Hey, I have a 2022 Volkswagen Golf and for a few months now when I brake harder I hear this 'tac tac tac' noise from the brake pedal, like the ABS is activating on its own even on dry pavement. Is that normal or is something wrong? It happens even more often in the city.
The clicking noise during braking is often caused by worn or dirty brake pads, not necessarily an actual ABS malfunction. What you can try right away is to do a brake "cleaning": accelerate gently and then brake firmly several times in a row in a safe area, so the heat helps clean the pads and rotor. If the noise persists after this test, then it makes sense to have the brake fluid checked (maybe there's air in the circuit) and the actual condition of the pads, because sometimes the wear sensor can also trigger strange ABS behavior. One important thing: listen carefully whether the noise is coming from the pedal itself or from under the car, because that changes the diagnosis quite a bit.
Take it to a mechanic right away because that noise could be the ABS activating abnormally - it's not normal even on wet asphalt if it's only happening at certain times! It could be a dirty or faulty wheel speed sensor, or a problem with the ABS module itself - your 2022 Golf is relatively new so it's probably still under warranty and you should be able to get it checked for free. In the meantime avoid hard braking in critical situations because if the system isn't working properly you could have less control than you think!
When you hear this noise, does the car still brake normally or do you notice it losing braking power? Because that difference matters quite a bit.
The "tac tac tac" you're describing could actually be the ABS engaging, but not necessarily in an abnormal way. On dry asphalt it sometimes happens if you have uneven wear on the discs or if there are micro-vibrations in the pads, or if the system detects a slight difference in grip between the wheels (maybe a localized wet spot, or an asphalt irregularity that the control unit picks up on). In the city with potholes and dips it happens more often for exactly this reason.
That said, if the noise has gotten louder over the last few months and it wasn't like this before, it's worth having a mechanic check the condition of the discs and pads. It could just be wear causing vibrations, but a mechanic should read any error codes from the ABS control unit to rule out a faulty sensor (sometimes a malfunctioning speed sensor convinces the system it's losing grip when it's not). It's not an emergency if the brakes are responding normally, but you shouldn't ignore it for too long either.
It's not necessarily the ABS making a fuss, you know. That "tac tac tac" often comes from the brake pads vibrating during hard braking, especially if the disc has some scratches or if the pads are wearing unevenly. Before rushing to the mechanic asking him to check the whole braking system, try doing some gentler braking for a week and see if the noise improves, or if it gets worse over time. If it stays the same and you don't notice any loss of braking power, then yeah, better get it checked out, but it's not an emergency - it might just be routine maintenance.
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