Replacing brake pads to fix shaking issue - do I need to replace all pads? How about the rotors?

[lovebird]

Hi there,

I'm encountering the dreaded shaking issue due to rotor/pads and Kia refuses to replace them under warranty (started happening at ~25k miles, now currently 30k... come on). So I am planning to replace them with the StopTech pads. Curious if I need to...

1. Replace all 4 pads at once, or just do the front ones? I ask b/c the rear pads have been out of stock for a long time now.

2. Replace the rotors as well, or can I just get them resurfaced?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ChaneRZ]

Get them resurfaced and change all pads.

 

[Intelliburn]

Hi there,

I'm encountering the dreaded shaking issue due to rotor/pads and Kia refuses to replace them under warranty (started happening at ~25k miles, now currently 30k... come on). So I am planning to replace them with the StopTech pads. Curious if I need to...

1. Replace all 4 pads at once, or just do the front ones? I ask b/c the rear pads have been out of stock for a long time now.

2. Replace the rotors as well, or can I just get them resurfaced?

Thanks in advance.

Good luck getting all the pads as the rear pads seemed to be out of stock everywhere. If you get them, let me know where because I would like to get some too! Thx!

 

[chattanoogastinger]

Get them resurfaced and change all pads.

This right here, it is pretty obvious the stock pads leave a good deal of deposits behind on these rotors. It is however getting harder and harder to find a shop that will resurface rotors these days, and fewer and fewer even have a lathe on hand.

 

[jthrelf]

If you can get a reputable resurface job then that's probably fine. And if you are able to change only the fronts now perhaps do that while the rears are on order. And so you don't screw up the rear rotors again in the meantime perhaps just conciously take it way easy on the braking til you can get the new pads on - coasting and engine braking.

 

[Capital AL]

Does anyone know if this is still an issue on the new refreshed stinger, or did they fix the problem?

 

[Ron]

i just had the front rotors and pads replaced by Kia.
I'm sure the same problem will occur in another 10 or 12000 miles.
It happened twice on my 2018 GT2 and last month on my 2020 GT2 at 12000 miles

 

[DoctorStiches]

This shakky thing happens every time i brake from 80+ down say 50% speed. They shake. I do aome 60-0 hard stops. Its gone silly how quick it redevelops

 

[RM7]

Honestly, this is 100% class action lawsuit stuff. Kia is taking the easy road, as many automakers do, and not addressing the actual problem. It's not a pad deposit issue, there's really no way that many people are screwing up pad deposits. At this point you should be sending a letter of notice to Kia NA (corporate) informing them of the problem, how many people have had it, how many times they've had it, and request their response on how they will address the issue (with a reasonable timeline, like 10 days). You could even request them to provide you with the instances of how many brake pads they've had to supply out of warranty. For sure they will probably refuse to do so, but that means they'll get creamed in court for hiding information and they'll look really stupid, especially when the subpoena is issued. Need to probably get a few brake experts involved to give their input on the issue, but it shouldn't take all that much. This is classic brake vibration, pads don't cause this. The wrong harmonics between the pads, rotors and calipers cause this, even the struts to the hub, as in if they are too small and light they could be causing it. You don't need to be a lawyer to take these first few steps, but you need to get this in documentation and in correspondence. This is not phone-call or email stuff.

 

[RM7]

i just had the front rotors and pads replaced by Kia.
I'm sure the same problem will occur in another 10 or 12000 miles.
It happened twice on my 2018 GT2 and last month on my 2020 GT2 at 12000 miles

Most likely you can make them buy back the car. Check your state laws. Most usually do something in the first couple years that allows them two chances and one final chance to fix a problem. Then they have to buy it back. You've got the documentation and if not, you can request it from the service department and get the copies. Look up your state statutes and see where you sit.

 

[MerlintheMad]

@JamesNoBrakes the class action subject has been raised before. You make it sound simple. Just this one thing: "At this point you should be sending a letter of notice to Kia NA (corporate) informing them of the problem, how many people have had it...": nobody knows this. How is anyone supposed to "inform Kia"? And why do you say that it isn't pad deposits, and then offer nothing as an alternative theory? Almost a consensus says it is pad deposits: because replacing with aftermarket pads solves the shudder issue nearly every time.

 

[RM7]

@JamesNoBrakes the class action subject has been raised before. You make it sound simple. Just this one thing: "At this point you should be sending a letter of notice to Kia NA (corporate) informing them of the problem, how many people have had it...": nobody knows this. How is anyone supposed to "inform Kia"? And why do you say that it isn't pad deposits, and then offer nothing as an alternative theory? Almost a consensus says it is pad deposits: because replacing with aftermarket pads solves the shudder issue nearly every time.

The reason aftermarket pads solve it is their frequency is slightly different than stock. So the pads don't vibrate and cause the rotor to vibrate back and forth (which is felt in the pedal). Think about this, these same Brembo calipers and brake pads are probably used in many other OEM vehicle configurations. Why aren't those getting the same pulsating brake feedback? Because in those configurations they don't vibrate, the frequencies are different enough.

 

[byebyeSTI]

so i had the brake issue as well at 11k miles , i swapped pads/rotors up front and rear pads , solved the issue .
i think the pad deposit bs is just what it is BS . ive been a auto tech for 25 years and i have never seen a pad deposit cause a shake like i had / just cheap or incorrect parts cause it . ive had several cars with similar brake set ups . and no issues ever . its a design issue that should be resolved from kia at no cost to us .

 

[MerlintheMad]

The reason aftermarket pads solve it is their frequency is slightly different than stock. So the pads don't vibrate and cause the rotor to vibrate back and forth (which is felt in the pedal). Think about this, these same Brembo calipers and brake pads are probably used in many other OEM vehicle configurations. Why aren't those getting the same pulsating brake feedback? Because in those configurations they don't vibrate, the frequencies are different enough.

Frequency will explain some shuddering brakes issues, but for several years now Stingers have been getting rotors turned to remove deposits. You're going to have an interesting time convincing people that turning rotors worked for x-thousands of miles, only to have the "frequency" come back.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

so i had the brake issue as well at 11k miles , i swapped pads/rotors up front and rear pads , solved the issue .
i think the pad deposit bs is just what it is BS . ive been a auto tech for 25 years and i have never seen a pad deposit cause a shake like i had / just cheap or incorrect parts cause it . ive had several cars with similar brake set ups . and no issues ever . its a design issue that should be resolved from kia at no cost to us .

they cheaped out - more and more people are coming forward about it

Most likely you can make them buy back the car. Check your state laws. Most usually do something in the first couple years that allows them two chances and one final chance to fix a problem. Then they have to buy it back. You've got the documentation and if not, you can request it from the service department and get the copies. Look up your state statutes and see where you sit.

or do a breach of warranty settlement if you wish to keep the car since it's easier and faster and sometimes there isn't a perfect/identical replacement to the current vehicle in question

Honestly, this is 100% class action lawsuit stuff. Kia is taking the easy road, as many automakers do, and not addressing the actual problem. It's not a pad deposit issue, there's really no way that many people are screwing up pad deposits. At this point you should be sending a letter of notice to Kia NA (corporate) informing them of the problem, how many people have had it, how many times they've had it, and request their response on how they will address the issue (with a reasonable timeline, like 10 days). You could even request them to provide you with the instances of how many brake pads they've had to supply out of warranty. For sure they will probably refuse to do so, but that means they'll get creamed in court for hiding information and they'll look really stupid, especially when the subpoena is issued. Need to probably get a few brake experts involved to give their input on the issue, but it shouldn't take all that much. This is classic brake vibration, pads don't cause this. The wrong harmonics between the pads, rotors and calipers cause this, even the struts to the hub, as in if they are too small and light they could be causing it. You don't need to be a lawyer to take these first few steps, but you need to get this in documentation and in correspondence. This is not phone-call or email stuff.

Honestly, this is 100% my first and last Kia kind of stuff lmfao!

 

[RM7]

Honestly, this is 100% my first and last Kia kind of stuff lmfao!

I don't know an automaker that doesn't have something like this somewhere in their line, or multiple somethings like this. On my BMW it was the engine timing chain, it was a cheap plastic guide that would cause the engine to grenade at 60-70K. Outside of warranty when it did, but an obvious engineering flaw where you will need a new engine at 1/2 the cost of a new car. They also wanted to try and weasel out of that one and it took a class action lawsuit to get anything out of it and make them do the right thing. Basically they try to minimize their costs, rather than "do the right thing". I agree it's not right for them to do this, but I don't know who to buy from that hasn't had something like this in recent years. Definitely not BMW, MB, US brands, etc... Maybe Toyota? But then they make the most soul-less cars and Lexus is about the same.

 

[chattanoogastinger]

I don't know an automaker that doesn't have something like this somewhere in their line, or multiple somethings like this.

This right here^^^

 

[Keith88lx]

I don't know an automaker that doesn't have something like this somewhere in their line, or multiple somethings like this. On my BMW it was the engine timing chain, it was a cheap plastic guide that would cause the engine to grenade at 60-70K. Outside of warranty when it did, but an obvious engineering flaw where you will need a new engine at 1/2 the cost of a new car. They also wanted to try and weasel out of that one and it took a class action lawsuit to get anything out of it and make them do the right thing. Basically they try to minimize their costs, rather than "do the right thing". I agree it's not right for them to do this, but I don't know who to buy from that hasn't had something like this in recent years. Definitely not BMW, MB, US brands, etc... Maybe Toyota? But then they make the most soul-less cars and Lexus is about the same.

Toyota Tacoma’s had frame rust issues where they would replace frames that rotted. I had a 2015 and never had an issue. I believe it was the earlier years up to like 2010 or 2011 where they changed frame manufacturing or frame coating. I still received a service notification for my frame. Got it CRC coated by Toyota for free that extended the frame warranty for another 10-12 years or something like that.

 

[Kris M]

The reason aftermarket pads solve it is their frequency is slightly different than stock. So the pads don't vibrate and cause the rotor to vibrate back and forth (which is felt in the pedal). Think about this, these same Brembo calipers and brake pads are probably used in many other OEM vehicle configurations. Why aren't those getting the same pulsating brake feedback? Because in those configurations they don't vibrate, the frequencies are different enough.

The kind of frequencies the pads themselves can vibrate at would cause a singing or whining sound, not a shudder.

 

[Kris M]

so i had the brake issue as well at 11k miles , i swapped pads/rotors up front and rear pads , solved the issue .
i think the pad deposit bs is just what it is BS . ive been a auto tech for 25 years and i have never seen a pad deposit cause a shake like i had / just cheap or incorrect parts cause it . ive had several cars with similar brake set ups . and no issues ever . its a design issue that should be resolved from kia at no cost to us .

I don't know what shake you had, but brake shudder from pad deposits is a common thing. A lot of BMW M car drivers have experienced such problems as well. Did BMW cheap out or use incorrect parts?
I might've missed some but I haven't seen anyone on this site confirm that they had warped discs from normal sporty driving. So the discs are right for the car. Kia would use the pads that brembo recommends for this car, it wouldn't even make sense for them to try to save a few bucks on cheaper pads.