FAQ: Vibration under braking: warped rotors? NO!

[K-Rock]

Hi folks, haven't been here in a long while, but still loving the car!

It now has ~50k miles (84k km) on it and the brakes are starting to pulse/ vibrate a bit on original pads and rotors. The pads are getting thinner now, and my mechanic thinks I should just order pads and rotors. I haven't told him it may be deposits - which I think it may be. I will try to do the re-bed process but still want to replace at least the pads.

My questions are: what type of pads to folks recommend for this application? I wouldn't mind something slightly harder but love having no dust or noise. I don't mind paying for quality, but prefer these quiet, clean brakes for my driving style.
Or, at 50,000 miles might the Rotors need replacing too, and what do you recommend if so?

I think ahead and am gentle on the brakes or downshift. I got 160,000 km (100k miles) before I needed brakes on an Elantra a few years ago.

Thanks!

 

[Terrorz75]

Hi folks, haven't been here in a long while, but still loving the car!

It now has ~50k miles (84k km) on it and the brakes are starting to pulse/ vibrate a bit on original pads and rotors. The pads are getting thinner now, and my mechanic thinks I should just order pads and rotors. I haven't told him it may be deposits - which I think it may be. I will try to do the re-bed process but still want to replace at least the pads.

My questions are: what type of pads to folks recommend for this application? I wouldn't mind something slightly harder but love having no dust or noise. I don't mind paying for quality, but prefer these quiet, clean brakes for my driving style.
Or, at 50,000 miles might the Rotors need replacing too, and what do you recommend if so?

I think ahead and am gentle on the brakes or downshift. I got 160,000 km (100k miles) before I needed brakes on an Elantra a few years ago.

Thanks!

Hey K-Rock,

I changed the rotors and pads at the same time, I had the vibration issue and the re-bedding didn't work for me after I had the pads changed and the original rotors resurfaced. So I got the Stoptech Performance Premium front and rear along with the Stoptech performance street ceramic pads. Got them installed about two month and put 2k miles on it with no complaints. I don't see any dusts and no noise that I can hear.
Hope this helps!

 

[Rodtheviking]

At 50k I would do the rotors as well.

Lots of pads to choose from.

Bosch QuietCast BC1001
GiroDisc Magic pads
Akebono ASP1001
Hawk 5.0
DBA SP

I could go on..

I would recommend the Bosch, about 42.00 off of Amazon

Really any "1001" pad fits, some just don't come with the extra vibration shim that the stock have.

 

[K-Rock]

Thanks Rod! I will look into those.

Rotor recommendations? My mechanic said to consider looking for cross drilled and slotted rotors. Don't know if this is possible or worth it in my case.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Thanks Rod! I will look into those.

Rotor recommendations? My mechanic said to consider looking for cross drilled and slotted rotors. Don't know if this is possible or worth it in my case.

Your mechanic is an enthusiast who wants to make your car look more cool. Smooth-faced rotors like the OEM rotors are perfectly fine.

 

[Rodtheviking]

From your description I would say they are not necessary but they look cool!

I went with the Centric Premium rotors but had them done by Adams Rotors.

Centric 120.50042

 

[K-Rock]

They do look cool! I'll consider if they're comparable

 

[SSavage]

Hi folks, haven't been here in a long while, but still loving the car!

It now has ~50k miles (84k km) on it and the brakes are starting to pulse/ vibrate a bit on original pads and rotors. The pads are getting thinner now, and my mechanic thinks I should just order pads and rotors. I haven't told him it may be deposits - which I think it may be. I will try to do the re-bed process but still want to replace at least the pads.

My questions are: what type of pads to folks recommend for this application? I wouldn't mind something slightly harder but love having no dust or noise. I don't mind paying for quality, but prefer these quiet, clean brakes for my driving style.
Or, at 50,000 miles might the Rotors need replacing too, and what do you recommend if so?

I think ahead and am gentle on the brakes or downshift. I got 160,000 km (100k miles) before I needed brakes on an Elantra a few years ago.

Thanks!

Almost a year on the power stop ones I bought from Rock auto. Ceramic with carbon fibre pads. Drilled and slotted rotors. They are fantastic. The rotors look great and they don’t have squealing or dust. They grab harder than the factory ones. It made a big difference. Love the brakes now.

 

[K-Rock]

Almost a year on the power stop ones I bought from Rock auto. Ceramic with carbon fibre pads. Drilled and slotted rotors. They are fantastic. The rotors look great and they don’t have squealing or dust. They grab harder than the factory ones. It made a big difference. Love the brakes now.

Showing Rear Brakes available only at this time

 

[RedCal]

Showing Rear Brakes available only at this time

Check out local sources. ... rotors are expensive to ship!

Post in thread 'Canadian Stinger Aftermarket Parts Sources' Canadian Stinger Aftermarket Parts Sources

 

[K-Rock]

Check out local sources. ... rotors are expensive to ship!

Post in thread 'Canadian Stinger Aftermarket Parts Sources' Canadian Stinger Aftermarket Parts Sources

I think I may have just found them...A&A in Hamilton. I live outside of town. Front and Rear, Bosch pads and Ultra high carbon rotors for $590 Canadian pesos plus HST.

 

[AnalogMan]

FWIW, to add my own brake pulsation experiences... my brakes started pulsating/shuddering at around 4,000 miles. It was most noticeable when stopping from above around 50 mph.

I tried to ignore the problem for a while. I also tried the rebedding procedure - which made it worse.

Finally took it to a Kia dealer today, at 9000 miles. They found the front discs were warped, and resurfaced them (and cleaned up the pads). Rear discs were OK. All pads were re-used. The car now stops fine, all pulsation is gone.

For my problem, it clearly was warped rotors and not surface build-up. I'm deeply disappointed that the rotors warped in 5,000 miles. That's clearly not customary or expected for brakes on a modern car. I'm assuming and expecting the problem to return, and am starting a search for better rotors. I'm in my 60's and drive the car very gently. It hasn't been 'beat on' in any way.

Does anyone know if there has been a class action lawsuit filed against Kia for this issue? Class action suits for far less important things than brakes have gotten settlements for owners of other brands.

 

[D.J.]

For my problem, it clearly was warped rotors and not surface build-up.

You saw the runout measurements?

My Kia dealer kept saying "warped" on paper to get warranty coverage approved...

But they were never warped. Just pad material buildup.

 

[AnalogMan]

You saw the runout measurements?

I

You saw the runout measurements?

My Kia dealer kept saying "warped" on paper to get warranty coverage approved...

But they were never warped. Just pad material buildup.

I saw the runout measurements, and asked for and have a print out of them.

All 4 rotors were measured in 4 different spots. The front rotors had a run out from 29.8 mm down to 28.6. They were both resurfaced, right front down to 28.4 and left front down to 28.3. Both rear rotors were fine, within spec.

Sure seemed like warped rotors to me.

 

[NS_Stinger]

I had these for front pads:


Initially really liked them and they got rid of the vibration, they are fairly grabby and stopped well but developed an annoying squeal.


So I got these and I really like them, less grabby but still good stopping power and zero noise:

 

[AnalogMan]

When the time comes that the pulsation returns (which, both from my experience and reading about what others have had), seems like it will be sooner rather than later, I’m thinking of going with StopTech from K8, both rotors and pads.

 

[legbuh]

So, I was going to replace the rotors on my 18 GT2 AWD. I read the first post. Sounds like it's not a fix. Then I read the last page. Sounds like it IS the fix.

What's the consensus? I don't want to read 52 pages. Maybe update the FAQ as it appears to be not quite right for most people. I've done the rebedding thing 4 times (correctly even!) and the problem still exists. It actually seems to get worse after driving on the highway for a long amount of time. When they are cold, little to no pulse. When warm, enough to be irritating.

 

[StingertimeNC]

resurface the stock rotors or replace them, and get better pads. Since you have a 2018, I would go ahead and do rotors and pads. not cheap but you won't have any issues. I'm putting on the DBA T3 4000 series rotors, and Hawk HPS 5.0 pads. I also ran the Hawk pads on the front, with stock rotors and no issues, but I replaced the pads early on, before the stock rotors had any deposits built up. I have no experience with the rotors yet but hope to within the next couple of weeks as all parts just arrived!

 

[legbuh]

Oh, it's an easy job and lots of videos showing how to do it.

 

[AnalogMan]

The StopTech rotors from K8 seem to be perpetually out of stock, with no guidance as to when they might be available again.

Has anyone had any good experiences with other non-OEM rotors? I definitely don't want to put OEM rotors on the car only to have this happen again, and would like something higher quality and longger-lasting.

Thanks!