thanatoid Posted August 10, 2021 Report Share Posted August 10, 2021 Just had front pads warning come on, how many miles before they're through, have just over a month before MOT see! Oh, 987.1 3.2S Ta, Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMA Posted August 10, 2021 Report Share Posted August 10, 2021 (edited) Depends how you drive, drive like miss daisy you could get another 30000 from then, drive like you're on the track and probably about 5 miles. Edited August 10, 2021 by CMA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted August 10, 2021 Report Share Posted August 10, 2021 Long enough to get them replaced. suspect that there would at least be an mot advisory for “brake wear light on” but aside from mot I would think it’s suddenly popped to the top of the must do list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 There is a reason there is a warning point..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 38 minutes ago, ½cwt said: There is a reason there is a warning point..... +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thanatoid Posted August 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 Yeah I was hoping for an informed 'the sensor is 1mm left' sort of thing, there's a small gap before service/mot time and don't drive it much. As against Citroen pads which appeared to be made of chocolate and at one point were an annual replacement.... not that I have Citroens anymore 🙂 Rather than opinion, yes they will be replaced shortly, yes I know there's a reason for the warning. Someone that had replaced theirs as soon as got warning and found x mm left, I know they're placed with a certain gap, I've replaced before as soon as got warning and seen quite a lot of leeway left but forget what sort of car that was on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cptspaulding Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 Warning light coming on after you apply the brakes for the first time after start up? My electrical head says you've broken through the insulation on the sensor & make a short to the disc, triggering the warning light first time you brake. Probably have about 4mm left in that case I reckon. When the warning light comes on immediately you start the car, then you'll have worn through the sensor wire, open circuit, likely 1-2mm left then. Been through both scenarios lately & that's my logic. I'm prepared to be shot down for lack of it, however. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iborguk Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 13 hours ago, Paul P said: Long enough to get them replaced. ^This^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 when they start making a horrible grinding noise thats too late. used to be a fairly regular occurence when i was doing trackdays on cheap brake pads. can't you just eyeball the pads and see for yourself how much material is left on them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 (edited) Trouble is - the correlation between pad thickness and distance is at best an average, at worse a guess. Different car, different use case, but my Audi guy reckoned I had about 750 miles left when the light came on based on using a set of front pads in around 24K miles - but of course, if i pressed them harder, or longer or more often than "usual" then less. But - I think the wear light being on is an MOT fail - can't find a GOV doc that specifies it - but it's pretty clearly stated here: https://www.motester.co.uk/mot-test-of-brakes/ Brake linings and pads Some vehicles have a warning light on the dashboard to indicate that the brake pads are becoming excessively worn. Sometimes this lamp is shared with other components, such as to show that the handbrake is applied. If the warning light is lit, the Tester will fail it, unless it can be seen that there is another reason for it being lit. The following categories apply to defects in this section: Defect Category a. Brake lining or pad: i. worn down to wear indicator Major But, that is of course just an opinion Edited August 11, 2021 by Paul P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygo Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 Pull the wheel off, throw away the sensor in the pad - you will need a new one anyway, and cut the wires a couple of inches 'downstream' from the connector that is attached to the strut. Connect both wires (I solder them) and you will never have the issue again.. You will be able to inspect the pad wear at the same time. You will prolly have 4mm of 10mm or so left. Then do the same for the other wheel. I run trackday pads on my car and have to do that even with new pads as they have no facility to fit wear sensors. Just keep an eye on the matarerial and don't get too greedy with the wear, pad performance will deterioate as pad material gets thinner. You could just buy new pads though, simple to fit, even Porsche garages can usually manage it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 Call me e old fashioned but I’d have swapped mine long before the warning lamp comes on. get them swapped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 If it is a low use car and service/MOT are only a few weeks or couple of months away then it should be OK to wait. There would have to be at least a 500 to 1000 mile life at typical wear rates engineered into the design once the warning is triggered to give a driver time to book it in and get them changed, but sooner rather than later is sound advice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zcacogp Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 7 hours ago, andygo said: Pull the wheel off, throw away the sensor in the pad - you will need a new one anyway, and cut the wires a couple of inches 'downstream' from the connector that is attached to the strut. Connect both wires (I solder them) and you will never have the issue again.. You will be able to inspect the pad wear at the same time. You will prolly have 4mm of 10mm or so left. This is a sensible option if you are the type of person who keeps a close eye on how the car is doing (and I have done the same). However the pad warning is there for a reason; many people simply don't attend to their car that closely and a warning light to tell them that something needs attention is a good idea, so this suggestion is not for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zcacogp Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 6 hours ago, sa utah said: Call me e old fashioned but I’d have swapped mine long before the warning lamp comes on. get them swapped That's not old-fashioned, it just sounds wasteful. Old-fashioned people always seem to be quite careful with their money and I can't imagine any of them throwing brake pads in the bin when they still have quite a lot of wear in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 2 hours ago, zcacogp said: That's not old-fashioned, it just sounds wasteful. Old-fashioned people always seem to be quite careful with their money and I can't imagine any of them throwing brake pads in the bin when they still have quite a lot of wear in them. Call me wasteful then. Or call it timely maintenance or even looking after my cars braking system so it’s not on its last few mm of remaining pads. I’m not bothered about getting an extra couple of hundred miles out of a set and more than happy to spend money on things like brakes and tyres before they get to a point of being worn to where a warning light comes on. I’ll keep doing my mid point oil and filter changes and waste money on all the lotions and potions to keep it clean and tidy also. I think it’s called caring for your possessions. Now isn’t that old fashioned ? You crack on waiting though. Maintaining your own car isn’t for everyone but brakes are something that that should be absolutely right at all times. i wonder where you’d stand if you were involved in an accident. Say You killed someone. Say your brakes were in such a bad way that they wouldn’t t have passed an MOT as they are classed as worn out. Say you end up in prison. Bummed every day by a couple of “The Sisters” Just a thought. Call Me old fashioned 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Just back to the original post. As far as I’m aware the warning light comes on as the pads hit 2mm left. An MOT fail is 1.5mm so potentially you could be driving an unroadworthy car very soon after the light comes on in the eyes of the MOT system Id only drive as far as the local garage who can do the work. If you’re doing them yourself do it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thanatoid Posted August 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 15 hours ago, ½cwt said: If it is a low use car and service/MOT are only a few weeks or couple of months away then it should be OK to wait. There would have to be at least a 500 to 1000 mile life at typical wear rates engineered into the design once the warning is triggered to give a driver time to book it in and get them changed, but sooner rather than later is sound advice. That'll do nicely, Ta 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaregs Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Well everyday is a school day, who knew low brake pads would lead to you being bummed in prison? 😱 @John K, bet you wish now you'd ran that mondeo into the ground mate. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaregs Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) A quick google reveals that the average brake pad is 10mm thick and lasts between 25,000-65,000 miles. So even at the lower end, 25,000 miles divided by 10mm equals 2,500 miles per mm. If the warning light comes on at 2mm and the MOT limit is 1.5mm, you have 1,250 miles left, say 1,000 to be safe. So OP, based on your mileage you can work out if you can safely wait until MOT time. Just remember though, these figures are estimates and your an*l virginity could be on the line here. 😉 Can you tell I'm on my 18 days off, weather is cr*p and I'm bored? Edited August 12, 2021 by Scubaregs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 18 minutes ago, Scubaregs said: @John K, bet you wish now you'd ran that mondeo into the ground mate. 😉 We've still got it, but yesterday it broke a front strut spring and shredded a tyre At the garage as we squeak and supporting @sa utah view, I'm have all the springs changed on the basis that if one went, the others might go soon And I am very much into preemptive maintenance. If Lee at CPS even hinted at an advisory, it got done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaregs Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Just now, John K said: We've still got it, but yesterday it broke a front strut spring and shredded a tyre At the garage as we squeak and supporting @sa utah view, I'm have all the springs changed on the basis that if one went, the others might go soon And I am very much into preemptive maintenance. If Lee at CPS even hinted at an advisory, it got done Pity, they would love you in prison. 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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