How To Tell When It’s Time for New BMW Brakes and Rotors

If your BMW was made after 1982, there’s no guesswork when it comes to deciding when it’s time for an import brake job. The miracle of German engineering means that your BMW will tell you when you need to take your car to your favorite auto repair shop for some new BMW brakes. You should  replace all pads and rotors as soon as that indicator light goes off on your dashboard for your BMW brakes. Though it may sound expensive, there are benefits in the long run to this proactive approach.

Your BMW knows when to tell you to get it an import brake job when your BMW brake pad wears down enough to hit the wear sensor. When your BMW technician replaces your European brakes they also install a sensor on a divot in the brake pad. When the pad gets thin enough, the sensor comes in contact with the rotor—which causes the warning indicator to be illuminated on your dashboard.  And though there is no sensor in the rotor your BMW mechanic will be able to check on the status of your rotors while in the process of changing the brakes. The rotors have a specified minimum thickness in order to properly dissipate the heat, provide great braking performance, and prevent warping in the rotor. If the rotor is below this thickness, it will have to be replaced by your BMW mechanic at the same time they take care of your BMW brake pads for you to have the best braking power possible.

The more weight you have near the wheels, the more it can affect your car’s agility and performance. Brake rotors are heavy by their nature; they have to be sturdy to make sure that you stop. Because a BMW’s performance is so important, BMW uses a thinner rotor than some other cars that don’t have such a high performance, and you can definitely feel that difference when on a tight curve. The only negative is that you can usually only use these thinner BMW brake rotors with one set of pads. But this is one of the worthwhile costs of having a high performance machine.

Changing The Rotors is Not Your Fault or the Mechanic’s

Don’t hold it against your BMW mechanic when he has to charge you for new rotors. And don’t feel that it was your mistake for you putting off your European brake repair too long that made your repair more expensive because of the rotors. That’s just the nature of BMW brakes.. It’s the intrinsic cost of having such a high performance machine. When you have all of BMW’s torque and power, you want to make sure you have all of the braking power of fine European brakes on your side as well.

Ready for New Brakes? Get Your Brake Fluid Checked Too

In addition to your brakes and your rotors, you should also get your brake fluid checked regularly. BMW recommends having a brake flush every 60,000 miles. When it comes to BMW brakes, however, your brakes are theoretically part of an enclosed system. Assuming there are no leaky parts, you should be able to run on the same fluid almost indefinitely. But the brake components naturally wear down over time, which can cause water, debris and other contaminants to leak into the brake fluid and gunk up your brake infrastructure.Our BMW mechanics recommend you have your brake fluid checked periodically during your BMW scheduled maintenance rather than doing brake flushes all of the time. Your BMW brake fluid should be a nice translucent color. If it’s dark brown, you should probably have your BMW technician flush the system and add new fluid. If you aren’t sure if you need a brake flush or not, call our auto repair shop for some BMW diagnostics. We’ll let you know what you need, and get you back on the road ASAP.

Can Your Cincinnati Automobile Repair Shop Be Trusted?

A mechanic you can trust in Cincinnati is practically your best friend. They are there when you need them the most. More importantly, they won’t stab you in the back or go through your purse when you head to the lady’s room. There are some clear warning signs when they don’t have your back, however. Be wary if they use fear to pressure you. Getting a second opinion only makes you more informed. Make sure you get everything in writing, including estimates. If the price is going to be more than 20% higher than quoted, they should contact you and only do the work after your full authorization.

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