I am concerned about the brakes on my new SD4. I have done 1100 miles and the braking has always seemed a bit uneven. The car was in getting the towbar fixed and I had a TD4 manual courtesy car which had done around the same miles and the brakes were much sharper and more even.
At first I thought it was just needing to let the brakes bed in or that poerhaps it was different from the TD4 because it is an automatic, but now I am not so sure.
The other things I have noticed that whilst cleaning the alloys, the black comes off easily on 3 of the wheels, but on the drivers front wheel the black is quite greasy and is not easy to clean.

Am I being paranoid or can anyone make a suggestion?

Thanks

From what you are saying it sounds like you have a problem, i take it that you are still under the 3 year warranty. Dont delay, call land rover assist at once and tell them you think theres a problem. They will send some one out to check it over for you.
Do you know where the brake fluid resivoir is? check the level, you might be losing hydrolic fluid or it could be a sticking slave cylinder. Just in case you dont know where the resivour is its gop left hand side of the engine bay as your looking at it from the front of the car with bonnet up. Lift up the black plastic flap, theres a small tab or finger hole. Let us know.

Thanks, I have done this but the fluid level seems to be at the max marker.
The car is only a few weeks old - maybe I should get the dealer to chewck it out for me.

Not maybe - that's definitely. I would also put something in writing - say an e-mail - so that you are completely covered if anything serious does prove to be wrong. I suspect that the "sticky" stuff on your wheel may be grease from an over-greased bearing, rather than brake fluid. If the brakes aren't working properly you may well have some dirt in the pipes, left over from the factory, or a sticky cylinder. Is the pedal at all spongy? If so there's air in the system. I'd also check whether any of the wheels get unusually hot after a run (don't touch the discs though - they WILL be hot). An overheating wheel would indicate a brake problem and might explain the oily/sticky deposit.

I would take the drivers front wheel off and have a good shufty.
there may be some evidence of a problem to be seen..................

after a run is this wheel hot to touch ?

Iain

I will try this this morning and try and not burn my fingers off!
The brakes do stop the car, jut not quite as sharp as the TD4 I had as a courtesy car, and the braking is a little uneven as though perhaps there is some contamination somwhere. Its not severe, just doesn't feel quite right.

I dont fancy taking the wheels off myself...its raining outside and would prefer to let an 'expert(?)' look at it at the dealers.

Discoverd thick black grease all over the inside of the offiside wheel and surrounding area. Just back from the dealers who informed me that grease has been leaking from the end of the driveshaft. They are going to replace the driveshaft on Friday.

I do hope that I am not going to regret buying this car - so far I've been back to the dealers more often in the past 5 weeks than I was in 5 years with my trusty Vauxhall Signum!

You'll be fine.  2010MY Freelander 2 HSE Auto
Santorini Black with Ebony Napoli Leather

decho wrote:

Discoverd thick black grease all over the inside of the offiside wheel and surrounding area. Just back from the dealers who informed me that grease has been leaking from the end of the driveshaft. They are going to replace the driveshaft on Friday.

I do hope that I am not going to regret buying this car - so far I've been back to the dealers more often in the past 5 weeks than I was in 5 years with my trusty Vauxhall Signum!

I can empathise!! just booked mine in again

Fingers crossed everyone else is right and everything will turn out OK Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

Yes, I am hopeful - its a shame though as it takes the shine off(well a little bit anyway!) what is a wonderful car.
At least the dealer(Pentland Rover in Edinburgh) treats you as an important customer and was very keen to get it sorted before the weekend.