Re: Request opinions on my sort-of-new Accord

Almost any rotors CAN warp if they are mistreated seriously enough. I have seen it happen on Toyotas, Dodges, GM products, etc. Heat and improper torqueing seems to cause these problems, and the warp can be a real issue.

There are however other possibilities, including the buildup of rust or dirt which can cause the rotors or wheels to run out of plane. Roundness or eccentricity and planar trueness of wheels are other factors that can occur.

Tires are yet a third. Even Michelins can occasionally give a little shudder.

A really good shop can measure and correct these for the most part. A good shop does not necessarily mean a damn dealership. A dealership might be good, and an independent might be the pits, but take the time to find a shop with good equipment and conscientious mechanics to look into this, as I know how irritating it can be.

Re your hood issue. The Hondas I have owned that were built in Japan have/had absolutely perfect fit & finish; every gap aligned, every panel perfectly flush with those surrounding it, etc. The one Honda I had that was built in the US on the Accord line (a 2000 Acura TL) did not have perfect fit & finish. There were minor but obvious misalignments around the rear bumper and in a few other places. Check your serial number. If it doesn't start with "J", you probably have your answer.

Well, the reason I took it back to the dealership is because all of this work should be warranty work. I guess I'll take it back over there next week and have them do their thing. BTW, I rotated the wheels myself and used a torque wrench and tightened to specified torque. And I have driven every single mile since purchase.

So, as far as the hood/fender gaps; it appears most of you don't feel it's much of an issue. I'm kind of on the fence about it.

I have been very unhappy with a lot of dealerships. Their structure is often not one which encourages the best repairs for your car. You can keep taking your car back to them because it is under warranty if you like, but if you get a boogermonkey working on it, you may never be satisified.

IMO, you should talk with the service writer and perhaps even the mechanic, and make sure you are being heard. Otherwise you are just a number.

In the last few years, I have seen a lot of wild ass guessing by shop mechanics, replacement of expensive parts to see if it will fix a problem, flat rating, cutting corners, etc. No matter where you take it, be sure they are competent and conscientious.

That brake rotors don't warp is an interesting idea that I've not heard before. What happens to me is that heavy braking, such as when slowing down at the bottom of a hill, will tend to cause an oscillating feedback at the steering wheel.

Hopefully, you're right and I've been seriously misinformed, after all, it's cheaper to wire-brush wheel hubs than to machine them. Will try this - thanks!

New cars sometimes get damaged and sent to local auto body repair shops for repair.

It's hardly a secret.

I have seen it happen rather frequently.

I have gotten discs cherry red before when they didnt warp. And I have had them warp on the vehicle within a month or two of having them rotated when no severe overheating was evident.

The rotation didnt cause the problem directly. But the normal heating of the rotor disc, being quenched with rain water perhaps, coupled with the use of impact wrenches to hammer the lug nuts on seem to be the factors that cause this.

When you can measure the warp, either on the car or on the brake lathe, then you HAVE warp.

I fully agree that corrosion, dirt, etc can cause problems with out of planar rotation. When the disc rotates out of plane, it does not cause the same sort of pulsation that is noted with width variation of the rotor occurs.

Bottom line, IMO, it is a little more complicated problem that a lot of people suspect. To get the best results, the mechanic or home mechanic needs to understand the various factors that are happening., and needs to be careful how he or she remediates those factors.

Yes, I have. You are apparently not paying attention.

Chocked them up in the brake lathe and measured the side variation. You CAN measure the thickness variation, but I did not do that. Should have.

that doesn't necessarily mean the disk is warped - it could just as easily be a seating problem, just like i described.

if you didn't measure it, you can't say for sure that you have the correct diagnosis, merely that you had symptoms - and there is more than one cause of those symptoms, as i've said all along.