# Glowing red brakes



## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

08 jetta. I changed to rear pads yesterday, everything looked good, calipers slide OK, e brake engages and disengages, no hangups. 
Took it for inspection this morning, maybe 10-12 miles, right rear was smoking and glowing red. The mechanic couldn't find anything wrong, put it all back together and drove home. No issues this time. I'm worried about the risk of fire or melting something. 

Could it be a rotor issue? Any thoughts appreciated.


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## Elwood (Aug 10, 2001)

No, the pads are/were dragging. Did you screw the pistons back in? If not, you may have ground enough of the new pads away on the first drive so they don't drag anymore. Or...maybe the pistons were just stuck for a bit. That happens sometimes when they get pushed back in. Has the fluid been flushed on a regular basis? If not, there may be a tad of corrosion causing the pistons to stick.


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## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

The pistons were screwed back in both when I did it and when the mechanic checked them. Don't know about the fluid. 
If the rotor was uneven ID compared to OD could that have been it and made to whole rotor glow?


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## Elwood (Aug 10, 2001)

No, the pads are supposed to float on the rotor. Shouldn't matter. Sometimes, pads will get hung up on the metal ends because they don't fit right in the caliper, too. They should be loose when they are in position. I've had that happen and ended up grinding a bit of metal off the tabs. If its not happening anymore, I wouldn't worry about it.


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## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks for your advise. I'm gonna take it on a short trip and check the rotor temps. 

PS, Is Elwood really your name?


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## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

I just came back from a quick trip, about half the distance of the original. 
Now the problem has switched sides. RR 190*, LR 221* and smoking. 
WTF!


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## Elwood (Aug 10, 2001)

I'm thinking the pads were/are a tight fit. Was it a loose fit when you put them in the calipers or did you really have to wiggle/press them in there? I don't want to get pissy about what kind you bought, but what brand did you buy? 

"Elwood" just happens to be my father's middle name and, of course, a Blues Brothers favorite. My name is John.


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## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

Not a tight fit. The calipers went back on like silk and after bolted up I could slide them .25" back and forth until I pumped the pedal. The pads are Wearever Gold Premium Ceramic 

My name is Elwood and The Blues Brothers is an awesome movie. Love your autographed pic, was he a cool dude? 


"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tanks of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses." 

"Hit it"


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## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

*Update*

Installed new calipers, mounting brakets and rotors. Drivers side spins ok, but I can hardly move the right rear. 
Disconnected the e brake cable from that side, still barely spins. 
I'm at a total loss, please help.


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## eljw24 (Jan 6, 2009)

I retracted the piston two more times, seems a little better but not like the left side. 
Should I bed the brakes and check again?


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## TigerRag89 (Apr 19, 2013)

Not sure if this applies to vw's because mine has yet to have an issue like this, but I remember when I was in high school driving a 93 Chevy silverado I had similar issues with my front discs. Turned out the brake lines were bad. The inside of the lines are plastic and if the plastic breaks in there it acts as sort of a check valve. After pressure is applied the fluid can't retreat back into the line causing constant friction with the pads/rotor. Maybe you twisted the lines a little hard when doing the pads? 

Like I said, not 100% that the material in your brake lines are the same as my beat up 93 truck but its a thought.

Good luck :beer:


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

Very strange, sometimes if your pedal/master cylinder isn't adjusted properly it will cause brake drag


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## culberro (Nov 27, 2008)

Sounds like you have a collapsed brake line. It has already been mentioned, I'm just voting or that.
Also, make sure the brake pads can easily slide back and forth on the caliper carrier. If the pads don't easily slide they can get stuck on, or jammed into a certain position.


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