Brake Pedal Feel / Travel

[enfield577]

Getting away from the accelerator pedal, and on to the brake pedal ...I have put about 1700 miles on my Vibe GT since I bought it used with 8300 miles. From the start, it has seemed to me that the brake pedal takes more pressure than I am used to with other passenger cars (my previous car was a VW Jetta). It stops fine - no pulsing or fading or other problems - I just have to push harder on the pedal than it seems like it should. The brake fluid level is fine, as are the brake pads and rotors.Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

[Caretaker]

yes indeed; very normal. The brakes are not a strong point on the 09 and 10 models. I considered having the TSB work done on the brake vacuum line just to see if that would improve performance, but when I saw what the idiot dealership mechanics would have to tear apart in my car to get to it, I said no way; I'll live with the not so quick to engage brakes.

[lovemyraffe]

If your Jetta was anything like mine, the brake pedal in the Vibe feels like it needs 1700 lbs to make it do anything. In my Jetta the brakes were way too touchy.

[enfield577]

Thanks for the replies! I won't worry about it anymore, will just get used to this one after driving the Jetta for 6 years. BTW, I drive a lot of narrow curving back roads to-from work, and the Vibe handles just as well as the Jetta (better even on some curves), and I don't miss the little extra umph from the Jetta's 1.8 turbo at all. And I sure don't miss having to put Premium in the Jetta!

[Silversn95]

I actually think ours is a little on the light side but then all the controls on the Vibe seem to be that way from the brake, accel, steering effort and shifter. Maybe you do have a problem if the effort is excessive.