WOW, definatly take it to the dealer. Nothing in that system should be failing at 7K mi. Which model do you have? If I recall correctly, they use smaller rotors on at least one trim. FWIW, my last ride (VW Routan) was NOTORIOUS for warping rotors because they were undersized and overheat. I'd eat a set every 20K or so. I tried increasingly "better" rotors but it was never cured.

p.s. The quick test was to get up to speed and then step on the brake with your hands off the wheel. If the wheel shook side to side, the problem was rotors. If the wheel stayed vibration/ movement free,it was something else in the drive train.

 

Just for your information, I had a similar problem on a previous (2005 Saturn Vue) vehicle. Thought it was a warped rotor, but it turned out to be uneven transference of brake pad material to rotor. The test was to remove rotor and give it a light sanding to remove possible high spot(s). Reinstall and test drive. In my situation, that resolved the brake judder.
While you may not want to or be able to undertake this test, I bring it up because there are other possible causes for what you are experiencing.
One of the things I learned was that if it is a deposition problem, a possible resolution was to come to speed and then brake hard until almost stopped. This would have the affect of wiping the rotor clean.
A cause of the transference is to keep the brake applied when the rotor is hot, holding the pad in one position. It would help to have the vehicle move a little to keep the brake pad from staying on the same spot on the rotor while the brakes are hot.

Research brake judder.

Brake Judder In Detail

If your brakes start to judder, it could be the sign of a much bigger safety risk and loss in performance. Learn more about what it can mean and how to fix it here.

www.jurid.com

 

On my Volvo 850 turbo, it was uneven torque on wheel nuts. I retorque all the wheels and it was fixed.

 

dude - take it to the dealer. You haven't even proven this is the issue and you are looking for aftermarket solutions on a 7K mile car?
get your money's worth on that factory warranty.
Unlikely this is warped rotors. Good luck

 

Yep^^i agree, to the dealer right away.

Brakes are usually happier if you work them once in a while vs gentle all the time.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

Yeah now that I think about it it’s after you heat up the brakes a bit. It’s not when you first start driving. It’s just aggravating.

 

Warranty should cover it as long as there isn't abuse. I had my rotors resurfaced and eventually replaced on my WRX under warranty. I didn't abuse it, but you know the rep WRX owners have.

 

Hey, if they are mistrustful of you for being a WRX owner, just say, "Well, it's not as if I was an STi driver...."

On the original topic, most of my cases of warped rotors have been attributable to mis-torqued (uneven torque) lug nuts. I don't know if he OP had recently had a tire rotation, or some other occasion to have the wheels off?
Sometimes a simple re-torquing of them will relieve the stress and the rotors will essentially "unwarp". But sometimes the damage has been done, and it is necessary to have the rotors turned. Of course, this takes some material off, so the remaining lifetime of the rotor is reduced a bit. In any case, try re-torquing first, as even if you are going to get the rotors turned, it will be good for them to have spent a bit of time with the lug nuts properly torqued....

Some car brands (and their dealers) have a policy of not turning brake rotors - the rotors are either still good, or the rotors need to be replaced. But Subaru service depts. will turn brake rotors. (I think it was my wife's old Volvo, where the Volvo dealer would replace rotors, but wouldn't turn them. I seem to think this was Volvo policy, not just that particular dealer.)

 

I slammed the brakes a few times and it seems to have helped. One time there was an odd high pitch squeal. 🤔

 

Did you get the issue resolved?

I am having the same issue. Slight vibration when braking from highways speeds. It is at the dealer right now. They said the issue is still there after resurfacing the rotors. They need more time to figure it out. Onyx XT 13K miles.

 

It is usually build up caused by people riding brakes hard to stops, or tailgating, or anything else that heats up the brakes, then while sitting at a stop transferring brake pad material to the rotor.

Also most people don't properly bed in new brakes, causing the same thing down the road.

Doing a bed in procedure, multiple hard decelerations, then driving to allow the brakes to cool, can usually clear up brake shudder.

 

Not on these subaru pads. That's exactly what's causing the issue. A subaru mechanic told me this. Pads are super soft for good braking but they leave a lot of debris on the rotor

 

A few 85MPH to 5 mph stops as hard as possible (safely). If they clear up a bit like you said then it s not warped rotors. Even a little surface rust you see when the car gets wet and sits will cause that feeling.

 

I had to bring my limited xt in a few weeks ago for warped rotors. Dealer gave me a loaner and cut thr rotors for free. Said if it happens again they will replace them. I have 13k on the car currently, put about 2k on the cut rotors, haven't had any shimming yet

 

I don’t know if I’d consider it foolish. It’s just out of the way to take it to the dealer. And they work fine. I’m handy so when the time comes I’ll just replace them unless it becomes unbearable I’ll make sure it goes in before the warranty is up.

I read somewhere else someone had the same problem and the dealer just replaced the rotors. Said per policy they won’t cut them. I hope it’s not in this thread as I’m too lazy to pan up.

 

Weird. Turning rotors at 7, 10K, low-miles should be a non-issue, unless someone really went nuts, with braking, it's hard to imagine enough wear, at that stage.
Further along, no question, say if your rotors are at <50% wear-left (say at a brake-service pad-change), I'm sure there are plenty of dealers and brake-shops that will want to replace them (given that the first set of pads went through >= half-life of the rotors, and there's a bit of margin in there, too).

Our 2010 OB had problems with buildup, pretty often, and our 2013 (same brakes, both 6-cyl) seems to have similar now, too, as it gets driven in the mountains, quite a bit (to/from skiing, ski town).
I never had this happen, on older OBs, back into the earlier 2000's, and mid-late 90's. Perhaps Subaru went to a different pad compound, at some point?
As someone mentioned, you can clean them up, but it's a BIG project, to clean up all 4 (two surfaces each, and the backsides are partially obscured, unless you pull the rotors fully), IME/IMO...

 

Here is a good explanation of brake vibration and its causes. Kind of a long read, the article starts about halfway down the page.
The Final Word on Brake Vibration and “Warped” Rotors

FWIW- if I encounter any brake vibration, I usually change out the rotors and usually the pads. I usually do the work myself and its not a big process.

 

I never really looked into this as the problem comes and goes but if I really get into it then hit the brakes hard it will start to feel like the rotors are warped. But goes away under normal driving. I think they just don’t like heat.

 

2020 outback onyx XT 20K miles
I have the same problem
Just came back from the dealer
They resurface the rotors and the shaking is gone ( for now )
I asked to replace the rotors but they wouldn't do it under the warranty
So they know it s a problem but probably can t fix it
I also have an uneven tires wear
They wouldn't replace the tires but I got an alignment also under the warranty

 

2020 outback onyx XT 20K miles
I have the same problem
Just came back from the dealer
They resurface the rotors and the shaking is gone ( for now )
I asked to replace the rotors but they wouldn't do it under the warranty
So they know it s a problem but probably can t fix it
I also have an uneven tires wear
They wouldn't replace the tires but I got an alignment also under the warranty

I had mine resurfaced first (forget what mileage) all four corners went away for a bit, but it came back up. Requested rotor replacement then, which they did, but had my car tied up for almost a month waiting on rotors. I'm at 39k now and have some shaking again. I put some brake pin lubricant on them about 5k ago which helped with the shimmy, but it's coming back. Might get after market rotors at this point.

 

Just sent wife’s 2020 OB to shop today for shuddering when braking. They are turning the rotors at no charge. Has 22500 miles on it. Going to ask them about torque and what happens if it comes back. Never had this problem on any car I have had in the last 20 years.

 

So going back to the warp rotors and the weird tires wear , I need to say that Subaru stepped up to the plate
After resurfacing the rotors they gave me a 20K miles warranty on them in case the issue comes back and check this out , they replaced the 4 tires at not charge which no car maker in this world would ever think of doing
👍👍👍to Subaru

 

Subaru dealer calls us this morning to tell us one of the tires is now flat. Want $200 to replace. It has some puncture that is not repairable. Ugh. I asked them to see what they could do to help with that cost.

 

I mean look , I also have a 2015 WRX which had a problem with the AC compressor a couple of years ago
At that time the vehicle was out of bumper to bumper warranty on time and mileage and just because i complained at the dealer about the AC compressor going bad just after 5 years, Subaru replaced it at no cost to me