How long do brake pads last

Making sure that your brake pads are not worn is a vital part of making sure your car is safe to drive. When you drive with worn brake pads, you may find that you are pushing on the brake harder and more often to slow or stop the car. Hard braking resulting from worn brake pads can wear down your tyres more quickly or entail unbalanced, uneven tyre wear. If you need a professional to replace your brake pads, we specialize in Alfa Romeo, VW, Audi, SEAT and Mercedes. 

How long do brake pads last?

How long do brake pads last usually? – On average, brake pads should last around 40,000 and 50,000 miles.

When you look after your brake pads, how long do brake pads last?– A brake pads life expectancy can differ depending on driving conditions and types of brake pads. 

What worsens your brake pads? 

Where you drive– When you drive in built up areas like city streets, it is likely that your brake pads will wear out more easily because you are stopping and starting, thus using your brake pads more often. On the other hand, during a journey on the motorway you will not stop and start as much, meaning your brake pads will have a longer life span. If you live in a city, it is likely that you will have to get your brake pads replaced more often. 

The weight of your car– It is likely that your brake pads will wear down faster if your vehicle carries more weight. This is due to the fact that when a car is lighter, there is less brake effort required to slow or stop the car. An example of this is if you have a 5 seater car with it’s full capacity of people your brakes would wear more quickly.

Type of brake pads– There are many different types of brake pads that are available which have different advantages and disadvantages. Organic brake pads are the least expensive however they have a shorter lifespan. Low metallic brake pads can be noisy but have a longer lifespan than organic brake pads. Semi metallic or sintered brake pads have a long life span and a quick braking performance however they may wear your brake discs down quicker than other brake pads. Ceramic brake pads tend to be considered the best as they can be more resistant to temperature changes and last the longest, however they are the most expensive. 

How many miles you cover– The more miles you cover, the more you will brake and the faster your brake pads will wear out. 

How to check brake pads 

Recognising the symptoms– If you listen to your brakes when you’re stopping your vehicle you can usually tell if your brake pads are wearing out. Squeelers installed on your brake pads will let out a high pitched sound to tell you when you need to get your brake pads replaced. You can also feel when your brakes are worn using your foot on the pedal to tell when your car is not coming to an immediate stop. If your car doesn’t come to an immediate stop, it suggests that your brake pads are at the end of their life expectancy. 

Get your brake pads checked by a professional– Some older cars and rear brake systems may have brake shoes instead of pads. There are also multiple different ways of checking brake pads that require tools and time, so it’s best to get your brake pads checked by a professional. 

When is the right time to replace my brake pads? 

If you’re researching ‘how long do brake pads last’ the chances are that you’ve already spotted a problem with your car. If you spot that there’s anything wrong with your brake pads, you should never ignore it. Not only will it take longer for you to stop, it will also mean that you damage the brake rotors and calipers. 

How to make brake pads last longer? 

• Give yourself plenty of following distance from the car in front of you so that you have more time to slowly stop. 
• Remove any unnecessary weight from your vehicle
• Don’t rush to stop. If you see an amber light, don’t speed up to try and get through it, slow down. 
• Flush your brakes every two years 
• Keep to the speed limit. Stopping and starting from a high speed makes your brakes wear more easily. 

Thank you for reading our blog ‘How long do break pads last’. If you need your brakes pads replacing or feel that something is wrong with your car but you don’t know what it is, we can help. Get in touch with our specialists at Kinghams of Croydon.