Rotors keep warping
 

Hi guys.

I have a '98 E320 wagon that I bought a year ago. I starting feeling a vibration and took it to an independent Mercedes shop. They determined that my rear brake rotors were warped. I checked the docs the previous owner gave me and he had had all the brakes completely redone 18 months before this. Seemed too early for warped rotors, but I went ahead and had them replace them. Two months and 200 miles later, they're warped again. The shop is replacing them for free, but says they won't do it again. They say it's my fault because I don't drive the car often enough. Is this possible? I have to park outside (in Boston) and only drive one or two times a month. This sounds ridiculous. I've never had this problem with any other car.

Are you sure its the rotors and not maybe and unbanced tire or the car needs an alignment? Also, are the rotors a cheap brand? My buddy put some cheap rotors on his honda and warped em the same day he put them on.

The shop is determining the problem, not me, and they say it's the rotors. They are replacing them for free today since it's only been 2 months, so I'd guess they're pretty sure it's the rotors. Otherwise, they'd not replace them for free. As for brand, I don't know what they're using. I'll be sure to ask.

Are the rear tires exactly the same as the front?? Both size & wear?

If not that system can apply the brakes & cause the rotors to warp quickly.

Interesting. I'll check. What does the system do if the tires are not exactly the same? And how does that warp the rotors?

When a car with disk brakes is parked for an extended period, the rust pattern is different between the exposed rotor and the area under the pad.

When the brakes are exercised after non-use, this different coeffcient of friction will feel like a warped rotor.

I find this often on cars here in the Virginia Beach area that have a low usage pattern.

Sometimes you can clear the problem with use, other times you have to surface/replace the rotors.

Jim