My brakes feel like an old drum brake that needs to be adjusted - mushy when you step on them, and much firmer if you let up and step on it again. I've replaced front pads and rotors, and rear pads. All caliper pistonspush back ok, all slide pins are clean and freshly lubed. I've bled the brakes with almost 2 pints of fluid. Problem was there before and after the work was done. Am I missing something or do (stock) X-type brakes just suck?

 

maybe your master is shot.

 

X Type standard brakes suck

 

Unless you've seen it before, I would tend not to think so, beacause the brakes are actually very good on that second pump. However, the first push of the pedal - I don't think would trigger the abs evenon dirt.

 

faulty booster pump from the sounds of it. Could also be a vacumm leak or the checkvalve in your brake booster hose is bad. Just a few suggestions...

 

If the check valve was bad, would cause harder than normal pedal - lack of vacuum assist.

As Genius said, your master cylinder may be leaking internally. Most likely. Other would be leaking at caliper or a line somewhere. Either way, you may want to fix that soon. X-Type brake pedal should always be firm. I personally don't think they suck too bad.

 

i thought this car had amazing brakes from the factory. With the original bosch pads on it even.A lot of people that have riddin with me where events warrant such brake performance agree they are extremely strong as well. I'm not comparing it to a supercar though...so yeah...

 

i find that the factory brakes on the x type feel and stop better then aftermarket ...newspaper ones. lol

 

Gotta be honest here guys......IMO the standard brakes on the XA type are absolutely awful for a luxury car.
I was never happy with them from the start and replaced them as soon as possible with EBC Redstuff pads and new discs / rotors as many many members have on any forum I have visited.
They dont even begin to compare with the Audi which is bigger and heavier and stops so unbelievably quickly.

Check it out and you'll see hundreds of posts about people complaining about the brakes and or upgrading them. I believe Jag themselves upgrade the stock pads to EBC Greenstuff as standard now!!

Jim

 

My opinion on the X types factory Brakes was that they broke the car beautifully, very quiet..but only two down sides to them was 1. they were VERY DIRTY and 2. They wore too fast for my liking..(I also understand that rapid brake wear is pretty typical of European brakes..same thing with a Benz I had for 12 years)

I replaced the Rotors with EBC Sports, and the Pads with Akebono Euros...The combination of these two products is spectacular..Braking action is the same if not better than factory, Quiet, virtually dust free, and wear is like they should last a 100K miles..I'm Not exaggerating..

 

I've heard good things from more than a few members on the Akebono pads too Dennis.
If memory serves I think H20boy wasone that recommended them highly too.

Jim