[ajay_satpute]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Very bad. There is no difference. I had a feeling that the brake pads might have been the culprit but there is no change in the "feel" and "bite" on the brakes. They simply respond like non-booster assited brakes. Its time Maruti looks into this at high priority. I am going to write to their regional service manager who gave me his business card when I met them.

Kiran

This is really sad to hear. I hope MSIL resolves this irritating issue ASAP. They can't afford to have this on their most popular product in India.

On a side note, do you guys feel that this issue could be part of the sabotage carried out by those insane workers? Its possible that all these morons were on the VDI assembly line.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Very bad. There is no difference. I had a feeling that the brake pads might have been the culprit but there is no change in the "feel" and "bite" on the brakes. They simply respond like non-booster assited brakes.

@MF, I am sure you might have done this, but just in case you did not, did you try out braking on some other new LDI/VDI (friend's or demo cars) ? Is the brake as bad as your car ? Would help rule out something wrong with only your car.

Originally Posted by gunrider

Oh ok, I am getting my Swift VDi in next 10 days, now I am concerned about these issues and thinking to reconsider Punto Emotion. How about the rattling issues, are they sorted out, I know its too early to comment on.

The rattling (in the event it does happen) is something we can live with. But bad braking is not trivial. So try out all the demo VDis that you can and if it is bad, do move on to a Punto. No point paying ~7L and then instead of enjoying the drive, to keep worrying about something as basic as braking.

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

On a side note, do you guys feel that this issue could be part of the sabotage carried out by those insane workers? Its possible that all these morons were on the VDI assembly line.

I don't think this is possible - to me looks like an issue with the car and which MSIL have to rectify ASAP.

[moralfibre]

Thanks Dinar and Diesel_Power, your observations concur with mine. Sorry I had been away for a few weeks due to personal commitments. The brake issue continues to haunt. Yesterday while driving in Bombay, had another close shave due to poor feel of brakes. I really think Maruti should let go of their customer feedback and provide brakes that work. I have been very patient with them and I do not think I will continue to be so. Its time for them to get their act together and respond to the issue positively. Dishing out crap in the form of "regulations", "Customer feel", etc is not something I am looking for.

Anybody else who thinks braking is poor, do contribute your experience in this thread.

[normally_crazy]

Kiran,

Did you do a back to back test on the brakes with any other car, the old swift or any other MUL model with the MUL guys ?

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Kiran,

Did you do a back to back test on the brakes with any other car, the old swift or any other MUL model with the MUL guys ?

I am comparing the brakes with a Ford Figo ZXi (non-ABS diesel) that my sister owns. Haven't got a chance to test drive another VDI but, Dinar and diesel_power have a VDI and they share my observations. Any other MUL car? I remember the brakes on Amey's old Swift VDI. They were better than this one. You've got to drive it to believe it. Next weekend I am in Bombay and I shall call you up while passing by Powai.

[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Thanks Dinar and Diesel_Power, your observations concur with mine. Sorry I had been away for a few weeks due to personal commitments. The brake issue continues to haunt. Yesterday while driving in Bombay, had another close shave due to poor feel of brakes. I really think Maruti should let go of their customer feedback and provide brakes that work. I have been very patient with them and I do not think I will continue to be so. Its time for them to get their act together and respond to the issue positively. Dishing out crap in the form of "regulations", "Customer feel", etc is not something I am looking for.

Anybody else who thinks braking is poor, do contribute your experience in this thread.

can you try swapping performance brake pads for a while just for testing?

swift is capable of some serious speeds and braking has to be perfect.

if the design of the brakes is so flawed that it cant even stop a light car like swift then maruti should seriously do something quickly.

till then i would suggest you to drive slow and carefully.

[MCR]

Moral, I have been following this thread since its inception. So you have already had 2 close calls, thanks to the brakes being bad. Thats really sad.
Can you remember the speed you were in while you started braking? Can you tell us approximately by how much time the car stopped? Also please let us know if you felt like you braked a little late.
If I correctly understand the issue, it would be like, you brake thinking the car will stop but the car continues with some momentum, then you apply more pressure but still receive no response from the brakes. This is like if brake pads are made of some really hard material. Right?

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

can you try swapping performance brake pads for a while just for testing?

Performance brake pads are not really available off the shelf in Pune. Additionally, I dare not modify anything on a car under warranty from Maruti Suzuki.

Originally Posted by MCR

Can you remember the speed you were in while you started braking? Can you tell us approximately by how much time the car stopped? Also please let us know if you felt like you braked a little late.
If I correctly understand the issue, it would be like, you brake thinking the car will stop but the car continues with some momentum, then you apply more pressure but still receive no response from the brakes. This is like if brake pads are made of some really hard material. Right?

On the first two occassions, (drive from Goa to Pune), the speed was above 80 kmph I guess. I did not brake late and I don't remember the time it took.

I don't think brake pads is the issue. Its the weak booster from BOSCH.

I am also told that the exact spec and size booster is used in the Etios. I am not well versed with braking technologies but I am guessing that the amount of brake force required to stop a 1 ton + car should be more than the amount of brake force required to stop the light weight Toyota Etios.

[sameerpb]

@ moralfibre, I have also gone through the same pain last year, but after replacement of booster breaks are working better, I have marked almost 21K kms after replacement of booster and there is no issue at all.

Here is what I did checked the part number old part number was ending with 10 where as new one was ending with 11. Another way I would suggest is replace the booster it will cost you 3.5 - 4K and it will be under warranty.

I can definitely say that maruti has done fairly good job and you can test drive my car when I am in Pune next month

[amalji]

Originally Posted by Viju

It is not only the size of the booster which determines the brake performance of a vehicle. It is a combination of the booster, wheel brakes and proportionating valve specification.

Thank you, @Viju. Since, many Swift LDi/VDi users are having the issue with brakes, could you please suggest a solution for these users? I've many of my friends facing the same issue as well. It'll be really helpful, if you could provide a recommendation as to how we can solve this.

[manjubp]

I got my ZDI delivered on Friday. I have my type I Swift VXI with ABS with oddo on 80 k kms. I can surely tell, the brake in new ZDI, is nowhere near to my 80K KMs run VXI with ABS. And NVH leaving apart the engine sound, certainly new swift is not upto the mark. Only thing I am waiting is to cross 500KMs (just completed 150KMs) before going to maruti, as they would say you are in first 320kms, and manual says that it si runin period and all those statements

Some time really scary to drive aggressively with this sort fo breaking.

regards,
-manju

Originally Posted by Racer_X

Gunrider I have the new Swift ZDi and have completed 5k odd kms and there is no rattling of any sorts .My advice to you is upgrade to the ZDI and have peace of mind!

Please note that I have upgraded (or downgraded ) from VXI with ABS to ZDI, I can tell with very high confidence that even with ABS/brakeassit, the breaking in ZDI lacks the bite, and fail to inspire confidence, which my 80K km run swift used to.

I am not sure, why the ZDI/ZXI owners are saying everything is fine.

[piyush78]

Even i have driven my cousin's new ZDI on more than a few occasions since he lives in the same building complex , i am really perplexed about the braking in the car. Also on my recomendation the stock tyres were changed to michelin primacyLC 195/60/15.
I myself have a swift ZXI 2006 model driven 70k kms. What i feel is that the brake in my ZXI is more direct & immidiate,, while in the ZDI the brake takes more effort & a few more milliseconds to come into its own, but finally does the job. I feel the modulation is not correct , maybe the more technically inclined can give a better opinion. Inspite of fatter rubber , there is somewhat less bite as compaired to old ZXI..
Maruti should definitly do something & quick, Maybe we should write a mail to their customer care or some customer feedback manager or something. Kindly give your inputs.. Thanx.

[Racer_X]

Originally Posted by manjubp

I got my ZDI delivered on Friday. I have my type I Swift VXI with ABS with oddo on 80 k kms. I can surely tell, the brake in new ZDI, is nowhere near to my 80K KMs run VXI with ABS. And NVH leaving apart the engine sound, certainly new swift is not upto the mark. Only thing I am waiting is to cross 500KMs (just completed 150KMs) before going to maruti, as they would say you are in first 320kms, and manual says that it si runin period and all those statements

Some time really scary to drive aggressively with this sort fo breaking.

regards,
-manju



Please note that I have upgraded (or downgraded ) from VXI with ABS to ZDI, I can tell with very high confidence that even with ABS/brakeassit, the breaking in ZDI lacks the bite, and fail to inspire confidence, which my 80K km run swift used to.

I am not sure, why the ZDI/ZXI owners are saying everything is fine.

I have had no issues as far as the braking is concerned and have been in numerous situations where the braking has been tested.

In the end it is a matter of each persons feel and comfort level,to each his own

[akj123]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

I have had no issues as far as the braking is concerned and have been in numerous situations where the braking has been tested.

In the end it is a matter of each persons feel and comfort level,to each his own

Same here ... I have the ZXi for 10 days now, and havent faced any issues with the brakes. Am as comfortable with it, as with my other cars ...

[manjubp]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

I have had no issues as far as the braking is concerned and have been in numerous situations where the braking has been tested.

In the end it is a matter of each persons feel and comfort level,to each his own

Why am I concerned? Just because I am comparing with Type I generation swift, not with any other hatch. So the new swift expected to be better interms of safety, but I ma not experiencing the same.