[ultralyons]

Hello. I have an 09 Forester Premium. I just had to have the rotors turned at 19,000 miles! This sounds a bit early, you think? There was a pulsating upon braking and alas the mechanic found they were warped.

 

[guroove]

Pulsating brakes doesn't necessarily mean they are warped. I actually had really bad runout on my original rotors somewhere around 15,000 miles, but wasn't experiencing the pulsation. I really don't know what it was. During the first year, it was mostly my wife's car until my old car got wrecked. I replaced the rotors with Brembos and bedded them in properly, and now I have 90,000 miles on the car on the second set of rotors.

 

[neoshi]

Uneven brake pad deposits. Smooth braking action and proper bedding will help extend the time to which it happens. Additionally, regular brakes maintenance (just a good old sanding of the rotors and pads, and the reappliation of brake grease [after cleaning everything well first]) will help prolong the period as well. You will notice that the rotors will start looking like a section of a tree trunk, with different thickness lines at different radii.

 

[The Black Box]

Get better pads or it will happen again.

 

[adc]

Trying to avoid hard breaking for the first few hundred miles can make all the difference.

 

[frogstar7055]

Make sure your lug nuts are torqued to spec,over torquing can warp rotors.

 

[grpass99]

Was this covered under warranty? If not why?

 

[eafenyes]

Both over torquing and torquing the lug nuts in the incorrect sequence order can cause warped rotors. In fact, if you don't do any real hard driving and you are getting a brake shimmy, that is the likely cause.

How Does an Over-Torque Warp a Brake Rotor? | eHow.com

 

[The Black Box]

Very doubtful unless you have nonhubcentric wheels and zapped them with an impact driver one lug at a time.

 

[Blue Fox]

I usually have to replace my brakes every 19,000 miles, so I can't really say anything. I have a heavy foot (for both pedals). :biggrin:

 

[Lovesubaru]

I am not so sure...

Make sure your lug nuts are torqued to spec

I think it is 80 Lbs

??? maybe ???

 

[frogstar7055]

My 01 is 66 ftlbs if I remember correctly.
(have to check the manual)

 

[Bass Ackwards]

Can the rotors get warped if you did alot of winter driving in the snow and let the snow get caked up inside the wheel? I heard somewhere that can cause a little warping especially if you dont get all the snow out while it is still hot and it cools down with the snow/ice and then freezes over night.

 

[guroove]

Was this covered under warranty? If not why?

Brake pads and rotors are rarely covered under warranty because they are wear items. If you wanted to destroy your rotors in under 1000 miles of driving, it could be done.

 

[williebat]

According to 09 manual, wear items such as brakes and clutches are covered for 3 yrs. or 36000 miles. My rear rotors are shot after only 10,000 miles!(deep gouges in both) Dealer 420 miles away so trying to weigh my options on getting them replaced under warranty.

 

[ultralyons]

I just had my local mechanic turn them, $120. Probably should have gone to the dealer but oh well.

 

[Mark1]

Very doubtful that they are warped. More than likely, you had residue build up from the cheapo stock pads.