The Untold Story: BMW Brakes Work Beautifully, but Tend to Warp

The brakes in a BMW are some of the best you’ll find in a vehicle, from this Cincinnati mechanic’s experience. But there is a rub. Though the brakes will perform beautifully and are some of the safest on the market, the rotors do have a tendency to warp, which causes the steering wheel to shake when braking. Before replacing the brakes and pads every time you have this problem, it’s worth looking into other potential causes. To solve it, you may need to also adjust the suspension. Consult a mechanic who specializes in BMWs for more info if you are having a problem with a shaking steering wheel.

Why Use BMW Brand Parts? Best Quality Parts for Best Quality Cars

It is important when replacing BMW brakes to do all four rotors and pads at once, and always with dealership parts. BMW recommends replacing all rotors and pads. If you do this while adjusting any suspension problems, you’ll have a great braking system that shouldn’t give you any problems for a while.

Keep in mind that you don’t want to just turn the rotors. The excessive heat that caused the rotors to warp also changed the composition of the metal, which means they can’t be cut properly to be turned. Plus, new rotors from a dealership are not expensive. It simply doesn’t make any sense, dollar-wise, to turn them rather than just replace them for brand new rotors that will last longer.

Also, with any new rotors, you’ll find a coating on the brake surface. It is best to clean them with some brake cleaner. They make putting new brakes on a BMW a much less dirty process.

The Longer You Put Them Off, the More Expensive BMW Brakes Are

The cost of a BMW brake job is much cheaper if you change the brakes before they eat into the rotors. That’s why it’s important to note the mileage of your last brake job, and be proactive about getting them changed. In general, you can get about 33,000 miles out of new brakes. Add that to the mileage you had when the job was completed and you’ll know when you’ll need to get them replaced again.

If you are not sure, we’ll be happy to take a look and let you know how much pad you have left. If you are having your car worked on for another issue or you are taking the vehicle in for BMW scheduled maintenance, we can inspect your brakes at no extra charge.

Give us a call or fill out our online contact form. We can handle any repair need. We have highly experienced ASE certified master mechanics with over 60 years of combined experience. We have served the Cincinnati area since 2001 and firmly believe that our repeat customers are the cornerstone of our business. Feel free to stop in anytime you have a question.

Signs You Need an Import Brake Job

There are generally two ways you can tell if your import brakes need work – looking and listening. You can do a visual inspection yourself by looking at your brake pads between the spaces of the wheel spokes. In most cars, you can see the outside pad pressed against the rotor. You need at least a quarter inch of pad. If there’s anything less, time to call your mechanic. Listening is easy enough. A high pitch screeching means you’ve worn the pad down to the metal shim. That means you’re due for new brakes. Brakes can be noisy if they are wet, however, such as if it has just rained. Another sign is if the car pulls to one side or another when you apply the brakes. This is a sign if uneven wear.