[Treg4Ever]

My 04 2.5l Treg went into my local dealers this week for a replacement bulbs. Whilst there the technician recommended that I get new front and rear discs as they had rusted and also stated that VW recommend that the pads be changed at the same time for safety reasons. Total cost ?825

They also said that both rear light clusters require replacement due to high level of condensation. Cost ?158.70 :evil:

Firstly, are the rusting discs a safety risk? Having searched this forum I don't see any reference to this although I have seen others reporting similar problems. I have also seen the condesation issue reported... My Treg is out of warranty

but as the main family car I need to make sure its safe!!

Any help or advice appreciated.....

 

[drjim]

Discs rust if the car is rarely used, a good bit of driving usually cleans them up. There was a thread about replacing discs recently, and generally the feeling was that you should ignore the stealer as they always seem to want to replace them. Take it to somewhere - anywhere - else and ask them to check the brakes. Kwik fit do that sort of check for free, and it will provide a second opinion.

Not sure on rear clusters, I did get some in the headlaamps of one of my Audis, but it dried out with use, so was never there unless the car was left standing for a couple of weeks. Has your car been unused for a while?

Jim

 

[CovRob]

They also said that both rear light clusters require replacement due to high level of condensation. Cost ?158.70 :evil: .....

Does a significant amount of water collect in the tailgate and pour off from around the bottom of the rear glass when you open the tailgate? If so, like many on here suffering from this design fault, it could be the reason for excessive condensation in the lamp clusters...worth a challenge to an out-of-warranty rejection... VW have provision for goodwill contributions to work deemed necessary.

 

[Nimrod]

Perhaps someone technical can answer this
Is it hard to take the clusters off and dry out the insides yourself?

 

[jsmills]

tbh no its fairly easy, the outer ones have two bolts behind the plastic trims on the side (boot open) and then clip out, the ones in the tailgate have three bolts behind the service hatch. Funnily almost the same as my Leon... Good old VAG had one know them all..

 

[Tregtech]

If your discs are badly pitted on one of the sides and the corrosion stretches over halfe the disc, then that could be an MOT failure as the brakes have lost over a 1/4 of its brake efficiency on that wheel. If that is on both sides of the discs and on both the rear brakes than you have less the half the brake efficiency on the back. If get a bit sceary when you almost have to stand on the brakes the get the car to stop .
Badly pitted brakes , 2.5 tonnes and 80mph does not go together . Get your brakes seen to mate .

The rear brake pads and discs are a bit more expensive to replace than the front ones . you have the parking brake integrated in the drum of the rear disc, and the shoes needs readjusted every time the discs comes off.

D