at 8k, (and possible tickover issues), get a REALLY good service at a main dealer (different one to where you bought it), and get it checked out REALLY well against warranty...

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Originally Posted by Dook

........ Far be it from me to cast doubts, but noisy brakes, service at 8k, (and possible tickover issues), get a REALLY good service at a main dealer (different one to where you bought it), and get it checked out REALLY well against warranty...

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Excellent advice.

A lot of people on here have had a problem with stalling (me included), and I really do feel it's an issue with the light flywheel. However, mine will trundle along in second at tickover, but needs care when accelerating from there. It seems to be a question of acclimatisation. It is very difficult to stall our 12-year-old normally aspirated Laguna diesel, but I'm sure it's nothing to do with it not having a turbo.

It is possible that your problem is related to fuelling so, again, as Dook says, get it checked out - you might also be missing a software update.

I have booked her in (her name is Rosamund by the way), for a service next week. The bloke says the car will call for a service after 12 months but that is 3 months away yet. he also said it sounds as though the clutch may be maladjusted, I did not mention that both I and my lady have difficulty with smooth clutch control on the car, and we both take pride in the smoothness of our driving on previous cars.

I will let you know the outcome. Thanks for the comments.

Anyone got any other thoughts on the brake noise? I just swapped cars on the drive and the noise is really quite loud and distinctive in the car.

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Originally Posted by Spike001

Anyone got any other thoughts on the brake noise? I just swapped cars on the drive and the noise is really quite loud and distinctive in the car.

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I've been hearing a slight grinding noise lately, which I've heard on previous cars, and may well be due to a build up of dust.

I certainly haven't heard anything like you describe though, particularly at low mileage.

The wheel bearing noise may be the problem with the rear tyre wear, but again your mileage seems too low for this, but see the recent thread "rumbling noise between 30 and 60mph".

Funny about your service indicator as well - are you sure your car has only done 8,000 miles?

BTW, I've never had a stalling problem. I did stall it once or twice when I first got it, but that was in the pulling away scenario, and my excuse was just lack of familiarty and 'feel' for the car and its controls - I did around 200,000 miles in my previous car, and a new one takes a bit of getting used to!!

The car was an ex-demonstrator and I am told that prospective buyers were not lent the car for weekends etc, so the only previous drivers would have been punters accompanied by the salesbloke. 1 previous owner but 1000 previous drivers; I picked it up with about 5.7k on the clock for £14k, which I thought was ok

Everything about the car is right for 8k (actually I checked tonight it's 8.7k).

The tyres are fine, loads of tread no apparent feathering. I will let you know after the service/warranty issues visit next week.

Well the car went in for its service last week. I took it back to the dealer from whom I bought it (against the advice above) because they offered to give me a free service as I had only had the car a couple of months. The bloke says that the interval is not 10,000miles but 15,000km which is about 9400 miles, the warning started coming up around 8400 so it was definitely trying to tell me something. The car is set up for time and distance rather than long interval servicing and with the mileage I expect to do (10k or less a year), this does seem the best option.

Stalling - they found nothing unusual about the clutch adjustment or tick-over/programming, but I have not had the problem since, so I wonder if they have just lubricated some linkages or maybe did something without telling me what.

The brake noise - predictably they said that they could not find anything wrong. The bloke tells me that the brake pads are sintered (trying to blind me with science) and some noise is to be expected, equally on the rolling noise (which I called bearing noise) they could not find anything unusual.

I don't feel their response was entirely satisfactory and I started to feel like a hyperchondriac telling about problems they could not find. I have however got all my concerns down on their records, so if anything gets worse and needs attention I will be able to refer to this vist.

BUT they fixed the squeaky glove box!

That service interval is very short. I have mine since new ( 2005 ) and with 68,000km's on the clock it's only asked for 2 services - at 30k and 60k

I do a fair amount of "local" driving with a good sprinkling of motorway so I guess I'm fairly average.

As for the stalling, mine used to be a bit of a problem, mainly on the turbo kicking in and out at 1800rpm or so in first when you are just moving about in traffic. A software upgrade was done when it was in for some recall work and it's been a dream since. I do have the 2.0tdi though, so not sure about the 1.9.

Should mention that the SW Upgrade was done without me knowing about it! The car was in for some recall work (Heated Seats, Wiper Motor and fuel line ). Only found out about the software upgrade when I picked it up.

It did seem to fix most of the odd issues with the car "running on" when in traffic at the RPM's where the Turbo should kick in or out.