05 Elantra GT Rear Disk Brakes Question

I've seen them run 20K to 90K. The variance is just too great to put some sort of general expectation on them. As long as the parking brake is not overtightened and is working properly, they'll probably last quite some time.

In most cases, the rear brakes will outlast by 2x to 4x the front brakes. One exception was my 91 Regal that ate up rear brakes. It was the first year they had disks on the rear and it did not seem to be quite ready for the road yet.

Actually I am quite upset with a local Hyundai dealer. I brought my 05 in yesterday because the brake pedal has been going to the floor (it was always lower on this car than my 03). They said it was fine except it needs rear pads as they have 15% life left. What they don't know is that I had already checked the pads, they have at least 50% life left (prob more like 80%, but I don't have new ones to compare). Even at

15% they should not cause these symptoms. I have complained to Hyundai, both the dealer and the company. What sucks is I was going to buy an Elantra for my son, now I don't feel I can trust them..at least until I hear back from Hyundai. If I do decide to buy another, it will be from another dealership.

Yes, generally I agree I just wanted other's opinions. See my post above to Hyundaitech..and thanks for the response.

In my experience, '04 to '06 Elantras have more brake pedal travel than the '01 to '03. I've had a few people complain about "pedal to floor," and some have even claimed loss of braking, but I've never been able to duplicate this problem on these vehicles. Some customers demonstrate by stopping the vehicle and then pressing the pedal until it reaches the stop. This is a meaningless demonstration, since when the vehicle is stopped, there is no way of determining how much brake force is being applied.

So, while there's a possibility you have a problem with the '05, I wonder whether the pedal travel is simply more than expected.

-- Is this an intermittent problem?

-- Was there a loss of braking ability?

-- Did the ABS kick in?

-- Can you lock the wheels (or activate the ABS) by slamming on the brakes?

My experience with rear brake pads is that they fit the caliper too tightly (at least in some cases), which causes the pads to stick in place when the piston retracts and causes excessive wear. When I replaced mine at 45K miles, I had to use a hammer and punch to get them out of the calipers. The new pads were too tight until I filed the ears on them to get a proper fit. Now everything seems fine. This doesn't seem to be a problem with all Elantras, but it's not uncommon, either.

Thanks Hyundaitech. The 05 has always had more brake travel than my

03, but as of about a week ago, it definaitely got worse...much worse. It was truly going down to the floor, but still stopping. I can't completely lock the wheels (no abs) but it still stops OK. The real problem is that the brake power does not come on at exactly the same point in the brake travel each time, which is what makes it dangerous. I bought brake pads today and will change them Saturday morning even though I'm sure it won't matter. Actually I hope I am wrong and that solves the problem, but i am sure that is not the reason. But this way I'll know for sure.

I did look at them and they don't look worn, but I decided to change them anyway which I will do Saturday. This will eliminate the possibility that it is indeed the pads. Thanks.

Have you checked the fluid level and/or bled the brakes?

fluid level is fine, I did not bleed the brakes. I thought this would be the first thing the dealer would do, but they didn't mention it. If the new pads don't fix it, I will bleed the brakes next.

If the brake lines were not opened during the work the dealer did on the brakes, there would be no need to bleed them. Most soft pedal problems are from worn out pads/incorrect shoe adjustments, or having the rotors turned.

We shall see..I will change the rear pads in the morning. Then I'll come back here and let everyone know what happens.

If you cannot lock the wheels, there's definitely a problem. There are three main things I've seen cause this problem:

1. Etching of rotors on vehicles that are driven infrequently.
2. Foreign substance on rotors (such as tire shine).
3. Problem with master cylinder.

Like Mike, I think it would be best if you didn't bleed the brakes. When you return to the dealer with the problem still present, your bleeding the brakes will only complicate their diagnostic process.

Thanks again. 1.Rotors looked fine, and the vehicle is used everyday for about 40 miles. 2. Never used on this vehicle (I do use it on my

03, which is the one I personally drive daily) 3.What I've suspected all along BUT suspecting and proving it are two different things. After i change pads tomorrow I will report back...even if I turn out to be wrong and it is indeed the pads. Actually I hope I'm wrong, I just want it working correctly. Thanks again. PS I am giving my son the 03 soon and buying anew car...I do not like the looks of the 07 Elantras at all + no more GT. I may end up with a Sonata. Maybe even within a few days. I won't let my experience with the dealer cloud my thinking...I've been very happy with both my Hyundais.

Master cylinders are always a consideration when a pedal is weak, but they also generally give warning. Failures are not typically sudden. I'd never discount a master cylinder when looking at a bad pedal, but I wouldn't put it anywhere near the front of my list right now. BTW - that was just my rambling - I realize you're not rushing into that one.

FWIW, I just put pads on the front of my wife's 04 Sonata. Really bad pedal. I mean - really bad. She drives it daily and the wear was something she had grown accustomed to until she drove my car. I drove hers and holy cow - that pedal went lowwwww. I got pads for both the front and rear, but only put the fronts in due to time constraints. I did not replace the rotors, as hers were in very good condition - the best I've ever seen with the mileage they had on them. The difference those front pads made was remarkable. She thinks she has a brand new car now. I'm much pickier than she is about these things, and I was impressed with the difference I saw with just front pads. I'll get around to putting the rears in soon. Soon. Did I say... soon?

I suspect you're going to find the quick and happy solution to your problem this weekend.

I took my 03 Elantra in for recall and one of the techs said i needed to have new pads on the front because the shims were wrong. this was at about

15000 miles. can you replace the shims, I asked? no you have to do a new pad installation. HT is that right???

It's possible that the wrong shims would interfere with proper caliper operation. I haven't checked to see whether you can get the shims separate from the pads, but I'd think you'd just be able to remove the shims if they were causing some sort of interference. Their purpose in life is to reduce brake squeal, so removing them will present no safety hazard.

By the way, I've never even heard of having the wrong shims. I'm not even sure how this would be possible. Normally, the shim fits on top of the pad backing plate. If the shim were wrong, I'd think it would stick out past the sides of the pad, preventing proper installation.

When I was doing the pads, I decided to try to put the original shims back. I had to pry them off the original pads, but I did end up using them. They are not stuck (glued?) on the new pads but they fit OK and did not seem to interfere with anything so I left them on.

There shouldn't be an issue of significance, then. Probably, the worst situation that can occur is that the shim can move and contact the hub portion of the rotor and make a squealing noise.