Rear brakes... dead at 30k?

davecoon13 · Post by **davecoon13** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:49 pm

I wish I knew that the brake pads were covered under the warranty. I paid $100 to Midas to have mine done at 25k miles...My front rotors were re-surfaced under warranty at 30k miles. It is all this Washington DC Metro Stop and Go Traffic I guess...

Kev M · Post by **Kev M** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 6:04 am

davecoon13 wrote:I wish I knew that the brake pads were covered under the warranty. I paid $100 to Midas to have mine done at 25k miles...My front rotors were re-surfaced under warranty at 30k miles. It is all this Washington DC Metro Stop and Go Traffic I guess...

You may be able to recover all or a portion of that.

nacho · Post by **nacho** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:11 am

I have also noticed the same thing. I checked my brake rotors and my baja has 3,600 miles on it. The rear brake rotors are already showing scratches and the front ones are not even showing signs of scratches on the rotors. I did notice that my rear drivers side rotor has more scratches than the passenger side. Has anoybody else noticed this. A friend of mine also has a baja and I will ask him about this.

Kev M · Post by **Kev M** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:32 am

nacho wrote:I have also noticed the same thing. I checked my brake rotors and my baja has 3,600 miles on it. The rear brake rotors are already showing scratches and the front ones are not even showing signs of scratches on the rotors. I did notice that my rear drivers side rotor has more scratches than the passenger side. Has anoybody else noticed this. A friend of mine also has a baja and I will ask him about this.

Are you concerned about scratches? If so why?

Brakes work with friction.

Brake pads are not a complete, even surface. They are going to leave various marks.

Now deep gouges, such as are caused by the backing plate (or rivets if the pads aren't bonded to the backing plate and wear far enough to reach the rivets), they would be a problem, but undoubtedly at 3k miles you haven't worn the pads much yet.

I wouldn't worry about scratches.

nacho · Post by **nacho** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:58 am

Well I understand that you will get scratches with the wear but what I am looking at is some fairily deep grooves on the rotors. I am also noticing a rubbing type sound when I brake.

Kev M · Post by **Kev M** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:05 pm

nacho wrote:Well I understand that you will get scratches with the wear but what I am looking at is some fairily deep grooves on the rotors. I am also noticing a rubbing type sound when I brake.

By fairly deep groves are we talking will catch your fingernail?

Anything somehow get lodged between the brake pad and disc temporarily?

Anything in there currently scraping?

Is this on one wheel or more than one?

(EDIT - just re-read your post, you're saying on rears and not the front - ya know, anecdotally I think manufacturers are getting better with balancing the front and rear brakes on vehicles, and between better proportioning valves, stronger brakes, ABS systems and perhaps better engineering brake pads are wearing out closer together front-to-rear than ever before. Ironically I've replaced front and rear brakes now 3 times in recent years when the REARS ran out first, 2 times on a Mini Cooper S and once on a New Beetle).

As for a rubbing type sound, well, to a certain extent there should always be a "rubbing type sound" when you brake, again, that's how they work.

Backing down the driveway this morning I could definitely hear the rotors, and I immediately looked at the parking brake to make sure it was released fully (forgetting that I think it acts on separate brake shoes inside the rotor hat, but I haven't had the wheels off yet to know for sure).

Anyway, does the vehicle brake normally? Or does it feel week?

Does it pull to one side or the other?

There's no harm with having a dealer (or a friend) take a look at it.

Kev

nacho · Post by **nacho** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:08 pm

Yes the grooves are the type that will catch your fingernail.
I think there might me something in there. I do remember treking into a mexican bodertown recently and the streets in mexico are not forgiving to cars or trucks. Anyhow I will probably get this checked out. I think its nothing. Other thank the noise and the grooves in the rear brakes. I really do not feel anything different. The pedal does not feel soft or does it pull to a side. It could be dirt in the pads. You are probably right about the noise. I do notice it in the morning when backing out.

davecoon13 · Post by **davecoon13** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:14 am

Kev M wrote: You may be able to recover all or a portion of that.

How do I go about this? Do I call the dealer service manager, or SOA, or who do I contact about this?

Kev M · Post by **Kev M** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:51 am

Nacho,

I'm surprised at grooves that deep. I would probably go through the trouble of checking it out. Pop the wheel and the caliper off to check the pads. Could be a defect in the pads too, ya never know.

davecoon13 wrote:
Kev M wrote: You may be able to recover all or a portion of that.
How do I go about this? Do I call the dealer service manager, or SOA, or who do I contact about this?

Start with the dealer and explain that you hadn't realized this would have been covered under warranty. If he agrees it would have, ask if he has a contact at SOA you can speak with about getting a reimbursement.

Kev M · Post by **Kev M** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:51 am

Nacho,

I'm surprised at grooves that deep. I would probably go through the trouble of checking it out. Pop the wheel and the caliper off to check the pads. Could be a defect in the pads too, ya never know.

davecoon13 wrote:
Kev M wrote: You may be able to recover all or a portion of that.
How do I go about this? Do I call the dealer service manager, or SOA, or who do I contact about this?

Start with the dealer and explain that you hadn't realized this would have been covered under warranty. If he agrees it would have, ask if he has a contact at SOA you can speak with about getting a reimbursement.