Mileage when brake pads need replaced?

[robertrichhart]

Interested what mileage others have been at when they needed to replace brake pads? I assume around 30,000 or so?

[rking117]

rear pads and rotors at 49K

[nicknaz]

I'm on track for 20k for the rears and 30k for the fronts

It depends on how much you hit the full throttle and activate the brake based fake LSD and the traction control

[z4z4z4]

Pg 62 of my owners manual shows how to determine the remaining mileage until replacement of front and rear brakes. My rear pads replaced at 25,500 and the computer reset to an initial mileage of 28,000 miles. Good luck.

[Alpha_Zulu]

It really depends on how you drive. I put 59K on my Z4 and had the stock pads. No problems whatsoever.

[z4z4z4]

Originally Posted by Alpha_Zulu

It really depends on how you drive. I put 59K on my Z4 and had the stock pads. No problems whatsoever.

Wow! Possibly the record high mileage Z4 on the road. .or maybe not..if it was e85.

[Alpha_Zulu]

Originally Posted by z4z4z4

Wow! Possibly the record high mileage Z4 on the road. .or maybe not..if it was e85.

It was an E89

[Cb4h]

wow 59k on the Z4 before the brake pads needed to be replaced? thats pretty amazing! I have 24k on mine right now and the counter says 24k left for the front and 16k for the rear, but the brakes are starting to squeal. You guys think the rears are probably telling me they need to be replaced? (I need to take it in I am guessing?)

Random, my Z4 is my daily so i put about a 1000-1200 miles per month, it's kinda depressing that my Z is racking up the miles so quickly haha

[riccis]

My rears were changed at around 26K miles (if memory serves). They retruned the car after replacing the rears and computer was saying i had about 6K left to go before they needed replacing again!! Turned otu there was an issue with the sensors they replaced although now car had under 35K miles and it's saying I need to replace the rears again in about 5K (haven't driven the car hard or anything).

Am still on the fronts and computer is saying I have about 18K left to go before they need replacing.

I think something is not right. It's going in for a service this coming week anyway so will tell them to take a look.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Alpha_Zulu

It really depends on how you drive. I put 59K on my Z4 and had the stock pads. No problems whatsoever.

Exactly, I'm curious why some are saying that after X miles one has to replace the pads...but if one is not using the pads as much, then there is no need to change: this interval should be usage-based, not mileage-based, unless someone tells me that the pads expire/'go bad' after X miles or X years.

I've only had my original rears replaced 87,000kms/55,000miles. Many ppl use their brakes WAAAYY too much and when it's not necessary. That's probably coupled w/ using way too much gas as well, thereby needing more brakes; it's a vicious cycle.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Exactly, I'm curious why some are saying that after X miles one has to replace the pads...but if one is not using the pads as much, then there is no need to change: this interval should be usage-based, not mileage-based, unless someone tells me that the pads expire/'go bad' after X miles or X years.

I've only had my original rears replaced 87,000kms/55,000miles. Many ppl use their brakes WAAAYY too much and when it's not necessary. That's probably coupled w/ using way too much gas as well, thereby needing more brakes; it's a vicious cycle.

It is usage-based. the sensors determine that amount of pad left and let you know that it's time to change, regardless of mileage. If it says you have 10K left and you take it to the track, it might indicate that you need new pads at the end of the day.

[riccis]

Originally Posted by riccis

My rears were changed at around 26K miles (if memory serves). They retruned the car after replacing the rears and computer was saying i had about 6K left to go before they needed replacing again!! Turned otu there was an issue with the sensors they replaced although now car had under 35K miles and it's saying I need to replace the rears again in about 5K (haven't driven the car hard or anything).

Am still on the fronts and computer is saying I have about 18K left to go before they need replacing.

I think something is not right. It's going in for a service this coming week anyway so will tell them to take a look.

So car went in or service and they called me saying computer says rear pads need replacing. Asked them to check as the car had only done relatively low mileage on the pads. The called back later to say pads did not need replacing and sensor needed recalibrating.

Upon return computer reports rear pads have 12k miles left.

I echo other posts that computer reports back mileage left dependant on the cars (rear brakes) usage. Rear brakes are used for stability control. If stability control is deployed often (heavy right foot when driving in bad weather etc) then their life will be shortened significantly.

[z4z4z4]

Another topic that isn't being addressed here is the wear on the rotor. Our end of life for rotors is 1.8 mm of wear! When I replaced my 25,000 mile worn rear pads at home my rotors had used 1.2mm of the 1.8mm. You can look at your rotor to see and/or feel a lip on the outer edge where the pads don't contact the rotor. I replaced my rotors, but if your mechanic "turns" your rotors as he should before installing new pads, some of the remaining life is removed during the machining process. The evil to be aware of is Now you have fresh pads good for xx,xxx miles but the rotor life will end before the new pads. I seriously hope the persons getting 30,000+ miles from their pads realize their rotor life could have already ended and that the dealer/indy replaced the rotors with the pads. A new rear pad life sensor initializes on our computer as 28,000 miles.