How is this possible?

[Protege5girl]

I was just told that at 22k i need to replace my rotors and brake pads.

Seems VERY premature to me, and because its a wear and tear item its not covered under warranty. can someone explain to me how this is possible....and whether or not i would be wasting my time fight that it be done under warranty?

[nicholas13]

I had to have my pads and rotors done a 45 k's and as with you I thought that it was very early. My dealer from Calgary met me half way and I only paid half.

22 seems very early to me, but on the bright side you could upgrade to a big brake kit http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[7plymaple]

Am I alone in thinking that the Rotors should be machineable after only one set of pads unless they were really warped? If you werent getting crazy vibrations on the highway when you stepped on the breaks they cant be that warped.

[Eds mp5]

This is a tough one, it does seem premature - however because your car is older about a year and KM are low they will probably say that it is due to the fact that it doesn't get driven that often and when a car sits outside the elements effect the pads and rotors and build up a film and esentially rust if not used when you use it after this you may notice that the breaks make a louder noise than normal and don't stop as well.  this is because teh pads are rubbing of the 'build up' and smoothing it down again.  if this happens often it will reduce the lifetime of your breaks and rotors. That is what they say.  Yes it is believable, is it correct, perhaps, perhaps not.  If you ask me i think the manufactures know we live in CND so why wouldn't they make pads and rotors that live up to the elements.

You may want to do a quick poll to find out when people have infact changed the rotors.  you may get a little more pull.  I have 45000 on my car and i have done nothing to the breaks and rotors.. my car also sat outside all winter.  It does seem a little too soon (a lot too soon infact)

After reading 7ply's post it may be a good idea to get them machined, keep in mind that you may only get two machinings out of them and they will wear a lot quicker after they are machined. if you can 'bargine / argue' you may be able to get half price on a new set or something instead of paying for machining.


Ed

[7plymaple]

Ya thats true if you can get a deal on a second set doo that and  keep your first set. Thats what I did.

The next time I needed breaks done I brought in the first set to canadian tire and had them machined while I bought pads and then picked them up and installed the new pads on the freshly machined rotors.

Both of my sets of rotors have been machined once now so thats why I think that your set should be machinable.

Oh and if your doing your breaks yourself I reccomend you just get your rotors machined even if someone tells you that your rotors are still good. The groves that get put into your rotors by the pads will make it harder to break in the second set of pads. Untill they are broken in the pads will be putting all the breaking force on the tops of the groves and this will create a lot of heat. You will have to be a lot more careful to gently break in the breaks if you dont machine them or they will glaze or warp!

This happend to me. It sucks when you do your breaks and a week later you have a vibration in the break pedal when breaking at high speeds.  http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Also once I glazed them and they just never held that well untill I changed them and broke them in properly.  As you can tell I learned everything by trial and error when I had the time. Back in my no girlfriend and ankle to busted to skateboard days.

But my ankles all better now so I just ask Rowan when I get back from skatn. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mykg4orce]

i had to get new rotors and pads at 56K

[7plymaple]

Did you have to? Or did they say you had to? http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif I have a feeling they just tell people that stuff to get you to pay. I mean if your not a mechanic what can you say?

[Protege5girl]

OK, just got back from picking up the car.

Ed...its the opposite of rust, or build up on the rotors from the car sitting. Because they were heated a glazed formed on them, making them too smooth a surface.

I was told it was possible to machine them, but why should I have to machine rotors after 20k??. I drove my camry about 60k before having to replace the break pads, my driving habits haven't changed, the places i drive to are the same....

I asked about whether or not there was a possibility that they were defective. And was told NO. If there was something wrong I would have noticed it as soon as i picked up the car. (But really, I never had anything to compare it to, i only noticed the difference after korry got the white p5)

The last 2 services I complained about the breaks and was told nothing was wrong with them....Now all of a sudden i'm being told I need new brakes and rotors. WTF!

I will never buy / lease a mazda again. In fact I just might get a hyundai next time around.

[feedb4ck]

I just had SushiK in for his 32k service... they didn't say a thing to me about my breaks.... waiting to see what happens at the 40k.... kinda nervous now. but 22k does sound pretty early, if they haven't told me anything and I'm sitting at 32

[CarDemon]

In general no matter what make and model the general rule of endurance on brakes is at least 2yrs in automotive circles. And with the avg Cdn travelling 25K per yr you are not the norm. Perhaps your Mazda had brake rotors and pads made in Indian or Pakistan.

Up here in Bramladesh some of those ethnic garages import inferior childlabour like products at their garages. I was wondering why brake jobs were abnormally cheap in the Pennysaver at Bindergits Garage. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[Sentra Racer 7]

Find out the difference in cost between machining and new rotors. If you can afford it get the new discs. Rotors dont really "warp" they get hardened spots from over heating and changing the structure of the metal, thats why after you machine a set of rotors, they will start to pulse much sooner than before. You are just putting off the inevetable (sp)
Also it is possible that the metal of your discs was soft to start with, (without knowing your driving style, which may or may not have a lot to do with it...no offence intended since I don't know how you drive) so it might be in your best interest to swap them out.
Heres a good read on brakes.
http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/warped_rotors_myth.htm

[03bluP5]

I've had quite a few cars and can say from experience, 22K for brakes IS too early.
My boss has an '01 Impala and was told he needed brakes at low mileage after a year. He's really good at debating and had quite an argument prepared, and won! GM reluctantly gave in and replaced his brakes under warranty.
Since you complained about your brakes and was told they were fine, now they say they need replacing, be quick to point out there's something wrong with THEM AND THE BRAKES.
I've had rotors machined before and was told you can only do that once, then replace them.

Good luck, Mark
http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[cruisinblackp5]

22k is too early how bad are they?

[Protege5girl]

Can others please post on their brake and rotor situation. I.e. if you've changed them and at what kms.

[Silvermp5]

52,000 KM, still original brakes and rotors, when I had my 48 k service done, they told me that that brakes are fine and may need to replace the front pads at 72K .

[frankied]

Don't write off Mazda totally due to rotor problems.... my Acura EL had the rotors machined 3 times in about 4 years before they were eventually replaced. First machining was at about 23K. But they covered this every time under warranty.

[frankied]

Also... rotors should be covered under warranty for 80,000 km!  Rotors are not a normal wear/maintenance item like brake pads (which would not be covered). If you are told new rotors are needed, tell them to go ahead and replace them under the warranty,thank you very much... Read your warranty manual....and fight them on this.. I'd be having some interesting discussions with the service manager if they tried to pull this on me...

[sjdmp5]

I've gone 40,000km so far without the brakes giving me any trouble. Also on cars with 4 wheel discs the fronts should need to be replaced more often than the rears since they do 80% of your braking. I've heard on cars with EBFD that the brakes should last even longer. Heating the brakes up by braking late and hard braking while running at triple digits can glaze your rotors and "warp" them as well. It happened to me with my last car.

[ReMuXieD]

i had my rotors machined and replaced pads on 24k service, i was pretty pissed
wasn't covered either, costed me 3 or 4 bills, cant remember

[frankied]

You guys are letting the dealers get away with theft (from your pockets) if at 24,000km you are paying for machining or replacing rotors.  
Not much more I can say. It's always easier for them to charge the customer than make a warranty claim to Mazda Canada for something like this.  Make your case to them that replacing or machining rotors at this mileage is not a normal customer maintenance item, but a warranty item!  I had rotors machined 3 times on an Acura EL and it never cost me a cent. Even GM resurfaces rotors under warranty: Here are comments from a GM Service Manager in another forum:  
I agree with the confusion but here is my personal policy. Since GM tells me that resurfacing rotors is not needed during routine brake service, if a pulsation does occur while the vehicle is still under the warranty period, resurfacing the rotors is a warranty item. (Any GM dealers with "N" body vehicles know how well rotors stand up) Depending on the life left on the pads, I will have the customer pay for the pads if needed. I have seen many vehicles that have worn out brake pads (yes, down to the sensors) at 20K miles. In trucks this is very common. If the customer continues driving and goes to metal on the pads scoring the rotors, then I take those on a case by case basis. Otherwise, in my mind brake rotors and pulsation issues are warranty.

[lowpro5]

Sound like theyre just trying to make some extra coin of you! http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sly.gif Maybe take it soemwhere else and have them looked at...like midas its free!I cant see how they could be bad so soon unless youve been doin some serious racing!!! hehe

[Protege5girl]

I'm taking the car up to Dave Wood Mazda tomorrow, we will see what they say. I don't want my rotors and pads to be replaced if its just going to happen again in 15-20k, hopefully find the root of the problem and then have that fixed.

Thank You frankied for mentioned the rotors not being a wear and tear item, I will definitely be bringing that up.

[frankied]

Well, 'wear and tear' are not words that I used, but there is no scheduled maintenance specifically on rotors, nor are they a 'customer repsonsible' maintence item. This means if you have problems during warranty, the part should be considered defective (especially since 22k is before the brakes are even looked at based on the maintenance schedule). But they may try to argue that 'driving style' caused premature wear/tear/failure of pads and/or rotors.

Just out of curiosity, were you having any braking problems that might be rotor related, like vibration while braking? Or did they tell you the rotors were scored or some other issue? And did they say the pads are worn down totally or something else was wrong with them??

[ReMuXieD]

this is a bit off topic, but something really odd happened yesterday. i was driving in the morning @ around 7am, going home after a party. i got home and noticed massive smoke coming out from my right rear, and it wasn't exhasust smoke. i thought my tire got popped and was burning, so i got out and the only thing i saw was my brake pad on right rear wheel sizzling.... it was burnt and it was melting, i was just confused cuz it was so early on a holiday. yea, so now i have a pad with bubbles on it cuz it was bubbling from the heat. anyone know how somehting like that could of happened. and i was not stepping on breaking trying to move my car.... i drove it today and breaking seemed fine

any explanations?

burning pads does not smell good!

[frankied]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ReMuXieD @ April 22 2003,03:16)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">this is a bit off topic, but something really odd happened yesterday. i was driving in the morning @ around 7am, going home after a party. i got home and noticed massive smoke coming out from my right rear, and it wasn't exhasust smoke. i thought my tire got popped and was burning, so i got out and the only thing i saw was my brake pad on right rear wheel sizzling.... it was burnt and it was melting, i was just confused cuz it was so early on a holiday. yea, so now i have a pad with bubbles on it cuz it was bubbling from the heat. anyone know how somehting like that could of happened. and i was not stepping on breaking trying to move my car.... i drove it today and breaking seemed fine

any explanations?

burning pads does not smell good![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Seized caliper? Take it in and get it checked out before there is serious damage.

[Protege5girl]

Well it wasn't possible.....my brakes and rotors are fine afterall.

[feedb4ck]

Now i guess it's my turn -

did 40k service today, and dude said i'm down to 30-25% pads, and the rotors need to be machined.

said it could wait until 48k service, so it's waiting.
(think he quated $265 for it, but might have been 365, can't remember, but i'll call to confirm it later.)

now i'm thinking 48k isn't too early, but do i need the rotors machined as well as the pads??
I guess i'll also have to check if the rears need to be done too, or if it's just the fronts.

Time to read the warranty manual i guess....

[P5 Rally]

48k seems reasonable i nterms of timing.......I prefer not to machine rotors because they are almost always never done completely smooth and there will be vibration. Plus, a thinner rotor means mor eheat build-up......very bad!

[feedb4ck]

so you suggest buying new rotors??
whats that gonna put my out? comparable to the cost of maching??

[Familia 323]

I had my original rotor way over 90K on my 2nd gen before I had to replace them (machined once only). Yes, the original rotors should be able to be machined as others have said, but at 22K, that really is premature. I can see pads going early, with of course some conditions considered like. I know of a couple other people with '98 Proteges and they too, are up in mileage with their originals. That said, could it be possible that Mazda is slapping inferior quality rotors on the current models ? It's hard to say... One way though of cleaning the rotors to minimize elements such as rust forming is rubbing alcohol. Clean them every now and then. I learned that years ago and the rotors stays spotless, with the pad lines only visible. Hope you get legit answers here Sondra...

[ChopstickHero]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (madshrapnomuffin @ June 25 2003,12:10)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">so you suggest buying new rotors??
whats that gonna put my out? comparable to the cost of maching??[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
check and see how much rotors and new brake pads are from the dealership. if comparable to KVR stuff, get the KVR stuff. We have a special deal with their cross drilled rotors and pads.

[Familia 323]

Yes, Chops is right. I swapped my originals with KVR ventilated rotors and they make a lot of difference. Their pads are pretty durable as well. Good choice, I'd say...