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Volkswagen Jetta Brakes and Rotors

272 messages,  Last post on Jan 15, 2013 at 7:07 AM

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What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Jetta, Brakes, Sedan

Messages Page 24 of 28

#229 of 272 Re: 2008 Jetta SE 2.5L [dtheman] by 2008__jetta

Apr 20, 2010 (6:46 pm)

Replying to: dtheman (Apr 20, 2010 4:29 pm)
Honestly, I guarantee you it's the calipers. Mine were bad at nearly the same mileage. I filed a complaint with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. They track defects and can apply the pressure to VW to issue a recall. If they receive enough complaints then something will have to be done. I actually had to take my car to a brake repair shop to have the problem accurately diagnosed. The dealership fed me the same line they fed you. It's a load of _____. Take it back and demand new calipers. Sorry you're having the same problem. Incidentally, I had the same issue on my 2001 Jetta when it was brand new. I thought it was a one time deal until it happened on my 2008 Jetta too. I won't buy another VW after this and this is my third one.

#230 of 272 Re: 2008 Jetta SE 2.5L [2008__jetta] by bpeebles

Apr 20, 2010 (7:24 pm)

Replying to: 2008__jetta (Apr 20, 2010 6:46 pm)
My goodness, it is simple to tell of the brakes are dragging...
 
1)jack it up and try to spin the wheels by hand.
-or-
2)Stop in rest-area after traveling at speed. Try to use brakes as little as possible. Check if the lugnuts are hot to the touch.
 
If the above 2 tests do not indicate dragging brakes, then the calipers are releasing as expected and are not the problem.
 
In my many years of experience, I can tell you that it is VERY VERY UNLIKELY that both rear calipers have started to stick at the same time.
 
You need to look for someting in common that could cause this to happen to BOTH rear brakes. Most likely suspect is the emergancy-brake not releasing completely, or cables are too tight.
 
Also keep in mind that VW has a history of installing 'softer' brakepads on the rear so they get more 'bite' into the rotors. It is pretty common for VWs to wear the rear faster than the fronts. If you do not like this happening, then install brakepads which are harder material. (not factory components)...then you can forget about this issue ever happening again. Here are a selection of pads you can chose from They run about $30 for you 2008...unless you chose ceramic.
 
I beleive with the above comments, I have coverd virtually every nuance of the problem you are having with the rear brakes wearing faster than you expect...and NONE of them rise to the level of a "recall" which some folks seem to think. Is it even worth arguing over $30 worth of parts?

#231 of 272 Re: 2008 Jetta SE 2.5L [bpeebles] by jeffyscott

Apr 21, 2010 (6:17 am)

Replying to: bpeebles (Apr 20, 2010 7:24 pm)
Certainly brakes wearing out at 31K mi is not going to result in a recall. While the vehicle owner may know that the way they drive should mean that the brakes last longer, the people at the dealership or NHTSA are certainly not going to know this and will most likely just assume that the car did a lot of stopping in 31K mi and this wore out the brake pads.
 
You mention "soft" pads on the rear, are these organic pads rather than semi-metallic or ceramic...just curious.
 
I know that pad wear can vary greatly. We have a 1997 Windstar and the first two sets of front pads were OEM and went about 50K mi each. Then I got a set of cheap Motorcraft pads from the ford dealer and way the vehicle was used also changed about the same time. These pads did not last even 25K mi. (and also made the brakes less effective).

#232 of 272 Re: 2008 Jetta SE 2.5L [bpeebles] by 2008__jetta

Apr 21, 2010 (2:50 pm)

Replying to: bpeebles (Apr 20, 2010 7:24 pm)
Rear calipers sticking on one car, causing excessive brake wear, would not be a problem. The recurrence of this issue IS a problem. Additionally, my brake pads were were not to the level of needing replacement. My parking brake was stuck in the engaged position. This cost nearly $600. This does indeed warrant a recall. It's not about the brakes. It's not about the brake material. It's about faulty calipers in multiple models. I could've replaced the brakes a zillion times but that would not have solved the problem.

#233 of 272 VW Jetta 08 rear brake by marcondes

Apr 25, 2010 (7:23 pm)

The way I see here, a lot of people are having the same problem with the brakes as I'm having.
I took my Jetta to my mechanic because of squeaking noises and was told my rear pads were low and needed to be replaced. After the work was done and driving for about 20 minutes I smelled something and stopped the car and saw smoking coming out of the rear passenger side. Called the mechanic and was told it could be grease from the mechanic's hand and if it did not go away to bring it back.
Since it stopped I did not brought it back. They after the smell and smoke came back but it was Sunday. My wife took it back on Monday and they said it was a problem with the caliper. They ordered and got the part 1 week later, but it was ok because I did not see any more smoke. After they replace the caliper, I drove for about 5 minutes and felt the brakes very low and had to return to the shop for then to check on the fluid. They bled all the lines just to be sure and told me it was ok.
I drove for about 10 minutes and smelled burning again and after I got out of the car a lot of smoke was coming from the rear tire. I called the mechanic and they had the car towed back to the shop. My mechanic adjusted the brakes again and told me it was probably a problem with the master cylinder and I should have it checked by the VW dealer which I did the day after(04/24). They checked the car and said that nothing was wrong with the brakes. But today 04/25 my wife was driving the car again and she felt the burning smell is back.
What should I do???

#234 of 272 Re: VW Jetta 08 rear brake [marcondes] by 2008__jetta

Apr 25, 2010 (10:06 pm)

Replying to: marcondes (Apr 25, 2010 7:23 pm)
Marcondes,
 
Call your State's Attorney General's office. Many states have a Lemon Law. In Missouri, if you take your car to a dealership 3 times, and the issue still isn't fixed, then they can step in using the Lemon Law to force them to take action. Regardless, the Attorney General's Office of Consumer Affairs can give you advice. Did they replace both calipers? They did on mine. The parking brake was remaining engaged on my brakes causing smoking and burning too. Make sure you keep the paperwork so you have documentation to support your claim. Also, visit http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ to file a complaint. If we all file a complaint, then perhaps VW will be forced to deal with these problems. Good luck.

#235 of 272 Re: VW Jetta 08 rear brake [2008__jetta] by jeffyscott

Apr 26, 2010 (5:31 pm)

Replying to: 2008__jetta (Apr 25, 2010 10:06 pm)
But he only went to the dealer once, after the other shop sent him there.

#236 of 272 Re: brake "problems" ? [bpeebles] by markm001

May 06, 2010 (10:27 am)

Replying to: bpeebles (Feb 03, 2010 5:44 pm)
Bpeebles, the issue isn't that the brakes are wearing out, its that 1) the rear are wearing out at such a high rate 2) the rear rotors are getting hotter than they should. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
A simplified explanation, engineers forgive: When a car is traveling forward and brakes are applied, the inertia of the sprung mass (everything supported by the springs) shifts forward and down. This means the vertical component of reaction forces is greater at the front wheels than the rear . This translates into a greater friction force at the front wheels and thus stopping power. If you are designing a brake system to stop a car in the shortest distance possible you rely on these front wheels to do the majority of the braking. It is almost universally true that a cars front pads wear out faster than the rear because they do most of the work. It is almost universally true that most cars which have 4-wheel discs also show more brake dust build-up on the front wheels as evidence of this. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
 
So, in a round about technical way, I'm essentially saying that the VW dealers are lying when they say that VW has intentionally designed a car that doesn't follow this design. I've had one saleman say it was the ESP system applying the brakes to the rear, I've had another saying that the rear brakes on VW's do more fo the braking. In either case, is was simply examples of "They all do that".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
The hot rear rotors and premature wear strongly suggest that either 1) VW has a bad design (I suspect the emergency brake auto adjust mechanism), 2) the parts are not being manufactured or assembled properly or 3) a little bit of both. I'm inclined to believe the last option.
 

#237 of 272 Re: brake "problems" ? [markm001] by bpeebles

May 06, 2010 (6:33 pm)

Replying to: markm001 (May 06, 2010 10:27 am)
I agree with all you have said.
 
In summary:
*)If rear brakes are simply wearing faster than you expect... .this is NORMAL for VWs and is easily corrected by installing harder pads than original equipment.
*)If rear rotors are running hot all the time (even when not using brakes) then there is a problem.
 
NOTE: If BOTH rear rotors are running hot.. it is VERY unlikey that the problem is the calipers or the internal parking-brake mecanism.... In such cases, suspect the parking-brake lever is not adjusted properly. (or sticking on)
 
Personally, I use my parking brake EVERY TIME the vehicle is parked and have never-EVER had an issue.
 
 It is more likely to be problematic for someone who only uses the parking brake occasionally. This is because the moving parts do not stay 'loosend up' and are likely to stick in the 'applied' position... even when the lever appears to be released.

#238 of 272 Re: brake "problems" ? [bpeebles] by 2008__jetta

May 06, 2010 (7:12 pm)

Replying to: bpeebles (May 06, 2010 6:33 pm)
I use my parking brake every time too. I've still had problems...twice. I have a 5-speed. Is yours automatic? By the way, the paint is again chipping off of the hood again. The dealership has already repainted the hood once. Apparently there was some defect when the car was initially painted. Suggestions?

Messages Page 24 of 28

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