Who else has had warped rotors?

[Grewzuff]

This is were I am at as well. I was quoted 477 by the Kia dealership to do the fronts. Like MisterMac said calling the hot line and starting a case. Hopefully as the number of complaints increase Kia will do something about it.

I’m also experiencing terrible shuddering and pulsation. I have 20K miles on my 2018 GTII AWD and the dealer is telling me nothing is under warranty and that I need all 4 rotors resurfaced and brakes replaced for close to $1400. They said if it was under 12K miles they would replace for free. However, I noticed this mildly starting to occur around 13,000 miles. What are my options? I certainly don’t want to spend that kind of money for a new set of shitty rotors. On another note, Kia sent me a survey recently asking if I was having brake pulsation problems so they are aware it’s a known issue. Seems like they should recall.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

Thanks!

Please report your results. It would be very good to know how you’re handled given the higher mileage. Good luck!

 

[SpaceGhost]

I have two of these cars one with the brake issue and one without. I got new pads/rotors and now the problem is returning.

Has anyone gotten new pads and rotors and not had the problem return? I think it's the calipers not the pads/rotors. I think Kia probably knows it but figures it's cheaper to give you new pads/rotors once during the first 12K than to admit fix the real issue.

Because what are the chances that the 2018 GT2 no brake problem got a set of the good pads/rotors and the second car 2019 GT1 came with bad pads/rotors and then I got another set of bad pads/rotors. You're telling me after knowing that a lot of the 18's had bad parts Kia is still shipping bad parts a year later. Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Manaz]

How would the calipers cause this issue?

The same front calipers have been used on a number of cars (including Evo Lancers) over the years, if the calipers were the issue, it would have been addressed by now.

 

[Capecod]

I had the rear pads and rotors replaced about 6000 miles ago no issue yet

 

[Dan1028]

You could save some money by simply going through the brake bedding procedure and then putting on high quality pads.

Is changing to different pads after bedding in the brakes advisable? I thought the whole point of the bedding procedure was to prep the rotor surface using the same pad that would ultimately clamp down on the rotor, otherwise you'd run the risk of surface deposits again since the material deposited on the rotor during bed-in would be different than the new pad. Is that not correct?

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=85

 

[Helo58]

How would the calipers cause this issue?

The same front calipers have been used on a number of cars (including Evo Lancers) over the years, if the calipers were the issue, it would have been addressed by now.

The calipers, as you know, are part of a larger system. Unless the other cars are using the entire braking system from the Stinger, then it is an apples to oranges comparison. When you factor in the brake booster, master cylinder, and "electronics" that manipulate the braking systems in this car, it could be any of them acting alone or in combination to press the pads to the rotors when the car is shut off and the rotors are warm or wet. It doesn't seem likely to me either, but those who have the problem (myself included) are considering all options no matter how unlikely they may be. I have also had the problem return after installing new rotors and aftermarket pads and am at a loss to explain why it is happening.

For the record (to those who haven't read all of my "braking" posts), I used a similar setup on my most recent car. It was a Lexus IS-F (~4k lb Sedan) with Brembo calipers and rotors and Hawk pads. I never had any issues with the brakes whatsoever. I also had 2 Genesis Coupes (2.0T R-Spec and a 3.8 Track) and had no issues with the Brembos there either. I probably had 100k miles between those 3 cars with no braking issues.

I'm still searching for the answer and think that it could be moisture related, for me at least. I would be interested to know how many having brake issues let their cars sit (don't drive it) for a couple of days where the rotors might get wet.

 

[Manaz]

The calipers, as you know, are part of a larger system. Unless the other cars are using the entire braking system from the Stinger, then it is an apples to oranges comparison. When you factor in the brake booster, master cylinder, and "electronics" that manipulate the braking systems in this car, it could be any of them acting alone or in combination to press the pads to the rotors when the car is shut off and the rotors are warm or wet. It doesn't seem likely to me either, but those who have the problem (myself included) are considering all options no matter how unlikely they may be. I have also had the problem return after installing new rotors and aftermarket pads and am at a loss to explain why it is happening.

For the record (to those who haven't read all of my "braking" posts), I used a similar setup on my most recent car. It was a Lexus IS-F (~4k lb Sedan) with Brembo calipers and rotors and Hawk pads. I never had any issues with the brakes whatsoever. I also had 2 Genesis Coupes (2.0T R-Spec and a 3.8 Track) and had no issues with the Brembos there either. I probably had 100k miles between those 3 cars with no braking issues.

I'm still searching for the answer and think that it could be moisture related, for me at least. I would be interested to know how many having brake issues let their cars sit (don't drive it) for a couple of days where the rotors might get wet.

I agree with all you've said about the braking system being complex - but my reply was a direct reply to someone who suggested that the calipers were to fault.

I think it's the calipers not the pads/rotors.

In all the complexity, they're actually, in my opinion, the least likely cause, as they're probably the simplest bit of the lot (simply respond to fluid pressure to squeeze the pads). If heat or moisture were impacting on the calipers, it would almost certainly cause issues on other cars with them installed as well.

 

[Tangent52]

For some great info read these articles:
www-brakeandfrontend.com/warped-rotors-myth/
www-hendonpub.com/resources/article_archive/results/details?id=1787#comments

Since I'm new I cant post links, so I had to get creative with how I posted these so please remove the - after the "www" and replace it with a "."

Really excellent article. Too many posts here are blaming "bad" parts. My last car (which was a lighter car) had 148,000 miles on it. I replaced one rotor during it's lifetime. I never had the rotors turned, just replaced the pads before they wore out. My Stinger has 7,000 miles on it, the brakes are perfect, no problems at all (yet). Check your driving habits. Do you race up to a red light, even occasionally?

 

[NS_Stinger]

My Stinger has 7,000 miles on it, the brakes are perfect, no problems at all (yet). Check your driving habits. Do you race up to a red light, even occasionally?

This problem is widespread, it's not a user error, I can tell you first hand since my car has developed the issue and I rarely push the car.

Also are you telling me that the driver of a performance car shouldn't be able to race up to a redlight...? The car has a 365hp twin turbo V6, brembo brakes and oem equipped pilot sport tires, it has built in launch control and a G meter haha

 

[MisterMac]

Really excellent article. Too many posts here are blaming "bad" parts. My last car (which was a lighter car) had 148,000 miles on it. I replaced one rotor during it's lifetime. I never had the rotors turned, just replaced the pads before they wore out. My Stinger has 7,000 miles on it, the brakes are perfect, no problems at all (yet). Check your driving habits. Do you race up to a red light, even occasionally?

This car was designed to be driven hard, at least in every aspect except the rotors.

It's possible to re-bed the brakes to level out the last buildup.

However, since I installed drilled and slotted rotors, I drive my stinger any way I want without uneven pad deposits.

The stinger should've come with slotted or dimpled rotors. If they had, like most other high performance cars, this thread wouldn't exist.

This is not a user problem. This is a part problem.

 

[itguy61]

It is not the rotors, it is the pad compound. Don't understand why everybody keeps saying the rotors were not designed right. If slotted drilled rotors are keeping cooler and not getting pad deposits great. Kia should have put pads on these that don't get hot enough to melt into the rotors and leave deposits. Put a semi-metallic pad capable of higher temps on it and problem is solved, even with stock rotors.

 

[MisterMac]

It is not the rotors, it is the pad compound. Don't understand why everybody keeps saying the rotors were not designed right. If slotted drilled rotors are keeping cooler and not getting pad deposits great. Kia should have put pads on these that don't get hot enough to melt into the rotors and leave deposits. Put a semi-metallic pad capable of higher temps on it and problem is solved, even with stock rotors.

Yes, different pads can solve the issue too. Yet, rotors that dissipate heat more efficiently would allow users to purchase most any pad and not have build-ip issues. As most end-users do not have the depth of brake knowledge on this forum, I argue for the rotors.

 

[itguy61]

No way Kia will do that as putting upgraded rotors on would probably have a significantly higher costs than just changing compounds on a brake pad. Rotors and pads both would be best if cost is not a problem. But I suspect there may be some people who will buy aftermarket rotors and stay with stock pads and gunk up their new rotors with pad deposits. Not everyone is on board with drilled rotors. New rotors are costly. I spent $85 for Gyrodisc brake pads on stock rotors and 6K miles later they are still very smooth.

 

[Hydrajin]

Really excellent article. Too many posts here are blaming "bad" parts. My last car (which was a lighter car) had 148,000 miles on it. I replaced one rotor during it's lifetime. I never had the rotors turned, just replaced the pads before they wore out. My Stinger has 7,000 miles on it, the brakes are perfect, no problems at all (yet). Check your driving habits. Do you race up to a red light, even occasionally?

Good point but driving habits aren't the problem. I drove a Pathfinder daily and offroad with smaller brakes than the Stinger, a boosted Civic and tuned Juke with stock brakes each for a 100K+ KMs and drove the boosted Civic and Juke much harder than the Stinger on a daily basis and with occasional track days. Have not heard of braking issues untill I hit the Stinger. I did have to eventually swap the Juke rotors and pads due to fade on the track but never had issues past fade resistance on it. None of those cars had anywhere near the size of the rotors and aggressive bite of the calipers on the stinger, nor did they have the cooling capacity (vented rears and functional air vents). Have yet to hit the track with the Stinger nor do I want to with these brakes lol.

I suspect it's a QC issues with the Kia heat treatment of the rotors, it would explain the hot spots I've gotten on the rotors just from emergency slow downs during rush hour on the freeway. These hot spots on the rotors may also have caused the pad material to soften and transfer, or it may pad material choice may have been poor for the application in the first place. I have a feeling the rotors were built to brembo dimensions not full specs, otherwise they would have just outsourced the rotors to brembo too. My rotors began pulsing at ~7000km; with all respect just because you have yet to experience the issue, or ever will, it doesn't mean the problem isn't there. If it was a problem with every Stinger sold it would be catastrophic and would mean they must recall all cars. We're all early adopters here buying this car from KIA but they also should be reading the forums and should be analysing their service departments for reocurring issues for follow up when releasing their first performance oriented vehicle, waiting to see how many 2019s and 2020s have the same issue and see if they've been responsive or not.

 

[MerlintheMad]

(vented rears and functional air vents)

The rear brakes are vented? You do know that the rear fender "vent" is fake?

 

[Helo58]

The rear brakes are vented? You do know that the rear fender "vent" is fake?

 

[MerlintheMad]

Ah so!

 

[Ucinn]

What is recommended for aftermarket that won't break the bank (pardon the pun). Just had mine replaced under warranty 2K ago and already getting some pulsating again. TIA for any help.

 

[Fl stingergt]

It’s the cheap ass rotors. These cars are to heavy for these rotors.Burned my rotors and pads to nothing by 11000 miles. Got all new rotors and pads all the way around last week. Even the kia tech told me to switch to after market rotors when these take a crap.also changed brake fluid to 100% synthetic Castrol fluid higher boiling point helps with brake fade and cooling.