Why Replacing Brake Rotors is Necessary

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Replacing Rotors

Why replacing rotors is necessary
on European vehicles

Why is Replacing Brake Rotors with new pads on your European vehicle is necessary? This is because old rotors can have uneven wear, grooves, or be too thin after a full brake pad life, which degrades new pad performance. It is standard practice for German cars like Porsche, VW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMWs to recommend replacing pads and rotors together as a matching set. This is to ensure optimal braking and prevent issues like noise or shuddering. 

Brake RotorsThe Reasons Why
Replacing Brake Rotors
is Necessary

  • Uneven surface: After a brake pad’s lifespan, the rotor’s surface is no longer flat. New pads require a smooth surface to “bed in” properly.
  • Grooves and scoring: Worn pads can create deep grooves on the rotor surface, which will prematurely wear down new pads, cause noise, and reduce braking performance.
  • Minimum thickness: Rotors have a minimum thickness specification. If they’ve been worn down below this point, they are unsafe and must be replaced.
  • Warping: A vibrating or pulsing brake pedal often indicates that the rotor is warped, which is a condition that cannot be fixed with new pads alone.
  • German car specific recommendations: German manufacturers like Audi often recommend replacing rotors with every pad service to ensure consistent, high-performance braking.
  • Corrosion: Over time, rotors can develop rust or corrosion, especially on the edges. While resurfacing can remove some surface rust, it can be cheaper and more effective to replace them, particularly if there is significant corrosion. 

Replacing Rotors

What to do?

  • Inspect: Meister Werks qualified service technicians will measure your rotors and pads to ensure they are above the minimum thickness. Furthermore, we check for signs of warping, deep grooves, or excessive rust.
  • Replace: If the rotors have  wear, grooves, warps, or too thin, they need replacement. After 100% worn pads, the rotors typically need replacement. However, we will let you know the pad and rotor thickness. As a result, it’s highly likely that your vehicle will need new pads and rotors. This is so they operate with proper function and safety.
  • Resurfacing is Not a Option: Resurfacing is an option for some vehicles. However, replacing is necessary on all modern European vehicles. This is because resurfacing removes too much material, making them thinner than the worn rotor.  Resurfacing seams like it could be cheaper. However, the additional labor time it takes to resurface. This additional labor costs the same as New Brake Rotors.
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