Hi all! I’m new here and this is my first post.
My wife and I own said '04 PT GT and two weeks ago we began to notice vibration whenever we applied the brakes. We brought the car in to the local Chrysler dealer, and were told the rotors need resurfacing.
That’s fine, we authorized the work.
Then when I had to call the dealer for status, I stumbled across a receipt from last January which I had forgotten about. That receipt reminded me that we had the rotors resurfaced last January, 5,000 miles ago!
When I called the dealer for an explanation we were told this is normal for some Chrysler models due to the geographic and environmental I conditions I drive in - upstate New York 100 miles from NYC, which has no real weather or road extremes to speak of.
So, is this normal?
I’m no auto mechanic, but will gladly trade knowledge about commercial fire alarm systems in exchange for a definitive answer! :oD
Oh yeah, Chrysler Customer Service refused to help.
If it’s normal then what it means is that Chryco is using extremely thin rotors.
Mike’s right. Most rotors today don’t have enough excess material to be resurfaced, which is actually a maching operation. If the rotors were resurfaced to eliminate braking vibration, it’s entirely possible that they’ve warped again after only 5000 miles.
If the dealer resurfaces them again they’ll probably warp again after even fewer miles. I’d suggest finding a reputable independent shop that will put in some new aftermarket rotors.
Thanks guys!
What really pisses us off more than anything is the callous disregard Chrysler Customer Service has for our problem.
You spend good money on a car, which has really performed well for us over the 37k miles we’ve put on it, and then these buttheads treat you like you’re sub-human.
Years ago we owned a Caravan, had the clock spring go out and wondered why it wasn’t covered under our warranty. We were given a song and dance by the service manager, but in the end Chrysler refunded our $100 deductable we paid as part of the service agreement.
Then a few months later, and this is funny, we brought the car into the dealer to have service done on the brakes, and they once again replaced the clock spring, saying it was a recall issue!
That’s just how they make their money. Your rotors DO need to be resurfaced, or more likely just replaced, that’s about as close to completely truthful as I’ve seen a dealer get. It’s actually surprising that they didn’t try to sell you brand new ones the first time.
How many total miles on the vehicle itself?
Many rotors are manufactured thinner now and do not take machining very well without going under the minimum thickness.
A thinner rotor also means a rotor more prone to warpage.
The reason I’m asking about the vehicle mileage is that there are half a dozen other things that can cause a brake shudder and even work in conjunction with the rotors to cause a shudder.
Will 'splain that later.