One must distinguish precisely between the guarantee and the liability for material defects, i.e. the statutory guarantee. The brake manufacturer can refuse the guarantee in any case, because it is a voluntary additional service. However, he cannot free himself so easily from the liability for material defects. There must be a causal relationship between the brake defect and the modification. The problem therefore has to be attributed directly to the third-party pads or discs, then they can reject liability.
Can I refer to the manufacturer of the pads or discs who recommends the parts for a particular brake?
In case of problems, you should involve the manufacturer of the third-party parts in any case. In case of doubt, reputable suppliers can prove that their products are compatible with the respective brake. I would therefore advise against using cheap no-name parts that do not even have a manufacturer's name on them. They would certainly cause problems in court.
How common are problems with third-party pads?
Using parts originating from renowned accessory brands is not a problem.
Currently, many dealers are also switching to third-party manufacturers, and we are not hearing any complaints. However, these are mostly well-known brands that control their production well. We know from the automotive sector that cheap pads from dubious sources can have large tolerances, i.e. one pad may work well, but not the next.
The interview was held by Jens Kloetzer
