2014 T3 eats its brakes! Or does it?

[TurboABA]

Well, I've been warned!

Below is what I'm greeted with as I turn on the ignition, start the car, and drive off.





Background story.
Got this puppy back in 2018 with 100366 km on it and fresh brakes.
Been using it mostly as my weekend and tow vehicle for most of that time, but for the last 3 months, it has become my daily driver.
Now @ 46k later, looks like I need to slap some pads and sensors into it.

Being that it's -13deg C right now outside (feels like -18deg C), I can tell you that I won't be wrenching on it any time soon.
Judging by some quick math, I expect to be able to squeeze another 10k out of them with my current use pattern, but will probably only drive "ignoring" the warning for another month or so until things warm up a little so I can have a look at it to measure the state of the components in order to determine if I'm going to do full job or just pads\sensors\hardware. This means I'll probably only drive another 2k or so before I address it.

Other than the cluster warning, there's no shake, shimmy, noise, etc. I can tell by the pedal travel that the pads are low, but the rotors still look good through the rims, etc.

 

[Savageman69]

these are notorious from coming on early, my 12 they came on and i drove 30k and still had plenty left...we get about 80 to 100k on our 12...havent had the 14 long enough to need any yet, but we dont use 400 series roads hardly at all which im sure helps

 

[TurboABA]

I won't last with that warning on longer than a month or so.... I was trying to code it out in the instruments controller like you can do on some other models but no luck. I'll have to dig into some wiring diagrams to see what I can find.

 

[MrCypherr]

Ahh just add a resistor and never have to deal with that light again

 

[PRY4SNO]

I think it all depends on the driver and the environment.

When a friend of mine had his Q7 TDI, he didn't have to change brakes or tires even once in the five years of ownership before sending it back for Dieselgate.

He was using it for a mix of daily duties in the city and long trips to Seattle and back.

Call me biased, but I doubt the bulk of owners of these vehicles (IE soccer moms) are going to get that kind of longevity out of consumables.

 

[TurboABA]

According to Elsa and it appears that I should be OK for a while, just as previously suspected.

Brake linings
Thickness: 11 mm not including backplate.
Wear limit: 2 mm not including backplate.
When wear reaches a predetermined limit (approx. 4 mm) the warning lamp in the dash panel insert comes on.

 

[TurboABA]

I'm OK with the wear, especially since it has also spent significant time towing 5k+ lbs during that 46k. And we all know it's already 5k lbs on its own.

 

[DivineChaos]

Well, I've been warned!

Below is what I'm greeted with as I turn on the ignition, start the car, and drive off.





Background story.
Got this puppy back in 2018 with 100366 km on it and fresh brakes.
Been using it mostly as my weekend and tow vehicle for most of that time, but for the last 3 months, it has become my daily driver.
Now @ 46k later, looks like I need to slap some pads and sensors into it.

Being that it's -13deg C right now outside (feels like -18deg C), I can tell you that I won't be wrenching on it any time soon.
Judging by some quick math, I expect to be able to squeeze another 10k out of them with my current use pattern, but will probably only drive "ignoring" the warning for another month or so until things warm up a little so I can have a look at it to measure the state of the components in order to determine if I'm going to do full job or just pads\sensors\hardware. This means I'll probably only drive another 2k or so before I address it.

Other than the cluster warning, there's no shake, shimmy, noise, etc. I can tell by the pedal travel that the pads are low, but the rotors still look good through the rims, etc.

Your under warranty right? Well it's got a light so the dealer will fix it for free right.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Your under warranty right? Well it's got a light so the dealer will fix it for free right.

Not a check engine light. No warranty. It isn't any light it is only the check engine light. Brake light doesn't count.

 

[TurboABA]

Not a check engine light. No warranty. It isn't any light it is only the check engine light. Brake light doesn't count.

So you don't think brakes are part of the emission system?

 

[DivineChaos]

I was

Not a check engine light. No warranty. It isn't any light it is only the check engine light. Brake light doesn't count.

Being facesious. His answer for most things.

 

[kjclow]

I'd at least try to check out the pads. My 2000 beetle went through the first set of rear rotors around 25k miles. New (non-OEM) rotors wore better but I knew to at least check pads every six months.

 

[TurboABA]

I'd at least try to check out the pads. My 2000 beetle went through the first set of rear rotors around 25k miles. New (non-OEM) rotors wore better but I knew to at least check pads every six months.

As per above posts, I'm only "ignoring" the warning due to the availability of garage space.... I'm not worried enough based on what I know and what I can see\feel to suspect that the pads are dangerously low......... so another month of use until the weather warms up sufficiently for me to rip into it on the driveway is no big deal.

 

[Savageman69]

I'd at least try to check out the pads. My 2000 beetle went through the first set of rear rotors around 25k miles. New (non-OEM) rotors wore better but I knew to at least check pads every six months.

These are far from a 2000 beetle brake setup first off...second all of my jettas from 03..06..10...and 2 11s will go 130K to 180k kms on a set of brakes. If i went threw brakes in 25k miles id be looking at how im not driving correctly

 

[TurboABA]

The rear calipers were known to stick on those things, so I'm sure it was more to that story.....