Front Pad replacement interval?

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I have 28,000 miles on 2013 Fiesta SE. I take it that the front pads should last to 50,000 miles or more on the average. Is there a warning message for when the pads are getting thin?
 
Front pads on my Cruze were only about half gone @ 80K, but the uneven wear and rotor warping warranted replacement by then. Pads can last 30K or 100K - depends on several variables. They have a little tab that's supposed to squeak on the rotors when they're almost gone, but many times the side of the pad can be seen through the wheel spokes. If nothing else, pull the wheel off and actually check the pads - all you'll lose is some ignorance.
 
There is no way of saying how long brake pads will last. Some people are in traffic all the time stopping and going, others hit the highway and can drive 100's of miles w/o hitting the brakes. Bottom line is to inspect them, and if you hear any kind of squeaking or odd noises coming from them between checks, check them ahead of time.
 
Brake pad life can vary based on driving conditions. Most OE pads have a wear sensor that's like a thin metal strip at the edge of the pad and it will squeak constantly. When you hear that, then it's time to replace the pads
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I check my pads every time DT rotates my tires. Best way I know to get a good indication of pad wear. A good flash light to look can also be helpful ime. As noted, too many variables to say exactly how long they will last.

You can wait for the indicator squealing noise, but not as reliable as checking them occasionally imo.
 
I replaced my Tacoma's pads at 72k, although I'm sure they could have gone to 80k.

I did my Forester's at 60k, although that was because one rotor had developed a strange hard patch that was causing a grinding noise. Those had plenty of life left.

My Grand Cherokee has 33k miles. My commute is almost entirely highway and the pads look new. I'll probably trade in the vehicle before they need to be replaced.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
There is no way of saying how long brake pads will last. Some people are in traffic all the time stopping and going, others hit the highway and can drive 100's of miles w/o hitting the brakes.

Yes. The taxis had brake lifespans measured in months. My LTD, which had been a taxi, never got a pad swap when it went to my service, despite me putting on over 150,000 miles. Most of that was highway, so it makes a huge, huge difference.
 
my sister can bring a set of pads to it's knees. My 2009 Mazda 3 never had its pads touched in the 115k miles I owned it. My truck seems to eat them pretty good but last I remember changing them I didn't lube the slide pins because I was unaware they needed to be done. I went back and lubed them later and who knows how long they will last.
 
Originally Posted By: borgward
I have 28,000 miles on 2013 Fiesta SE. I take it that the front pads should last to 50,000 miles or more on the average. Is there a warning message for when the pads are getting thin?


Brake pad life is determined by the pad composition and severity of use.

Some pads have metal wear indicators that create a squeal or grinding noise against the rotor when the pad reaches the end of it's lifespan. It is best to not let them get that far, however, as the wear indicator is there basically as a last effort reminder for drivers who don't know any better.

It is best to just remove the tire/wheel and look at the pad periodically. You can generally see them easily as they rest in the calipers along the rotors. I do this when I rotate my tires at oil change intervals. IF you are very "in-tune" with your car, you might notice more brake travel when the pads are wearing thin.

I have, on occasion, been able to "view/inspect" my pads by using the camera on my cell phone, but unless you know what you are looking at/for, that probably would not be helpful.
 
No interval. Only change when the wear bar screeches, or there is warping or some other issue like that.
 
My neighbor's wear tab contacted a rear rotor. His daughter heard the scrape. He did not.

I inspected and found that dry, sticky glide pins caused the pad to go crooked and the side with the wear indicator hit early.

If the other side of that pad hit first (if the other pin got dryer or more sticky) it is likely the pad's plate would've ground into the rotor possibly trashing it.

MORAL of the STORY: Inspect your brakes or have 'em inspected for money-YES, MONEY!
Think of all the pejoratives we could heap upon someone who doesn't pay attention to their brakes.
 
Yeah a visual inspection goes a long way, the interval on front pads varies wildly based on driving style and city/hwy.

I saw a guy who had 300,000 miles on a Ford Taurus that drove all highway for his job and he said he had the oem pads on it still.

I knew a guy who had a carpet business who loaded his van way beyond its rated capacity and drove like a madman and he said he had to change his pads once a month
 
Seems like I saw somewhere that the 2013 Fiesta would electronically report when the pads were thin. Maybe that was for ones w/ABS. Don't know why the system does not report when the engine air filter needs changing - the sensors already read from up and downstream of the filter to engine management. Too much differential across the filter = dirty.
 
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