Rotors going bad at 21k miles?

[LuckyTaxi]

I have a 2014 Honda Accord purchased two years ago. Recently, when I brake on the highway I can feel vibration in my pedals. In the past, it's usually the rotors but I didn't think it would go bad so quick?

I don't feel it at low speed, only when I'm going over 65mph and slowing down for traffic.

 

[slugg]

I would first start with an Italian Tune-up. Break in your brakes, again... basically.

Firmly (not completely slamming, but close) apply your brakes and bring your vehicle from 50 to 10 mph several times. Eventually, you will smell the brakes. At this point, ride around normally to get some air flowing around the brakes and let them cool off.

The point is to attempt to scrape off the old pad material and give the brake pads an opportunity to lay new material onto your rotors. This is easy, quick, and free to do. I would start there.

All else fails, I suppose it's possible for your rotors to have gone bad, but I doubt it. Have you had any emergency stops at highway speeds? Do you generally brake a lot? I mean it's possible. It's not like the stock brakes in an Accord can take much abuse, anyway.

For what it's worth, I replaced the rotors on my Mazda 2 at about 60k miles and I autocross the car. I generally hoon it, or at least pretend to with its 75 horsepower of fury.

 

[Zivic]

I would first start with an Italian Tune-up. Break in your brakes, again... basically.

Firmly (not completely slamming, but close) apply your brakes and bring your vehicle from 50 to 10 mph several times. Eventually, you will smell the brakes. At this point, ride around normally to get some air flowing around the brakes and let them cool off.

The point is to attempt to scrape off the old pad material and give the brake pads an opportunity to lay new material onto your rotors. This is easy, quick, and free to do. I would start there.

All else fails, I suppose it's possible for your rotors to have gone bad, but I doubt it. Have you had any emergency stops at highway speeds? Do you generally brake a lot? I mean it's possible. It's not like the stock brakes in an Accord can take much abuse, anyway.

For what it's worth, I replaced the rotors on my Mazda 2 at about 60k miles and I autocross the car. I generally hoon it, or at least pretend to with its 75 horsepower of fury.

this is good advise...

if that doesn't work, yes, I've had vehicles that needed full brakes every 20k. I wouldn't think an accord would be one that would though.

 

[KentState]

The Accord has never been know for great brakes and past models are notorious for eating pads. It probably points to a build up of brake material. Either you can clean the pads doing the aggressive stopping procedure or have them machined.

 

[evident]

sounds about right for accord. my rotors were done at around the same mileage. just get some aftermarket ones and you'll be good to go.

 

[nakedfrog]

I would first start with an Italian Tune-up. Break in your brakes, again... basically.

Firmly (not completely slamming, but close) apply your brakes and bring your vehicle from 50 to 10 mph several times. Eventually, you will smell the brakes. At this point, ride around normally to get some air flowing around the brakes and let them cool off.

The point is to attempt to scrape off the old pad material and give the brake pads an opportunity to lay new material onto your rotors. This is easy, quick, and free to do. I would start there.

All else fails, I suppose it's possible for your rotors to have gone bad, but I doubt it. Have you had any emergency stops at highway speeds? Do you generally brake a lot? I mean it's possible. It's not like the stock brakes in an Accord can take much abuse, anyway.

For what it's worth, I replaced the rotors on my Mazda 2 at about 60k miles and I autocross the car. I generally hoon it, or at least pretend to with its 75 horsepower of fury.

FYI, that is not an Italian tune-up. That's just a brake/rotor bedding process.

 

[thomsbrain]

I have 200,000 miles on the current front rotors of my Accord V6 and 100,000 miles on my current front pads, and I drive in the mountains (25,000 miles is the most I can get out of 700 treadwear tires; 10,000 miles out of summers). Those rotors and calipers are considered a cheap upgrade that people swap onto their track S2000s to improve the S2000's heat capacity. They are heavy but effective and very tough.

The issue is almost certainly uneven pad deposits on the rotors, caused by a hard stop, followed by sitting still for too long (like a hard stop on a freeway offramp, then sitting at a red light). slugg is correct that you just need to re-bed the pads onto the rotors to re-distribute the pad material evenly on the rotors. A series of hard slowdowns (not stops) until the brakes are smelly or fading, followed by driving steadily and not stopping until everything cools down will do the trick.

 

[iCyborg]

There was a class action lawsuit against Honda regarding premature brake wear. You can google it. It was for older models of Accord though, but from your problems, maybe there'll be another one coming...
My dealership only informed me *after* the last date to submit a claim, which is somewhat sleazy, but I had no expenses to claim anyway. I recently changed rear pads+rotors at ~ 75K-80K miles. I'd hope that rear ones would last a bit longer, but whatever, I only paid $260...

 

[RLGL]

Daughter has a 2007 with many miles, brake pedal pulsates with light braking at speed. This is BOTH before and after a complete brake job, Pads, rotors and calipers.
My thought is "it's normal"

 

[slugg]

Daughter has a 2007 with many miles, brake pedal pulsates with light braking at speed. This is BOTH before and after a complete brake job, Pads, rotors and calipers.
My thought is "it's normal"

Most definitely not normal. Does it pulsate with firm braking too, or only light braking? If it's just light braking, I would check the tires for premature wear. If they're wearing prematurely, it's possible that you have some play in your alignment or tie rods (which can affect your alignment). Jack the car up and rigorously twist/shake each front wheel; is there any play? There should be absolutely none. I wouldn't immediately think it's a wheel hub, since that's usually pretty noisy and you haven't said anything about weird sounds.

 

[RLGL]

Most definitely not normal. Does it pulsate with firm braking too, or only light braking? If it's just light braking, I would check the tires for premature wear. If they're wearing prematurely, it's possible that you have some play in your alignment or tie rods (which can affect your alignment). Jack the car up and rigorously twist/shake each front wheel; is there any play? There should be absolutely none. I wouldn't immediately think it's a wheel hub, since that's usually pretty noisy and you haven't said anything about weird sounds.

New tires, fresh alignment and everything up front is good. Nothing has really changed in the last 30K

 

[Midwayman]

21k is really quick, especially if you haven't installed a really harsh racing type pad. +1 on the brake bedding procedure. Most of the time pulsing will be fixed by this and its free. Just make sure your wheels don't come to a full stop with the pads on them until they are cool. That means do it where you can get on the highway or something without stopping or do it where you can park the car for 20min to let the brakes cool. Slow then use the parking brake to come to a complete stop if you're parking it.

 

[slugg]

21k is really quick, especially if you haven't installed a really harsh racing type pad. +1 on the brake bedding procedure. Most of the time pulsing will be fixed by this and its free. Just make sure your wheels don't come to a full stop with the pads on them until they are cool. That means do it where you can get on the highway or something without stopping or do it where you can park the car for 20min to let the brakes cool. Slow then use the parking brake to come to a complete stop if you're parking it.

Yea... AND RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE WHEN STOPPED.

^^ Obvious, I know, but you never know who might be reading this thread for advice! haha

 

[slugg]

New tires, fresh alignment and everything up front is good. Nothing has really changed in the last 30K

Well, I never claimed to be a good mechanic. I just know enough to survive. I have no clue!

It does make me think that Honda's perceived reliability is grossly overrated.


Edit (to the OP):

It's not common, but not unheard of, that emergency stops warp rotors. Cars like an Accord were never designed to withstand high temperature braking. If you do it one too many times, especially in succession, you very well may warp a rotor. Usually, the pads give up and glaze your rotor before transferring too much heat to the metal, but it is definitely physically possible. I'm not saying it's probable, just that it's possible.

 

[MustISO]

Have the same issue. At highway speeds pressing on the brakes shakes the pedal and steering wheel. Have about 32K on the car. Will try the method described earlier to see if it helps. Service has never indicated excessive wear on the pads and they appear to have a good deal of life left in them.