Warped Rotor Re-Occurance every 1000 miles???

[Antz_Marchin]

Hey guys, I'm having a nagging issue with my X5 that I was hoping somebody might be able to shed some light on.

I bought my truck 2 years ago knowing it would need a brake job within the year so I had the brakes done a year ago (new calipers and pads and a front drivers caliper that was apparently seizing). Everything was good for a bit and then I started getting a shaking of the steering wheel on braking. Was told that brakes were all good now so we needed to do control arm bushings.....did them. Control arms and CV joints were done / built into the price when i bought the truck from the previous owner so all was good there too.

The wobble from the front wheels came back about 2 months ago and was told that the calipers were warped and needed to be replaced, they were replaced under warranty. 1000 miles later the shake was back, was told that the new front drivers caliper was seizing again and overheating the front rotors. So it was replaced as were the rotors yet again and I got an alignment done cause the steering wheel was about 4-5 degrees to the left to go straight. Now 1000 miles later and the alignment was a waste, steering wheel is back where it was and I'm starting to feel the beginning of the warped rotor shake again, brake dust everywhere on that wheel and the exterior of that caliper is completely oxidized where all the other wheels/calipers are clean and perfect. Any ideas what is going on here? Since that brake job a year ago nothing has been quite right even with a new caliper, brand new front rotors twice and all front suspension in check perfectly.

Thanks

[Ghost-Flame]

I take it you are the second owner? has the truck ever been hit? which model?

I have never heard of a caliper warping, I have heard of them sticking.

Rotors warp from too much heat. this should be easy to solve. Determine which calipers are sticking, replacing them. and replacing the rotor sets that are warped, new pads.

Have the brake hydraulics been checked?

[mattkins99]

Sorry, so was one caliper done because it was bad or did the shop you take it to recommend having the calipers replaced with the brakes? It's a little confusing at the top of your post as to what was done.

Tire places like Les Schwab like to replace your calipers so they can pad their pockets. At an actual repair shop with mechanics this isn't done unless there is a real need. So, if you took it to Les Schwab or some place like that it's possible they used sub-standard parts, wrong parts, etc. Kind of similar to how you don't want to get your oil change done at Jiffy Lube... (vice grips rather than torque wrenches, wrong oil, etc... they're just not skilled or equiped for BMWs)

If you took your car to a good shop and and the caliper was replaced because it was truely bad, then my first guess would be the master cylinder.

[Antz_Marchin]

Hey, thanks for the reply. Yeah sorry, rotors warping, front drivers caliper sticking. All have been replaced, (front rotors twice). It's a 2003 3.0, I'm te second owner, never hit and everything was absolutely perfect for first year of ownership. Did this brake job, things started shaking, did thrust/control arm bushings......started shaking again. Did rotors again.....then sticking caliper once more. And here we are today......just starting to shake again.

Everything always perfect but front drivers and yeah it's a very well trusted local independent shop.

[mattkins99]

oh, also, sometimes a warped roter isn't actually a warped rotor. It's just deposits left by the pad. I've heard you can clear this by (find a big open parking lot first) accelerating in reverse and stomping hard on the brakes a few times.

I haven't had this problem so I don't know how well this works, but it's cheap enough that it's worth a shot.

[Quicksilver]

Did you install OEM rotors? If not that may be the problem.
Also I believe new Rotors and pads require a bedding-in process.
Instructions for bedding in your brakes

[admranger]

I hope you have flushed the brake fluid out and only have fresh fluid in there (it'll take a couple of pints or more...

I can't imagine why you are having the problem unless you drive with your foot resting on the brake pedal or something like that (not suggesting you do, but that's the only thing I can think of...).

[dirtymonkey29]

If your managing to warp discs you must be putting a hell of a lot of heat through them with braking to be able to bend them out of shape. Far more likely to be brake pad deposit build up on the disc cause by holding brakes on at traffic lights or any time you come to a stop.

[papasmurf]

Sounds like you didn't flush the brake fluid the first time, and it killed another set. Get the calipers warrantied, and flush that brake fluid.

[steelheader]

change ur brake hoses they are keeping pressure on the pads and heating the rotors up feel ur wheels after u drive it and its proubly hotter then the other side ?or bad calipers?The dust on just the one suggest tha t