Passat Brake issue - Help

[Highlander]

Client of mine who usually drives a diesel Holden Epica arrived at my office today in a dealer loan car emblazoned with XX Motor Group Courtesy Car.

Knowing that her car is only 18 months old, I casually asked if her car was in for service and you will never guess the reply.

No she said. My car recently had 30000 km service and all brakes reported OK. 2000km later "rear inside pads" were down to metal to metal necessitating new pads and rotors. Rear outside pads were OK.

She was furious as she works in the motor industry and is quite fastidious about her cars and let the dealer know what she thought of the service that told her she had at least another 10000km in her rear brakes.

End result. Rotors are being replaced at the dealers expense and she is not sure if she is paying for the pads or if they are being thrown in by the dealer as a goodwill gesture to try and retain her business.

MIB. If I was in your shoes, I would certainly be letting your service dealer know what I thought. I would expect brake rotors to last more than 60000km but then I don't have any experience of travelling 60000km in a Volkswagen.

As I said in an earlier post, it would be interesting if to see if we have had many Passat drivers who needed well maintained rotors replaced at or around 60,000km.

[Man In Black (MIB)]

Highlander, the brake pads were checked at the 60K service. They said I had 5 mm, but it has since transpired they only check the outside pad. I guess it's too much work to remove the guard and look at the inside pad.

Some of the comments on this thread have been enlightening however, I was asked at the dealership if the brake warning light came on. It didn't. We're not sure why it didn't (as that's its job) but it has been suggested that the pad sensor is located on the outside pad. Which is counter to the practice of the insides wearing first due to the position of the piston.

I paid for new pads and disks as euro ventilated disks cannot be machined. Also, 60k isn't bad for euro brakes, so I'm told. I guess the issue is the sloppy job they did checking them. As I've said before, I'll be asking for 8 numbers next time any of my cars are in for a service; inside outside front left right and inside outside rear left right.

[gslrallysport]

It almost sounds like it is by design

Most new cars will go through rears as quick, if not quicker than the fronts. Since the advent of advanced ABS add ons like EBD, traction control, stability control, it's become increasingly important to be able to modulate the rear brakes alot better than previously required. The answer to this is larger rotors than traditionally used, and SMALLER pads. Pad surface area has no bearing on performance (2nd law of friction), but it does affect the modulability* of the pad, and by going to a smaller pad it means any pressure increase has a lesser effect, making the pad easier to modulate.

The guts of it is a smaller pad and larger rotor gives it more leverage, and easy to work with, than a smaller rotor and larger pad. The downside of this is shorter rear pad life than in the past, but abs systems that do their job better.

* Yep, I made that word up. Feel free to put it in your back pocket and use it on a rainy day!

[Jmac]

Most new cars will go through rears as quick, if not quicker than the fronts. Since the advent of advanced ABS add ons like EBD, traction control, stability control, it's become increasingly important to be able to modulate the rear brakes alot better than previously required. The answer to this is larger rotors than traditionally used, and SMALLER pads. Pad surface area has no bearing on performance (2nd law of friction), but it does affect the modulability* of the pad, and by going to a smaller pad it means any pressure increase has a lesser effect, making the pad easier to modulate.

The guts of it is a smaller pad and larger rotor gives it more leverage, and easy to work with, than a smaller rotor and larger pad. The downside of this is shorter rear pad life than in the past, but abs systems that do their job better.

* Yep, I made that word up. Feel free to put it in your back pocket and use it on a rainy day!

Yep 100%. Ive found this issue since Golf 5 platform came around, they pull up rear 1st momentarily then front. 95% of all Mk5 and B6 Passat i do rears 1st. Still you had a service surely you should have had an approx wear time???? I know i tell all my customers the percentage they have left. And back to the inside pad point yes you really only use the outer as a guide, if its low then the inner will be lower for sure.
All good
Jmac

[marckhor]

I think 60000km is pretty good life for brake pads. This is a wear and tear product. Might event be lower if you drive a lot in CBD start stop traffic.

I have 07 Passat V6 wagon and classify myself as a spirited driver. My old Mazda 6 had to change its pads around 60000km. Hence pretty consistent.

Just changed my rear pads around 60000km. The rotors appears to be fine but the front (pads and rotors) is due anytime soon. Suggest to change the rear pads sooner if there is still life left on the rotors. Rotors cost around $750 from the dealer.