Locked rear brake

[Max-Power]

Hi there,

For some reason I've noticed that one of the rear brakes on my B5.5 2001 TDI Passat has it's brake constantly on slightly. When I have the clutch down and the car is on a slight incline, the car doesn't move back as the rear lifts up (indicating the brake is on) which is when I saw the brake touching the disk so the wheel doesn't move freely when jacked up and no hand-brake on.

Now then, the question! What's the best way to solve this? Open the brake fluid cap and bleed the brakes a bit? Replace the caliper of the brake? (Which means replacing the pads I guess ) or something else I could try?

Thanks in advance for the help

[paulp]

check the handbrake cable on the sticking side it might be seized.

[peter cutmore]

i had one that had the same problem handbrake cable was seized

[Max-Power]

cheers chaps, i'll give that a look into in the haynes manual... as soon as the bloody weather clears up that is!

[Crasher]

Also possibly a water damaged servo causing the master cylinder to stick slightly.

[Max-Power]

that sounds a bit more technical than I know :| where would this be for me to check?

I have had water blockage in the battery bit (that I need to clean out still).....dunno if that's related?

[Crasher]

Yes it is related, the mater cylinder has to be removed to check for internal corrosion to the servo and master cylinder. The problem is caused by the servo being under a continuous vacuum, the crimps between the sections not being perfectly water tight and then the servo sitting in a bath of water.