Hello everyone long timer here and on my 4th Treg now plus 1 Cheyenne. So I currently have 2 2016 Treg TDI’s and the most recent one purchased is warping the front rotors in 5-7k miles. I’ve had two VW dealers and one local import dealer look at it with all just scratching their heads. I’m actually on my 4th set in less than 25k miles. Everyone is telling me all the components check out and can’t seem to identify any issue. Hoping someone has run across this before and can give me some direction of where to go from here. By the way, I’ve used OEM Zimmerman rotors to date. There was also a question on which side is right and left. I’ve had them tried both was showing little change. After reviewing the directions and part numbers this is the correct orientation. Thanks in advance.
Extreme from brake wear. Please help!
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sawtooth
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So we have not changed the fluid yet but I will have it done next week. So here’s the history of the vehicles brakes since I bought it. It was purchased April of 2023. Brakes were fine at 91k. About 3-4k in I started noticing some vibration when braking. By 6k it was terrible. Went to my local certified VW Audi dealer that I and have used for over 15 years now and had a full brake job performed including pads. All was perfect. then every 5-7k they install new rotors that they can do under warranty (no pads). The funny thing is they always use the same components on all my Tregs so if it is deposits on the pads then why in the world is it happening so fast on this one? Now as of the past two weeks I had it in Winchester VA and the VW dealership couldn’t find anything wrong except that the rotors were installed on the wrong side. So veins open to or facing direction of wheel rotation. I’m sure this has some effect but after talking with my local dealer they had switched them the previous time just to see if there was any change. So basically we have tried them both ways with little change. Again, I can’t confirm this I’m only saying what I was told. As of now I’m looking for myself to be sure. Next I had it at another VW dealer in NC. He said everything looked fine and that the rotors are not directional. LOL. Obviously they are and he still didn’t believe me when I told him for a fact they were definitely directional. He said the rotors were warped and they needed replaced. I asked him if one was worse than the other but he said he had no way to measure the flatness. Seemed strange to me but that’s what he said. So now it’s back at my dealer. He’s putting on a different brand of rotor and it’s ready now so I’m headed to pick it up. He also may have done the fluid this time as we decided to change the front brake lines. I will update everyone later once I’m back.
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So we have not changed the fluid yet but I will have it done next week. So here’s the history of the vehicles brakes since I bought it. It was purchased April of 2023. Brakes were fine at 91k. About 3-4k in I started noticing some vibration when braking. By 6k it was terrible. Went to my local certified VW Audi dealer that I and have used for over 15 years now and had a full brake job performed including pads. All was perfect. then every 5-7k they install new rotors that they did under warranty (no pads). The funny thing is they always use the same components on all my Tregs so if it is deposits on the pads then why in the world is it happening so fast on this one? Now as of the past two weeks I had it in Winchester VA and the VW dealership couldn’t find anything wrong except that the rotors were installed on the wrong side. So veins open to or facing direction of wheel rotation. I’m sure this has some effect but after talking with my local dealer they had switched them the previous time just to see if there was any change. So basically we have tried them both ways with little change. Again, I can’t confirm this I’m only saying what I was told. As of now I’m looking for myself to be sure. Next I had it at another VW dealer in NC. He said everything looked fine and that the rotors are not directional. LOL. Obviously they are and he still didn’t believe me when I told him for a fact they were definitely directional. He said the rotors were warped and they needed replaced. I asked him if one was worse than the other but he said he had no way to measure the flatness. Seemed strange to me but that’s what he said. So now it’s back at my dealer. He’s putting on a different brand of rotor and it’s ready now so I’m headed to pick it up. He also may have done the fluid this time as we decided to change the front brake lines. I will update everyone later once I’m back.
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Ok so if that’s the case why did we see the same issue after replacing both the pads and rotors? I’m not trying to be smart but that makes no sense to me. The pads and rotors literally had 7k or less on them. I can have new pads put on again next week but I really don’t feel that’s the issue. I’m also curious to know if you can see the deposits on the rotors? I mean the vibration or oscillation gets unbelievably bad by 5-7k. I’m 55 and have had my share of vehicles but never in my life have experienced any brakes as bad as these get. Since I travel mostly highway miles i normally get north of 80k on these vehicles and sometimes a good bit more.
One final question. Why even replace rotors or turn them down if it’s almost always deposits. In my 55 years I’ve never heard a single mechanic say I’ve got deposit build up. Again not trying to be smart I’m just asking.
One final question. Why even replace rotors or turn them down if it’s almost always deposits. In my 55 years I’ve never heard a single mechanic say I’ve got deposit build up. Again not trying to be smart I’m just asking.
That does seem weird, but I think the most likely explanation is that your car previously had a brake job done badly, and it was repeated badly, causing the same issues again. They could have contaminated the pad or rotor surfaces, used low quality pads, or not bedded the new pads in properly before returning the vehicle to you.
Just to be sure though, I would also confirm that the hub surface is flat and clean so the rotor is mating flush, and that the lugnuts are being properly torqued to torque spec and not just cranked down with a massive impact gun. Those issues can cause rotor warping, but it would probably be immediate rather than after thousands of miles.
Yes, the surface will be discolored in patches, and will show up as a slightly thicker region with a caliper or micrometer. You may see that the rotor sticks in the pads in certain spots when you spin it, where it is thicker- but it isn't going to have extra clearance on the other side as it would if it were warped.
Generally this doesn't happen on well maintained good quality pads and rotors that are installed and bedded in correctly... the rotors only need replacement when they wear thin. If the rotors wear too thin the pistons come too far out of the caliper bores, so rotor replacement is based on rotor thickness. Turning the rotors gives you a flat surface and removes ridges so that new pads will make full contact- but many modern cars including Touaregs don't have much extra clearance on the rotors, and need replacement rather than turning.
For a full description of what is actually happening with rotors when brake vibration occurs, read it here from your rotor manufacturers website under the section "warped brake disc:"
Otto Zimmermann – FAQ
Solved: The Mystery of Warped Brake Rotors
trade.mechanic.com.au
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Ok thanks for the info. One thing I have noticed is there’s a slight difference in brake feel between my two 16’s. The one having the issue seems to not stop as well as the one with no issues. It’s not a huge difference but the break pedal modulation doesn’t seem as smooth either. Is it possible the front brakes are working harder than they’re supposed to? It’s almost like the rears are not pulling their own weight if you know what I mean?
I don't like repeating myself.... Butchers!
Get a mechanic who isn't doing your brakes under the gun to look at the components, clean and lube things as needed, etc. Change your brake fluid.
Get a mechanic who isn't doing your brakes under the gun to look at the components, clean and lube things as needed, etc. Change your brake fluid.
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100% agree
Also 100% agree. "Warped rotors" isn't really a thing, but also the brakes on the Touareg are monsters and would take a LOT of abuse to even remotely trash.
Yep
I started wrenching on snowmobiles, mowers, tractors etc When I was single digits. Bought my first car and did heads/headers/cam/rocker arms/et al before I was even old enough to drive it. From there, I continued doing most of my own work because I was a cheap bastard. As I got better jobs, nicer cars, I find myself valuing my time more than my money in most instances.
Yeppers
Also - more to keep in mind. It's possible the rear brakes aren't functioning, putting more strain on the fronts (still! They're not warping in a couple thousand miles unless you're pulling a 15,000lb camper downhill
Steer wheel shake - possible that the wheels aren't being mounted per the TSB, and possible the wheels mating surfaces are completely trashed with corrosion or dirt etc
It's possible you have some bad brake fluid or crimped off brake lines, keeping fluid pressed against the pads
It's possible the pads you're using are crap
Every time you get rotors, you get pads.. they go together. Then, you bed in the brake system (which a dealership will NOT do for you). If you don't, the rotors can glaze.
This discussion is so painful.....
There's not that much to the un-sprung brake system components. Anyone that can even spell mechanic should be able to correct whatever YOUR issue is.
There's 4 pistons on each caliper... they need to be in full working order, and not be getting partially, stuck etc.
There's 4 potential problem areas on the caliper, where corrosion and crud accumulates, and needs to be properly cleaned and even lightly lubed if you're like me (see larger arrow)
Then, there's 4 windows on the pads which need to easily and freely slide on the retaining pins that hold them in the caliper.
There's NOTHING other than a spring clip that obviously also needs to be rust free in order to not cause either pad to hang or stick.
If your dealer can't figure this out, they are useless.
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There's not that much to the un-sprung brake system components. Anyone that can even spell mechanic should be able to correct whatever YOUR issue is.
There's 4 pistons on each caliper... they need to be in full working order, and not be getting partially, stuck etc.
There's 4 potential problem areas on the caliper, where corrosion and crud accumulates, and needs to be properly cleaned and even lightly lubed if you're like me (see larger arrow)
Then, there's 4 windows on the pads which need to easily and freely slide on the retaining pins that hold them in the caliper.
There's NOTHING other than a spring clip that obviously also needs to be rust free in order to not cause either pad to hang or stick.
If your dealer can't figure this out, they are useless.
Worse than useless- they are charging money for doing the same job incorrectly over and over. My dealer has done tons of work incorrectly on my Touareg, but each time they at least take full responsibility, and redo it as many times as needed for free.
so just throwing out here that these 7P models have a brake design meant to pile up snow in front of tires for lower stopping distances, clearly that’s a modulation function… if something is wrong with the implementation of pressure across the system, perhaps your brakes aren’t releasing properly? You’d see bluing on the rotors.
very odd… good luck!
ps: Zimmerman does not promote their Touareg replacement parts as high carbon iron. If you substitute grey iron discs for high carbon, you lose noise dampening and thermal efficiency and degrees of torque achieved thru HC material. I sell only HC coated replacement rotors for OE quality results. I would have your wheel hubs checked for proper parallelism. Something is up ..when replacing a part provides a short term solution.
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Wait, I need to know more about this brake design for piling snow up...
100% agree on not buying anything less than high carbon rotors for these
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Did not go through all what had been written.
Just my experience : Had one faulty brake cylinder out of the two at each side, had been corroded. So no proper move in again. As a consequence a. different braking behavior, b. heated up brakes, shaking the car.
Further watch out is to deair the brake cylinders, requiring special tool, to deair booth cylinders per side at the same time!
Send me an email address, I will send you the VW technology booklet on your 7P Touareg… it’s about 100 full color pages written on the distinct technologies incorporated into your vehicle. It’s something I picked up along the way.
G
An easy thing to do in order to check brake operation:
drive around for a few minutes, making sure you do a few complete stops. Get the brakes hot. Then come back and shoot each rotor with a laser IR thermometer. The front brakes should be at the same temperature on each side. Same with the back. Usually if they’re ok, the temps will be within 20-30 degrees of each other on the same axle and 30-50 degrees difference front and back.
drive around for a few minutes, making sure you do a few complete stops. Get the brakes hot. Then come back and shoot each rotor with a laser IR thermometer. The front brakes should be at the same temperature on each side. Same with the back. Usually if they’re ok, the temps will be within 20-30 degrees of each other on the same axle and 30-50 degrees difference front and back.
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Coming right up, thank you!
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