I hope there is not a similar issue with the 2002 V70

Hello,

I am assuming at 20K miles and worn out front brakes you must do a lot of city driving. If you also have a lot of brake dust on the front wheels then I would say you did ok to get 20k-miles on the brakes. Not great but ok. My 99XC wore out the front brakes at 27k-miles and I do a lot of city driving.

I have notice that all European car manufactures (Volvo, BMW, Mercedes and so on…) use a brake pad that one, generates a lot of brake dust, two due to high metal content eats rotors and three has very good stopping qualities. In other words it is not the rotor that the problem it is the pads.

I would recommend that you replace the rotors with Brembo or Volvo and go with an after market brake pad. IPD sells PBR pads. I installed a set of PBR standard pads on my 99XC last spring with a set of Brembo rotors (front only, rear is going great). And now I have 40k-miles on my 99XC and the stopping quality is good with no brake squeal.

What I recommended will give you longer brake life but will reduce the stopping quality. If you love the stopping quality of your XC then I would recommend that you stick with Volvo pads.

The XCs are a very heavy car. I would also recommend that you never have rotors turned. There is not much cost difference between a new rotor verses and having the existing rotors turned. Turned rotors have a tendency to warp. Especially on a heavy car like a Volvo XC. The only way to fix a warp rotor is to replace the rotor. So it is best if you just replace the rotor when you change out the pads.

Good Luck,

Steven---

Because they were worn, or because they were warped?

I still have the originals on my '98 @87k, I did front pads at 65k and I'm doing the rears next week for the first time.

-Bill the Cat

I've got 19000 miles on my 01 V70, and am still stopping smoothly. I have seen owners of the newer cars complaining about brake problems, however. Makes me wonder...If you have traction control, and do wide open throttle starts, that must make the brakes work pretty hard...Hmmm?

"Normal" at 20K miles? Sorry but I too work at a dealer and it's NOT normal. If they're warped, the only reason why they might need replacing at such low mileage it'd be warranty.

If the pads wore into the rotors and damaged them, then warranty wouldn't cover it BUT I have yet to see that happen with a '01 V70 (X40 maybe).

Most X70s are going between 30-40K miles before they need brake pads ONLY and the rotors typically go twice that before they're worn below mininum thickness requiring their replacement (advised, not mandatory however).

Volvos havent had problems with "normally" warping rotors in years now.

Unfortunately, if you don't like to buy rotors, you need a different car. The good news it that when it is out of warranty, they are fairky easy to change yourself. At least Volvo admits its a design flaw.....contrary to most of the other problems you will encounter.