Hi all, I have an issue with my breaks. Everyday, no matter if its morning or night rain or sun, when I get in my car and press the breaks for the first few times i get this awful screeching sound, so I figured my brake pads must need changing. A week or two before this started happening I brought my rabbit to my VW dealer to have its standard 'check-up' after 2 years. The employee told me that my break pads needed to be changed soon (i think there was 5 or 3mm left for the rear) but didnt specify when. So when I started hearing this noise I said its time to change them. I called a friend of mine whose father worked at a VW dealer for 30 years and he basically told me that he'd order me the oem brake pads and install them for me in 30 min. But first he wanted to check out my pads to be sure they needed changing, so I met up with him and it turns out that they don't need to be changed yet as they are still very thick. He said that the rear pads are still good and can be changed next summer and the front pads don't need changing. He told me the noise can start when it rains or when its humid/moist outdoors...all the basic stuff i already knew. But it does this all the time, even in zero humidity on a hot sunny day.

So here's what im thinking: 1) even though my brake pads are still thick i should change them. 2) i need to change my break fluid 3) ??? any guesses ???

I have 30,000km on my rabbit and I always use my hand break when I park, NEVER while i'm driving.

My SUV used to do this and my Rabbit does it from time to time. It may just be a bit of rust or something that's stuck on the rotors that gets burnt off in the first few stops. And the metal might also be retaining a small amount of moisture even if it doesn't feel humid out.

You need to check the INNER pads too. I've seen the outter pads nice and meaty, but the inners grining on metal.

Sounds like my rear brakes. changed them out on saturday and the sound is gone. both of my pads were metal to metal.

FWIW I get noises when first starting out fairly often but not always. It does usually seem to be in the weather conditions where you'd expect it but then sometimes when I wouldn't. I'd agree with Nitro though and make sure he checked both outer and inner pads.

i get that too, but i never checked my pads, i think its about to be finished soon too

Ah that's probably it (inner pads), when we checked the pads all we did was pull off the tire and with a flash light looked at both sides of the calipers. How do you check the inner pads, do you have to remove the calipers bcuz we didnt do that.. Also we checked the discs and they were absolutely fine, wouldn't we be able to know if the pads needed to be changed just by seeing how grinded down the discs are?

Edit: Remember I have 30 000km without changing the pads, is that normal?

I ASSumed you didn't pull the wheel off and inspect them and I was wrong. If you pulled the wheel off and checked both sides of the caliper then you saw both the inner and outter pad. If all is well, then you are OK.

I am actually having this same issue. Pads appear fine but screech like no other. I'm getting pads put in around next week so we will see.

Also, is there any reason why the rear pads wear out so much faster than the fronts? THats the opposite from what i have seen in like, every other car lol.

I am actually having this same issue. Pads appear fine but screech like no other. I'm getting pads put in around next week so we will see.

Also, is there any reason why the rear pads wear out so much faster than the fronts? THats the opposite from what i have seen in like, every other car lol.

Brake bias. In order for the nose to not dip under moderate to heavy braking.

Brake bias. In order for the nose to not dip under moderate to heavy braking.

huh, makes sense i suppose.

Just ordered some Hawk ceramic pads from ecs.

Ah that's probably it (inner pads), when we checked the pads all we did was pull off the tire and with a flash light looked at both sides of the calipers. How do you check the inner pads, do you have to remove the calipers bcuz we didnt do that.. Also we checked the discs and they were absolutely fine, wouldn't we be able to know if the pads needed to be changed just by seeing how grinded down the discs are?

Edit: Remember I have 30 000km without changing the pads, is that normal?

dude, i have 50 000km and i had a lot more fun than you haha

^^lol i guess i'm good then, i'll just change my break fluid and hope that helps. btw how often should you change your break fluid?

your dealer will tell you when you go into service, right now they're hassling to make me flush my brake fluids, clean the injectors and a bunch of other things

^^lol i guess i'm good then, i'll just change my break fluid and hope that helps. btw how often should you change your break fluid?

how in the world would brake fluid stop squeeking?

just went to the dealer for my 48 000km service, front has 12mm, back has 9mm

just went to the dealer for my 48 000km service, front has 12mm, back has 9mm

You sure it wasn't a 4 for the rear? New pad thickness for the rears is 11mm. Can't believe they would have only worn 2mm in 30k miles. At your rate those things would last almost 100k miles...

Wait there is an inner pad? I just did my 5k service/state inspection I think they would have told me if my brakes were running low. Still I have way too much outer pad for brakes that have 34k on them.

Wait there is an inner pad? I just did my 5k service/state inspection I think they would have told me if my brakes were running low. Still I have way too much outer pad for brakes that have 34k on them.

Yup sits behind the rotor.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4234178

look how badly his inner one's are worn out. Mine looked worse....

You sure it wasn't a 4 for the rear? New pad thickness for the rears is 11mm. Can't believe they would have only worn 2mm in 30k miles. At your rate those things would last almost 100k miles...

it says on my paper, 12 for the front, and nine for the rear

it says on my paper, 12 for the front, and back for the rear

You don't say....who would have thought!

i meant nine, dont make fun of my english =(

i meant nine, dont make fun of my english =(

I noticed you went back and fixed it...cheater. LOL.

fixed what? what are you talking about ??? =P

fixed what? what are you talking about ??? =P

I don't recall....=p