How Long Should Brake Pads Last?

“Why are my brakes already squealing? I only have 35,000miles on my car, this shouldn’t be happening.” Actually, even though it seems pretty early for your brakes to go out,35,000 miles is not unheard of.  Thenormal range for brake pads to go bad is 30,000 to 70,000 miles. Just like mostwearable parts, such as wheel hubs and starters, the length of time the partlast depends on the many variables.

The main reason why some brake pads go bad faster thanothers is because of what the brake pads are made out of. Brake Pads come infour diverse types; Organic, Ceramic, Metallic, and Semimetallic.  Organic Brakes are made from bondednon-metallic fibers. They have the best stopping power, but this means thatmore of the pad is worn down during braking.  Thus, they are not the longest lasting pad andeven though they are organic, you cannot buy them at Whole Foods.  Ceramic Pads are most often made out of fiberglass.They are half as heavy as other pads but more importantly they arestronger.  These pads last the longestbut they cost the most.  Metallic Padshave basically become obsolete because of the emergence of organic andsemimetallic pads.  So why did I bringthem up? I guess I just like to waste your time.  Anyways, Semimetallic Pads is a hybrid ofMetallic and Organic pads.  These do wellwith heat, last longer than organic, and are the type of pad found on mostcars.

Other aspects also contribute to the lifespan of your brakepads.  A main cause of premature brakewear is hitting the brakes at high speeds. For every 10 mph more you travel it takes a third more energy tostop.  So, stop tailgating me at reallyhigh speed to only stomp on your brakes before hitting me.  Not only is it pissing me off and dangerous,but it also decreases the lifespan of your brakes.  Another cause of going through brakes quickeris where you drive.  If you live in amountainous area and your brakes have to work against gravity than they will wearquicker.  So, you may enjoy living in SanFrancisco but your brakes do not.  Sizeand weight of a vehicle also affects the brake wear in a vehicle.  The bigger and heavier the car the harder itis on brakes.

So, even though 35,000 miles is definitely in the low rangeit is still in the range.  To extend thelife of your brake pads concentrate on gradually slowing down.  Let off the gas and let your car slowdownnaturally before hitting the brakes.  Ifyou have a manual focus on downshifting to slowdown instead of slamming on thebrakes.