A question about brakepads and rotors

[mcsorley01]

I'm not really a car buff so I was wondering if I could get some help from you guys.

Basically, when a car's front rotors are replaced, do the corresponding brakepads have to replaced as well or is it vice-versa in that when a car's brakepads are placed, the rotors have to be replaced as well.

I'm curious because about a year ago my girlfriend had her brakepads replaced on her 2003 Nissan Maxima. When they replaced her brakepads, I'm not sure if they replaced the rotors. A couple of weeks ago she started getting heavy vibrations from the steering wheel when braking and brought it into a couple of shops. They said that her rotors had to be replaced. But the shops were also saying that she couldn't just replace the front rotors but that she had to replace the brakepads as well.

What I don't really understand is that she spent a lot of money to have her brakepads replaced a year ago. But now, to have the replace the brakepads again due to the failing rotors is not something I'm really comprehending.

Sorry if I sound like a dumbass but, I'm still trying to learn everything.

[Beancooker]

New pads on old rotors is okay. New pads on turned roters even better.Old pads on new rotors is bad.

Sounds like she did some heavy braking and warped the rotors, or they should have replaced them a year ago. Sorry to hear that bro.

[mcsorley01]

New pads on old rotors is okay. New pads on turned roters even better.Old pads on new rotors is bad.

Sounds like she did some heavy braking and warped the rotors, or they should have replaced them a year ago. Sorry to hear that bro.

Hmm icic. Thanks for the info man. Also, when you say turned rotors, what exactly does that mean?

Also, this leads me to ask another question. On the highway, when the brakes are applied on her 2003 Maxima, the steering wheel vibrates. Could this be infact due to brakepads almost gone, or the rotor is almost gone?

Sorry about all the questions. Just need to get some more good information.

[Beancooker]

Most likely the vibration you feel is from the rotors being worn.

Turning rotors is a process where they shave off a few thousanths of an inch of metal from both sides of the rotor, to give it a smooth surface for the pads to run on.

[runklje]

Definetely have the rotors turned (resurfaced) if at all possible. I just put new brake pads on my car.....I didn't have the rotors resurfaced yet because I was in a hurry, but I think I'm gonna' go ahead and have 'em done here in the next few weeks. It's not necessarily as important if you just feel some minor waves on the rotors instead of actual grooves, but he's right that some sort of wear on the rotors is causing the vibrations. Cheers!