# brake pedal "grinding"



## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

Hi...I just purchased a 2003 Jetta GL 1.8T last week. So far so good except for the brakes. When I touch the brake pedal (without actually applying them) a feel a "grinding" sensation through the pedal. When the brakes are fully applied and I'm at a stop, there is a slight vibration through the pedal. My other car has over 130K mi and I've never experienced this. Is this normal or should I be concerned? Thanks.


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## bluevr6 (Apr 19, 2000)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

This is not normal.
Take your car dorm to VWSouth in Charlotte and see the service manager.


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## RITDR (Jan 15, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (bluevr6)*

Whats normal about that?


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## ECS Tuning-Tom (Oct 2, 2001)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

quote:[HR][/HR]Hi...I just purchased a 2003 Jetta GL 1.8T last week. So far so good except for the brakes. When I touch the brake pedal (without actually applying them) a feel a "grinding" sensation through the pedal. When the brakes are fully applied and I'm at a stop, there is a slight vibration through the pedal. My other car has over 130K mi and I've never experienced this. Is this normal or should I be concerned? Thanks.[HR][/HR]​130,000 miles on a 2003? Check your rear pads, it's a common early wear item


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## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (RITDR)*

I thought perhaps new brake pads might need some wearing in, and perhaps a slight vibration or grinding might occur in the meantime. It's probably a sign of warped rotors or something though...


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## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (ECS Tuning-Tom)*

No, 130K on my *other* car, not the new Jetta. The Jetta has under a 1000 mi. That being so, I doubt it's brake pad wear. Perhaps a warped rotor. I'll take it in when the weather clears up in North Carolina!


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## Dubai Vol (Jan 8, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

You may find that this IS considered "normal" Therre was a similar question in The Golf magazine a while back-they explained that the new "green" pads, along with "customer" (that's you) demands for longer service life have made pads so hard that they are now noisy in some cases.
By all means get it checked out, but if they say something like "the usual complaint" then you know it's just a matter of new-type pads being hard and noisy. If it really bugs you, you caould change the pads (at your own expense of course) to a softer aftermarket pad. That's The Golf's advice anyway. Good luck!


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## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (Dubai Vol)*








Thanks a lot for your comments. I'll let you know what the dealership says when I have a chance to take it in.


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## ShyGuy (Sep 4, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

Are you sure it's not just ABS working?


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## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (ShyGuy)*

Pretty sure. I feel the vibrating/grinding even if I just rest my foot on the brake pedal without actually applying it. It's like I can "feel" the road through the pedal, if that makes any sense. And when I'm at a complete stop with the brakes fully applied, I sense a high frequency vibration and hum, kind of like the car is fighting me a little. It's all a bit odd, but I'm quite positive it's not the ABS.


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## euro_vw (Jun 5, 2001)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

how many miles were on a car when you got it out of dealer?
Someone might "test drove " it probably before you, testing acceleration and stopping hard, I would think. Or your car was made on Friday, just before the plant was closing. <- just a joke.


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## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (euro_vw)*

Heh heh...how reassuring!








Actually, it did have about 110 mi on it when I drove it off the lot. Is that a little excessive? It was driven in from another dealership.


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## overmonk (Apr 28, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

You should also take a look at your rims - do you see any metal shavings or silver dust? If so, you lost a pad somehow, and you're grinding rotor. That ain't good. You'll have no issues with stopping, but rotors are a lot more than pads,a nd you're under warranty anyhow. 
Nice to see a few NC dubbers on the block.


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## spencernc (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (overmonk)*

You know, you might be onto something here. Both front rims have a dark, metallic powder on them. And the front rotors (those are the things the pads press on, right? Sorry, I don't know much about cars) have streaks on them. I couldn't definitively see the pads either. 
I've got to take this car in! If you're right, I don't think it's a case of the car losing the pads...the brakes felt this way from day one...they may not have been put on to begin with. And you're sure any damage to the rotors as a result will be covered in full under the warranty? 
Thanks!


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## overmonk (Apr 28, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

quote:[HR][/HR]You know, you might be onto something here. Both front rims have a dark, metallic powder on them. And the front rotors (those are the things the pads press on, right? Sorry, I don't know much about cars) have streaks on them. I couldn't definitively see the pads either. 
[HR][/HR]​The one tire I had gone through to the base of the pad on had very dark dust on it - just tons of it, but only on that wheel. The rotors (yep that them) you can feel (check for heat if you were just driving) for grooves. Anything significant, and you should get them machined ('turned') when you do your pads.
quote:[HR][/HR]I've got to take this car in! If you're right, I don't think it's a case of the car losing the pads...the brakes felt this way from day one...they may not have been put on to begin with. And you're sure any damage to the rotors as a result will be covered in full under the warranty? 
[HR][/HR]​I think the hardest part will be convincing your dealer that they didn't install pads on the rear. As for the coverage, as far as I know, it's still bumper-to-bumper for 2 years or 24k miles, and I made them fix cupholders and trim pieces and stuff like that, plus a catalytic converter (long story from my rally days). 
HTH


[Modified by overmonk, 10:30 PM 12-11-2002]


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## MoTown-VW (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: brake pedal "grinding" (spencernc)*

A high frequency vibration on light applications sounds like a poorly machined rotor. Or if there's an odd groove in the rotor there could be debris or something stuck in your pad.
The dealer should fix it under warranty. A *good* dealer will replace your rotors and not just turn the ones you have.


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