If the brakes feel wrong, stop first and read later
If the pedal goes soft or sinks, you hear metal grinding, or the car pulls hard to one side under braking, slow down gently, pull over somewhere safe and switch off. Don't try to drive on to the workshop. The RACV says that if the brake warning light stays on after you release the handbrake, have the braking system checked immediately, even if the brakes seem fine. Call roadside assistance if you have it, and never try brake work yourself. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
Why the range is so wide
Every stop wears a little off the pads, so the question is how many stops your car makes, how hard they are, and how heavy the car is.
NRMA says pads get used up sooner in a car that does a lot of start-stop driving, and RAC WA says brakes wear more quickly when they're used heavily. Budget Direct adds terrain, towing, the car's weight, the pad material and the condition of the rotors, which are the discs the pads clamp onto. It also says front pads generally wear faster than rear pads, so don't assume all four run out together.
What wears pads out, and what makes them last
| Wears them out faster | Helps them last | |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic | Stop-start city driving | Open-road kilometres with few stops |
| Driving style | Late, hard braking | Looking ahead and easing off early |
| Load | Towing or a car that's always loaded up | Carrying only what you need |
| Roads | Hills and long descents | Flat, steady running |
| The handbrake | Driving with it partly on, which RAC WA says heats the rear brakes and speeds up wear | Checking it's fully off before you move |
| Hybrids and EVs | Hard stops that go past what regeneration can handle | Regenerative braking, which the RACV says means friction brakes aren't relied on as much |
When to replace brake pads
Replace them when they reach their wear limit, not when a kilometre figure comes up. RAC WA says pads have to be renewed at a certain wear point, otherwise you'll damage the brake discs and affect how quickly the car stops.
Budget Direct's figure for that point is 3 mm of pad left. Take that as a general guide: the limit for your car is the maker's. RAA says most reputable mechanics will report on pad condition at each service, so ask for the reading if it isn't on the invoice. Then you'll see the trend, and a set that's nearly done won't surprise you.
Signs your brake pads are getting low
- A high-pitched squeal when you brake. Many pads carry a small metal tab that makes this noise on purpose once they're thin.
- Grinding or a metal-on-metal sound. Treat this one as urgent.
- The car drifting to one side when you brake.
- A pulsing or vibration through the pedal or steering wheel.
- A brake warning light on the dash. The RACV says it can mean worn pads, as well as low fluid or a fault.
What to do if you think they're low
Note what you're noticing
When it happens, which corner it seems to come from, and whether it's every stop or only the first few.
Rule out the handbrake
If a brake light is on, check the handbrake is fully released. If the light stays on, stop and have the brakes looked at.
Don't wait for the next service
If you can hear it or feel it, go now. Pads worn down to the metal start damaging the discs.
Ask for the measurement
Ask how much pad is left at each corner, and how the discs measured against the maker's limit.
Get a written estimate
Have it list front and rear separately, so you know exactly what's needed.
What a good brake estimate shows
- Which axle is being done, front, rear or both.
- How much pad is left, and the maker's limit.
- Whether the discs are staying, being machined or being replaced, and why.
- The brake fluid's condition, and whether it's due.
- The pads being fitted, by brand or type.
- A note that the brakes will be road tested after the work.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Look through the wheel spokes at the pad, if your wheels allow it, and tell the mechanic what you see.
- Check the brake fluid level against the marks, with the car on flat ground.
- Drive smoothly and leave more room to slow down.
- Take the handbrake off fully before you move.
Leave to the mechanic
- Removing the wheels and measuring pads and discs.
- Fitting pads and any brake repair. Don't do brake work yourself.
- Bleeding the brakes and changing the brake fluid.
- Working out why one side is wearing faster than the other.
What we'd do
Ask for the pad reading at every service, and write it down. Two or three readings tell you how fast your car goes through them, which is more use than any published range. If you hear squealing, have them looked at within days. If you hear grinding or the pedal feels wrong, stop driving the car and get it to a mechanic safely.
Who should look at your brakes?
Any good mechanic can do pads on an everyday car. A heavy 4WD that tows, a performance car, or a hybrid or EV with regenerative braking is worth taking to someone who sees that kind of car regularly, because the braking system is more involved. In NSW, WA and the ACT, repair work needs a licensed repairer.
Tell us the job and the car. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.