[empGLI]

my wifes 2005.5 jetta starting making sounds when braking, I imediatly brought it in to the dealer figuring that it only has 13k miles on it and thats kind of soon for needing to replace the brakes. the dealer told me that the rear brakes were "metal to metal" and that it would be $450 to replace the brakes and rotors. I then asked them why it would not be covered under warrenty considering the car only has 13k on it and that it seams strange that they would wear out this soon. They told me that 13k is considered "normal" and there is no way that it would be covered under warrenty. I told them to hold on and try to call my local machanic that I trust to see if he could give me a qoute, but it took to long for him to get back to me and needed this taken care of. so I complained alittle more to them and they offered me a 10% discount and a loaner car that they happen to have availible. considering I was already late to work and my wife needed her car I took it because I had no other choice. after I left the dealer with the loaner my machanic called me back and said it would be $230.
I just wanted to know if a) is over $400 for brakes a rip off? and b) should this have been covered under warrenty considering the car only has 13k miles on it.

 

[Rastadad]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (empGLI)

Wear and tear items (tires) would be covered for 12 mos. or 12,000 miles...whichever occurs first.

 

[Kojach]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (empGLI)

That seems excessive.
I suppose if you were racing around on a track yeah that'd be normal, but daily driving? Unless you're the ALL GAS, ALL BRAKE type of driver I can't see how that would be normal wear.

edit: Oh... miles. Well that's 21,000km - still seems excessive though.


Modified by Kojach at 2:45 PM 11-26-2006

 

[Rastadad]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (Rastadad)

I meant "brakes" covered under wear and tear.

 

[06JettaGLI]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (empGLI)

You're not the first person I've heard complain about short rear brake pad/rotor life with newer VW's in general. I'll be upgrading to some better pads/rotors as soon as the stock ones wear out. The brakes are biased more towards the rear in these cars, which reduces nosedive under hard braking, but it also reduces the rear pad/rotor life dramatically. The rear pad/rotor size is a lot smaller that the front, which doesn't help either. $400.00 is pretty steep to replace the stock brakes, too. You should be able to replace the rotors and upgrade to better pads for that much or less than that in the aftermarket.


Modified by 06JettaGLI at 11:55 AM 11-26-2006

 

[MP413Racer]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (Rastadad)

wow...The rotors can't be turned and it's standard procedure to replace them always or was there too much "metal to metal" damage that they couldn't be turned?

...man i remember having 30k miles on my mkiv gti and the breaks were fine when i had them inspected.


Modified by MP413Racer at 1:34 PM 11-26-2006

 

[06JettaGLI]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (MP413Racer)

Yeah, I don't believe the brake rotors on VW's are meant to be cut on a lathe.

 

[jtkellertx]

They'll most likely warp if cut and reused.

 

[~kInG~]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (06JettaGLI)

I had my the original rear pads replaced near that no. (13K miles...) the second set just lasted 8K miles... a bit ridiculous if you ask me..

the thing is that the brake light on the dash comes on when the fronts need to be replaced, so you have to be checking them rears quite a bit!!! The first time my rear pads went completly to the point it damaged one of the discs...
these cars (I also have a 2005.5) seem to like eating rear pads a little too much...
the second time I was charged about $250....

 

[TDI DR!V3R]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (empGLI)

Mine went at 15k

 

[the.ronin]

So let me get this straight ... the lights come on in the dash for the FRONT brakes only??
This worries me especially considering I'm pushing 14k miles.

 

[~kInG~]

Re: (the.ronin)

Quote, originally posted by the.ronin »

So let me get this straight ... the lights come on in the dash for the FRONT brakes only?? This worries me especially considering I'm pushing 14k miles.

yep....
mine started to squeal when backing up off my driveway...

 

[cb1111]

Please show me where tires and/or brakes

...are covered to 12k miles/12 months.

Quote, originally posted by Rastadad »

I meant "brakes" covered under wear and tear.

Tires aren't guaranteed by VW at all.
That aside, it does seem a bit odd that the rear brakes went before the fronts so you might want somebody to look for the underlying cause.....

 

[mmart6545]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (empGLI)

Id call and complain to VW. Id guess theyd suppliment the repair under good faith.

 

[newsradio78]

Re: rear brakes at 13000? (mmart6545)

If you didn't hear the "squealer" sound that is supposed to come from either rear or front discs something was wrong...Don't always count on warning lights to be adequate....The squealer function located on each disc brake pad should warn you early enough that NO metal to metal contact should ever happen. Yes that warning sound should be loud enough that you can hear it through the passenger compartment too.
Stange this situation....

 

[06JettaGLI]

Re: Please show me where tires and/or brakes (cb1111)

See my post, cb. The MkV VW's do seem to have a lot more rear brake bias than most other cars I've driven....

 

[jmj]

Re: Please show me where tires and/or brakes (06JettaGLI)

Brake wear seems to vary widely on VWs in general. I went more than 40K miles in my Touareg without replacing any brake components, whereas other poeple were getting thousand dollar brake jobs at 20K. I have nearly 20K on my GTI, and no major pad wear so far (knock on wood).

 

[areku_x]

Re: Please show me where tires and/or brakes (jmj)

I had 30k on my previoys gti mkiv no brakes replacement was needed, i drive pretty hard, are mkv brakes crap?, Btw tires arent covered by VW, brakes should be covered under 12k.

 

[TDI DR!V3R]

Re: Please show me where tires and/or brakes (areku_x)

Well, it doesn't help when you are frequently slowing down from 210km/h to 120km/h in short distances (stupid speed limit zones

)

 

[Ripskin]

Re: Please show me where tires and/or brakes (TDI DR!V3R)

I am at 21k on my pads and they are doing okay, no noise and last I looked at them they were around half to a little below. I will be replacing them with new ones when the stock ones are a little lower.
I think unless you are breaking hard the car tries to use your rear brakes more unless you push hard in which case the main front brakes take the load. I though I read somewhere the car will do this to save wear on the fronts for when you need them. I could be wrong.
$400 sounds a little high for just the rear's.