front brake pads vw passat tdi 2007

[sharantdi]

I have vw passat tdi 2007 mod wagon...A month ago A light for brake pads came on my mfd- dashboard. I checked the pads and I was surprised to finde out that inner pads were almost down to 3 mm while outer ones were allmost like new. The mileage at this point were 40000km on the clock. I confronted my dealer with this problem since the car is still under warranty, but they said that was normal for passats due to air duct construction leading all sand and other things on the inside pads... I am interested to know if other passat owners in this forum had similar problem??!!

[Spudrig]

I have vw passat tdi 2007 mod wagon...A month ago A light for brake pads came on my mfd- dashboard. I checked the pads and I was surprised to finde out that inner pads were almost down to 3 mm while outer ones were allmost like new. The mileage at this point were 40000km on the clock. I confronted my dealer with this problem since the car is still under warranty, but they said that was normal for passats due to air duct construction leading all sand and other things on the inside pads... I am interested to know if other passat owners in this forum had similar problem??!!

My car has 34k miles on the clock (approx 54k kilometers) and I have not had any warning light on the dashboard with regard the brakes. I had the suspension checked a wile ago at the dealers as my tracking was out and whilst they were doing that, they said that the brake pads had plenty left on them.

[Quatrelle]

I thought floating calipers were supposed to prevent uneven wear, as well as being more effective. Presumably the roads are salted more often where you are, so has something seized?

Didn't know they had air ducts....

[martin1810]

Uneven pad wear is usually caused by sticking calipers.

[sharantdi]

I thought floating calipers were supposed to prevent uneven wear, as well as being more effective. Presumably the roads are salted more often where you are, so has something seized?

Didn't know they had air ducts....


Its correct that in Norway during winter time roads are salted more often , additionally sand is used on the side roads instead of salt. I had a tripp to the dealers who checked front calippers for seasment but they found everything in order.....Dealer blame sand used on the roads during winther......Anyhow, I know several owners of passat here in Norway with same problem as I have...
As about air ducts, there are air ducts leading air from front bumper toward inner pads and calippers to cool them down .....Thats what I have been told from my dealer...:confused:

[Cylon2007]

whether there are air ducts or not if the inside pad is worn out and the outside one is not the Caliper is NOT floating as it should. The piston is on the inner side of the caliper so this will push the inner pad onto the disk but if the caliper isn't free to float you get higher pressure on the inner pad and so accelerated wear.

The air ducts allowing salt/sand onto the brakes could well be the cause of the calipers not being free.

[tommyweaves]

whether there are air ducts or not if the inside pad is worn out and the outside one is not the Caliper is NOT floating as it should. The piston is on the inner side of the caliper so this will push the inner pad onto the disk but if the caliper isn't free to float you get higher pressure on the inner pad and so accelerated wear.

The air ducts allowing salt/sand onto the brakes could well be the cause of the calipers not being free.

I'd agree, but, my understanding from the earlier posts is that the air ducts are directing sand/salt only onto the inner side of the disc, therefore creating a higher abrasion rate on that side, even with free moving calipers.

[Cylon2007]

I'd agree, but, my understanding from the earlier posts is that the air ducts are directing sand/salt only onto the inner side of the disc, therefore creating a higher abrasion rate on that side, even with free moving calipers.


possible but I'd still check that the calipers are actually free to move correctly, and if the ducts cause so much problem I'd be tempted to block them off. Can't see you needing so much extra brake cooling in Norway especially when it's bloody cold

[Buzz_B6]

Mine wear slightly faster on the inside. Not a worry tho

[smiggy9]

I think someone else on this forum said that their Passat was psychic and knew when to behave etc. Well since raising a thread relating to brake pad replacement - lo and behold - the other day up popped the message "Check Brake Pads" - now the yellow brake pad symbol is permanently on. I checked every wheel at my mate's garage and all the pads have got I would say over 4mm of material on them, inner and outer, front and back - so why am I getting this warning message? Surely the pads are not meant to be replaced when they're only half worn? And how does it work when there's only one brake pad sensor cable coming from the nearside front wheel? Confused..........

[JSH]

Hmmm
I would check the disc for scoring etc on the side where to grit is supposed to be eg the worn pad, and compare the surfaces to the other side of the disc. The dealers excuse sounds like poor to me!.
With floating calipers the pad next to the piston does fractionally more work as its the first to apply pressure to the disc inorder to transfer pressure to the otherside pad through the caliper assembly. Its paramount that the caliper floats easily as any fricton causes huge pressure to one side of the disc and wheel bearings. In a salty enviroment this would be my first suspect.
I had a similar issue with a Peugeot. With that it was the slides were worn causing the caliper to twist / rock and jam on the slides causing the pad on the piston to wear first.
Its interesting that in motorsport they have stayed with pistons on both sides of the caliper.

John

[Teflon]

, but they said that was normal for passats due to air duct construction leading all sand and other things on the inside pads... I am interested to know if other passat owners in this forum had similar problem??!! This is utter, utter tosh, just a shameful ploy by the dealer designed to bamboozle the punter and fob him off. You could drive 10k up and down the beach at Pendine Sands (or the Norwegian equivalent) and not see a difference in brake pad wear due to sand and salt. They must be having a bet in the dealer workshop for who can come up with the most implausible fob off idea every week.

As previous posters have said, a little bit of uneven wear is normal, but chances are that your floating calipers are not floating due to being gummed up with crud. They need to come off, get some gentle attention with a file and emery paper then go back on with a blob of Copaslip to keep things free. A sticking, corroded piston might also be a contribution, but my money's on the calipers.

The original poster should be back to the dealer. I'll bet they now tell him he needs new disks, which (of course) are not covered under warranty. Either that, or they will argue that sticking calipers are normal wear and tear and he should stop taking the car out in the rain.

[BenR]

Smiggy9, how worn are the discs? I had this with my previous car, an A4 when the unworn ridge at the edge of the disc cut into the newish pad closing the wear warning circuit (or opening - whatever).

[Cylon2007]

If you only have a sensor lead from the nearside this may explain / be the reason why the light is on. There should be a cable from each one.

[smiggy9]

Thanks for replying guys.
Sorry if I've kinda hijacked this thread, so I'll shut up on this thread after this.
On the front wheels, I have even wear on both outer and inner pads, both wheels. I would say that the inner pads are about 5mil and they have a mil and a bit more than the outer pads. I took both wheels off to have a good look at the pads and discs. I ran my fingers over the discs on both sides of each wheel and there is no significant scoring for discs that have done coming up for 70k. On the rear wheels there is a bit more wear on the inner pads, than on the front but my mechanic mate says there's still heaps on them. Again, neither rear discs are scored significantly.
As to the absence of the sensor lead on the offside front, I have no idea. It's not like there's a dangling connector lead with no sensor cable attached. The sensor lead is easy to see on the nearside wheel, but there is NOTHING like that on the offside wheel, only the ABS sensors.
I may as well replace them at the next 10k service, not a big expense (well for the fronts anyway....).

[Quatrelle]

smiggy9 - disconnect/reconnect the battery and see if the light comes on the next time you brake. No harm in trying.

Is it possible that VW's cost cutting means that they fit only one sensor to cover all the front pads?

[martin1810]

If you only have a sensor lead from the nearside this may explain / be the reason why the light is on. There should be a cable from each one.

Nope...you only get one sensor.

[Quatrelle]

Nope...you only get one sensor.

Martin - So is that cost cutting or is there a logical reason? What happens if the other one wears out first?

[BenR]

Most brakes wear evenly across the axle, unless there's a fault on one side.

[martin1810]

Martin - So is that cost cutting or is there a logical reason? What happens if the other one wears out first?

No idea. Don't know if it's the same for all models, perhaps if you pay more you get more. Perhaps VW brakes never go wrong so you only need one.:biglaugh:

[Motorway]

Hi.
the only VW i have had to put pads on was my first saloon B5 back in 2001, i bought it 4 months old with 7k on the clock and at the first service at 10k it had to have pads fitted, then after that it ran until i sold it two years later with 129k stiil on the pads put in at 10k. my youngest cousin bought it of me and now with 409k it has only recently 390k had new front pads, the rears are the originals. and all the disks are 90% thickness, a testiment to german engineering?? but i do clean them out once a month and use high temp copper ease on all moving parts

the only thing i have found that wears out quicker on Passats is Tyres. on all 4 B5's the best i have managed on the front is 43k on miches the rears have all done 50-60k. i had Vauxhall omega before the first B% and got 55k on dunlops on the front,
now i have the B6 i have been talking to local B6 owners and they are only getting 30k on the front tyres. mine are at 26k now and still have 4.5mm on the fronts so it looks like being better than the B5's.

[Cylon2007]

Nope...you only get one sensor.


serioulsy :( who the hell though that was a good idea??????

[Quatrelle]

serioulsy :( who the hell though that was a good idea??????

My point exactly! Incredible.

[Teflon]

serioulsy :( who the hell though that was a good idea??????The same feckwit who decided that one reversing light and one rear fog light is all you need.

[Quatrelle]

The same feckwit who decided that one reversing light and one rear fog light is all you need.

Imo, one rear fog light is usually one too many...

[Buzz_B6]

Smiggy9, how worn are the discs? I had this with my previous car, an A4 when the unworn ridge at the edge of the disc cut into the newish pad closing the wear warning circuit (or opening - whatever).

My B6 has exactly this issue. The distressing thing is, they were done not 20k ago.... I have now bought pads costing just over £50 from my local main VW dealership, but cannot seem to find disks at less than £50 a side!
In the meantime, (and this may be of interest to smiggy9 (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/member.php?u=41858)) I simply cut the pad wear sensor cable (leave the plug in place so it doesn't fill with crud) shorted the 2 wires, sealed with a bit of heat shrink tube and now i dont have to listed to the car telling me to check my brake pads every time i put the key in. It passed its MOT like this last week, and i was pleased to have very high efficiency percentages when i asked the tester. over 90% on the fronts, high 70s on the rears and the handbrake was well over 50%!!! High scores indeed, especially with a car that thought it needed new pads a thousand miles ago!

[JSH]

My B6 has exactly this issue. The distressing thing is, they were done not 20k ago.... I have now bought pads costing just over £50 from my local main VW dealership, but cannot seem to find disks at less than £50 a side!
In the meantime, (and this may be of interest to smiggy9 (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/member.php?u=41858)) I simply cut the pad wear sensor cable (leave the plug in place so it doesn't fill with crud) shorted the 2 wires, sealed with a bit of heat shrink tube and now i dont have to listed to the car telling me to check my brake pads every time i put the key in. It passed its MOT like this last week, and i was pleased to have very high efficiency percentages when i asked the tester. over 90% on the fronts, high 70s on the rears and the handbrake was well over 50%!!! High scores indeed, especially with a car that thought it needed new pads a thousand miles ago!

Sorry to hear your troubles. A cheaper solution you may be able to get the discs skimmed on a lathe to remove the offending lip ( If the discs are not too worn ). I have heard this can be done by a specialist with the disc's still on the car. Other wise if you can remove the discs engineering companys will turn them. Your local motorfactors may be able to advise you!.
This problem seems much more accute since they stopped using asbestos in the pad manufacture, back in the 70s-80s disc replacement was much less common.
John

[cappuccino]

The brake pads will have plenty life in them --- what will have happened is -- there is a rusty built-up edge on the disc where the disc is not swept by the pad and this will have cut the sensor wire on the front nearside --- remove wheel and file , grind, or chip off the built up edge -- the "edge" becomes more pronounced with the addition of disc wear. shimple .

[Dr. Ferdinand]

I've got the same message on my 2006 Tdi SE. Does 'check brake pads' mean check all, or is it related to front or rear?

I had quick look and the fronts have loads left and the rears have at least 5mm.

Is the alarm reset via VAGCOM or is simply a case of sorting the out the thing that is triggering the sensor, whether it be rust, wear etc??? :1zhelp:

[smiggy9]

There's only one sensor on the brakes, and it is on the front nearside. The sensor wire will have shorted out by rubbing against the pads. Easy to sort by either patching up the wire, or just disconnecting it. The message will then stop appearing. As long as you keep checking your pads every month or so you'll be fine. If you REALLY want to get back to status quo, just replace the front pads. Not expensive, and absolutely no need to do any VAGCOM resetting.

[Buzz_B6]

Just to update, its been nearly 6 months since i shorted the pad wear sensor, brakes are still good, not grinding or anything.

Cappuccino, filing off that lip that wore out the sensor did no harm, though i thought i may be introducing a balance issue if i did. but it didn't

Doc Ferdinand, if you read further up this thread, i suggest you can probably do what i did and simply cut the pad wear sensor wire near the pad, connect the two bare wires, then seal it with some electrical tape, or my preference, use heatshrink tubing.