recently my brakes have had me a bit worried. I don't know if I'm just imagining it, but there are times when the brake resistance is harder than normal and other times its fine. Also Sometimes i feel like the brakes aren't biting properly especially when i come up to yelds and i don't plan on stopping but then a car comes, but I only think about it afterwards and i cant remember if I applied alot of pressure. Also today i braked very hard at at about 20km/h and the wheels locked, shouldnt the ABS have kicked in or was i going too slowly?

I don't know if im imagining these symptoms because I usually am talking on the phone when i drive (yes i have a car kit!!) so I'm not concentrating 100%. I don't think its my pads cause my car has only done 6000km. Has anyone had similar experiances? Also how do you guys rate the Stilos brakes compared to other cars in its class, I drove a 147 selespeed the other day and found the brakes to be 1000X better and actually too sharp whereas my brakes I don't think are sharp enough.

sounds like youve got a defenite problem with your brakes. my brakes have never locked up no matter how hard i stamp on them! Get them looked at!

"SERIES 2" 3 Door 1.9 JTD Dynamic in Metallic Black with MP3 player, leather gearstick & steerinig wheel!

ABS lets you brake right up to the point where they lock, then the ABS lessens brake pressure to free up the locked wheel(s) then re-applies to maximise braking force.

However 6000miles seems a bit short for brake pad life, i'd say 20-30,000 miles out of a modern set of pads. That said it all depends on road conditions and your driving characteristics!

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!

My pads went on my Punto at 25k.

March '04, 5 dr 1.4 Stilo Active & Sept '00, 5 dr 1.2 HLX Punto.

I had the same symptoms when I first purchased my car but 8000 miles on it's disappeared, I'd suggest living with it for a while and seeing what happens.

FIAT Stilo Sport. Pretty Much Bog Standard Really. Rear Roof Spoiler,
Sill Protectors, Aluminium Foot Pedals, Eibach 30mm Drop Springs.

20,000 mile on a set of pads. I wish, I'm almost needing new pads and I've done 12,000. [:0]
Maybe I just brake too late and too hard

MiniG

--
Stilo
1.6 dymanic, Broom Yellow, Skywindow, CD changer.
wanna see it? click here
http://www.stupidyellowcar.co.uk

My old TDI when i got it had "a few months" worth of pads, i drove the car for another 2 years, and 45,000 miles..... Most of which motorway, it shows that if you stamp on your brakes too late you'll only end up paying for new pads more frequently!

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!

I think you lot must brake VERY hard My Lancia Delta hpe has done nearly 80000km (50000 miles) on the same front pads with nearly 200bhp, thinking of buying a stilo as an everyday car (or maybe an idea my wife likes those...) have fiat changed the kind of brake compound they use these days????? as regards brake pedal seeming sometimes hard sometimes soft if the car happens to be a turbo diesel I've found that at least with a petrol turbo it is possible to get this phenomenon a low speeds don't know what causes it but it can sometimes make the car feel as if it's not going to stop [?]but it does

100% lancia ....with a hint of fiat

Diesel20,

I've got the same problem with my car. Intermittently, the brake pedal is very hard to apply, as if there was a large spring behind it. I've asked my dealer to investigate a few times and they can't find a problem. It is worrying me a bit as I hope that it will not one day fail to work.

PLEASE keep this post live.

Stilo 1.6 Dynamic, 5dr, 2002, Crystal Green

They don't use Asbestos in brake pads these days, thats why 20,000 to 30,000 is the norm these days! B)

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!

Could it be that the Brake Assist is changing the way we brake.. say you are going slow and lightly press the pedal then the ECU registers a light load and brakes accordingly... now if you stamp on the brakes at a higher speed the braking force the ECU registers is bigger and brakes the car more sharply!

not a good explanation... but this page at another manufacturers may enlighten us.
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/corporate/about_us/technology/safety/e/abs.html

2.4 Abarth ( Manual ) Black ... nothing else to say really.

Maybe, although i've only stamped on my brakes once, avoiding a tube pulling out into the road from a parking space pointing the wrong way, EBD didn't seem to do much, ABS kicked in, can't say car slowed any quicker that i'd normally.

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!