I have a 2000 A6 2.7t and ever since I got it, the brakes seem to grab too much, forcing the car to lunge forward. I notice it more at slower city speeds. It also seems to brake harder in the front more than the back. when braking the car will slow to about 5-10 mph and then REALLY BRAKE. AHH!

I've bled the brakes twice with a pressure bleeder applying pressure to the brake pedal. Could I be doing something wrong in the process of bleeding or is something wrong with the system or downshifting of the auto trans.?

 

if you find the car has too much stopping power/grabbing, change the pads. You probably have ceramic pads or some other premium pad meant to give you enhanced braking.

I personally like my super grippy ceramic pads. You drive a heavy car with the engine in front of the front wheels, so your car will nose dive like crazy when stopping.

If it really bothers you, take it to midas and I'm sure they can find something wrong to change for you

 

The early 2.7t's have great brakes.* Just THINKING about putting your foot on the brake petal is enough to start slowing you down! ;-)

Took me a while to get used to it... just do not push on the petal as hard as you would with other cars. (I had to drive barefoot for a while.) It in nice to have all that brakes when you need it.

*The front OEM brake rotors did have a tendency to warp. Replace with the higher quality vented disks.

 

Thanks guys, but don't think those are the problems. Pedal seems a bit too soft after the initial grab and as the car slows, there is a big surge of breaking, it seems hydraulic to me. I should also note I have a 99 a6 which which breaks perfect and even. Maybe I'm bleeding the breaks wrong, Do you really have to apply pressure to the pedal while pressure bleeding?

 

You probably have racing/street performance brake pads. Race type brake pads are designed to work at higher temperature, so the initial bite is always less. My Hawk HPS pads, although not race pads, are similar to that. I installed the same pads on several vehicles and they were all the same where the initial bite was not strong, but they don't fade after heavy braking. The very first car that I installed the pads, I felt the same way.

FYI, NEVER use race pads on street cars. They WILL kill you or someone else. Full race pads don't work for jack on normal street temperature.

With that said, I think that the issue comes from the pads. Only other option is to pressure test the brake system to see if there is a leak.

 

Just reading your post, about the car "lunging forward". Check your front shocks. If they are soft, the front end will lower more than it should under braking and the vehicle weight will transfer forward more than normal, putting more stopping weight on the front than the rear. If you bought the car used, you might check to see if it has stainless steel brakelines or oem rubber. The ss do not expand and are supposed to give a firmer stop.

 

Are you sure its the brakes grabbing, or is it the tranny dropping to 1st? I ask 'cause mines pretty much the same way.. I slow and @10, when it drops to 1st, I get 'pushed' forward into the seatbelt...