If you’re uncertain about when it’s time to replace your brake pads, understanding the average lifespan of brake pads could be useful for planning.
This article gives you estimates on how many miles you can expect to get out of brake pads based on driving conditions and habits, along with how to know it’s time to replace brake pads.
Average Life of Brake Pads
Brake pads are a consumable item because the pad wears out with use. Many factors can impact how long brake pads can be safely used on your vehicle. Generally, brake pads will last between 30,000 miles and 70,000 miles for most vehicles.
If you do repeated hard stops, your pad life will be drastically reduced, however this is expected in a performance application (i.e., a sports car at a track day).
Lifespan Influencing Factors
Average pad lifespan is determined by many variables, including pad material, driving conditions, vehicle weight and load, and personal driving style. Here are some influences on how long pads last:
- Driving in continuous braking zones, such as in hilly road areas (or in town with lots of stops) wears the pads faster, simply because they are exposed to more friction and heat.
- Large vehicles, like semi-trucks, tend to have tougher and stronger pads. Semi-trucks usually have a comparable (or better) lifespan of pads, but typically, a passenger vehicle used in a way that the driver often hauls heavy trucks will wear out pads far more quickly.
- Drivers who tend to drive with 2 feet on the brake and gas pedals are usually allowing the left foot to “ride” the pedal. This tends to cause more wear on the brake pads.
- Performance vehicles usually need pads that can tolerate considerable wear because they tend to drive near their driving limits so they are constantly accelerating and decelerating rapidly. Drivers who drag their street pads to the/have track days are at risk and can easily chew through pads in 1 or 2 events, because those pads are not intended for near-constant hard stops.
- Drivers who roll up behind other vehicles are more at risk of wearing pads faster than those who do not, simply because it gives the driver less time to react, and the more abrupt braking increases pad wear.
- Smooth, steady braking will generate longer braking lifespan, along with minimizing wear on other braking system components.
- Ceramic pads generally provide the longest lifespan, semi-metallic pads will provide a shorter lifespan but still fairly long, while organic pads will usually have a lot shorter lifespan overall.
- An active ABS system will reduce stopping distances as intended, but may increase wear significantly more on the rear pads.
- When you brake, the weight transfers toward the front axle, which increases braking responsibility on the front brakes, and is why in most cases they are generally bigger and wear faster than the rear brakes. A proportioning valve is intended to balance the brake bias for the front to rear brakes.
- The proportioning valve device on older vehicles is simply a mechanical device, while newer vehicles with ABS utilize an electronic proportioning valve intended to add more available braking input to the rear brakes, while ABS will assist if a rear wheel locks up.
How Brake Pads Wear
When brake pads are applied to the rotors, they slow the vehicle down by friction. This contact, friction, and heat dissipate the material of the brake pads wear over time.
When to Replace Brake Pads
You should check your brake pads during every oil change, it varies so widely in lifespan, and make sure to refer to the service manual for your vehicle for the replacement intervals.
We always want to replace our brake pads before noticing any symptoms; for the longevity of the rotors and calipers, etc.
Brake pads also assist in dissipating heat; as they wear, they can not handle as much heat, which leads to more frequent brake fade.
As a general rule of thumb, you want to think about replacing pads at the thickness of the backing plate of the brake pad. And you do not want to wait until the terrible squeal from the wear indicator starts!
The rotors typically wear over time because of the brakes pads friction. They last longer than the pads because they can be resurfaced a few times before having to be replaced.
Make sure to replace the brake pads immediately, unfortunately, ideally with the same type of brake pads, if you experience any of the following symptoms of brake pad failure:
#1. Shrill or Squeak.
Brakes can frequently squeal in rainy conditions, but if you hear this sound in any weather, you should consider getting it checked out.
Some brake pads contain a metal toothed section on the inner area that will make weird noises, as it turns, to let you know you need to replace your pads.
#2. Worn-Out Brake Pads.
You can check brake pads visually, between the spokes of the wheel. If you notice the thickness is less than a quarter of an inch, it might be time to get them checked out. Many vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing them at 0.1” – but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
#3. Indicator Light.
Some vehicles are becoming more modern and have an indicator light to remind you when there is a problem with the braking system and to warn you when you need to replace the brake pads.
#4. Brake Pedal Vibration or Squishy Feel.
If you are pressing down on the pedal, and it vibrates or feels funny, you may need to change your pads. You may have to press the pedal quite a way down before it actually brakes, which is a sign you need to check your pads.
A “squishy” pedal could also be different issues with your braking system, such as air bubbles in your brake system, so you should have that checked to avoid a serious accident.
If your brake pedal feels squishy or goes to the floor too easily, check to make sure you have enough brake fluid, as you shouldn’t drive without brake fluid in your brake master cylinder reservoir.
#5. A metallic rubbing or crunching sound when braking.
Once you get to the point where your brake pads are nearly or completely worn away, this sound is a definite sign of metal (the rotor) making contact with the caliper, which will quickly wear those components as well, and may not stop your vehicle in time.