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Front brake pad minimum thickness

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:58 pm
by gmc15
I had the Service light come on a few weeks ago. I booked the car into a main dealer and they read the key and said the brake pads needed changing. They did an inspection and the fronts were 8mm and the rears 6mm. The computer says the fronts need changing in 300 miles and the rears in a few thousand. I declined to let them change them as I think that at 8mm there is more than 300 miles left in the front pads. Does anyone else agree?
I am not sure how thick new pads are, but at a quess, I would say they are about 10mm, so I think that at 8mm the pads do not need changing. Why is the computer saying that they do though?

Any ideas?

Graeme.

Re: Front brake pad minimum thickness

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 9:14 pm
by X5Sport
They should be fine unless the brake wear warning light is on?  Dealer will be drumming up business or playing safe maybe?

Re: Front brake pad minimum thickness

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 9:43 pm
by gmc15
There is no brake wear warning light on so I will just keep an eye on both front set of pads and change them when they get a bit thinner :)

Re: Front brake pad minimum thickness

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 1:39 am
by libra007
I just got the front pads along with discs changed on mine today, warning light was on since three weeks must have driven 400/500 miles after that.

I checked the old pads, each pad had around 4-5 mm left even after the warning light was on. 8mm will definitely do for another 1 -3 K depending on driving style IMHO.

After the reset after new pads and discs, it now shows in service info as 37000 miles for front pads :)