[TouringPleb]

My brake service warning for front pads has been showing 3,200 miles to go until front pads are needed.

However it's now been showing this for 6 months and over 6,000 miles!

Is this normal? Brakes feel ok and no grinding or loss of performance.

[GEP77]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

My brake service warning for front pads has been showing 3,200 miles to go until front pads are needed.

However it's now been showing this for 6 months and over 6,000 miles!

Is this normal? Brakes feel ok and no grinding or loss of performance.

Absolutely normal.

The brake indicator works by counting down an initial mileage and then pausing just over 3000 miles until the indicator wire breaks.

Once it breaks it will count down again.

[GEP77]

I should add it is not a reliable way of determining how much pad you've got left. To do that you'd have to measure the pad thickness.

[Herr Dreier]

I was told by my service centre when asking that question, that the count down means "braking miles" - i.e. mlles where the brakes are being used. Whereas that doesn't really add up either, I think the point was that it's not meant to be miles driven. As mentioned earlier, only safe measure is thickness.

[RobUK]

Originally Posted by GEP77

Absolutely normal.

The brake indicator works by counting down an initial mileage and then pausing just over 3000 miles until the indicator wire breaks.

Once it breaks it will count down again.

I was told exactly the same by the BMW service guy when I had my 2nd service a few weeks back. Dashboard lights up every day saying the brakes need doing in 3100 miles but they measured them on the service at 8mm (after 36K miles) which is only half way! Apparently the pads start at 12mm and are changed around 4mm.

[Techno 9000]

+1 except the Mintex pads I used (for Blue M—Sport callipers) were around 16mm when new IIRC

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Techno 9000

+1 except the Mintex pads I used (for Blue M—Sport callipers) were around 16mm when new IIRC

The friction material is 12mm, not including the backing plate.

[lethbridge]

I think this premature warning tends to be more a problem if you do higher than average miles - the counter seems to just assume a certain level of brake usage but if you spend most of your time doing longer journeys you are on the brakes far less than the system is anticipating... I used to just reset mine as it will trigger properly once the wear sensor is triggered... As has been said just keep an eye on them the old fashioned way if you DIY & prefer to replace before the sensor triggers to save yourself the £20 to replace the sensor - I'm guessing a dealer will replace the sensor regardless when they do the job...

[RobUK]

I think the big thing here is anticipation. I'm forever seeing motorists that I follow jumping on the brakes all the time, either because they're far too close to the car in front and have to react every time the car they're following brakes, or they're so unable to read the road that they're constantly braking. What far too many drivers don't seem to realise is that hanging back slightly, reading the road and traffic and using taking your foot off the gas and engine braking as the primary method of slowing down and only using the brakes as a secondary method, will help prevent premature brake wear. Of course BMW and the like will base their CBS on what the average motorist does and thus assume you'll be jumping all over the brakes constantly when you don't need to.

Sorry if that sounds a bit 'ranty' but I'm forever seeing motorists braking simply because they don't seem to know any better. I've even seen drivers braking when travelling at 45mph on a straight road with no hazards in sight ffs.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by RobUK

I think the big thing here is anticipation. I'm forever seeing motorists that I follow jumping on the brakes all the time, either because they're far too close to the car in front and have to react every time the car they're following brakes, or they're so unable to read the road that they're constantly braking. What far too many drivers don't seem to realise is that hanging back slightly, reading the road and traffic and using taking your foot off the gas and engine braking as the primary method of slowing down and only using the brakes as a secondary method, will help prevent premature brake wear. Of course BMW and the like will base their CBS on what the average motorist does and thus assume you'll be jumping all over the brakes constantly when you don't need to.

Sorry if that sounds a bit 'ranty' but I'm forever seeing motorists braking simply because they don't seem to know any better. I've even seen drivers braking when travelling at 45mph on a straight road with no hazards in sight ffs.

I don't get the people who must see traffic queuing and then absolutely slam the brakes on at the last moment to stop. Idiots.

[RobUK]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I don't get the people who must see traffic queuing and then absolutely slam the brakes on at the last moment to stop. Idiots.

Driving and commonsense seem to be mutually exclusive for many people

[Biccies]

Originally Posted by RobUK

I'm forever seeing motorists braking simply because they don't seem to know any better..

Amen.
I see it as a challenge to anticipate junctions, roundabouts, lights without touching brakes and it shouldn't be a thing but if you're one of those people constantly tapping your brakes when following other vehicles on the motorway you need to examine your choices.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by Biccies

Amen.
I see it as a challenge to anticipate junctions, roundabouts, lights without touching brakes and it shouldn't be a thing but if you're one of those people constantly tapping your brakes when following other vehicles on the motorway you need to examine your choices.

That would require a level of self-awareness sadly lacking in most drivers.

None of us are perfect, but it's refreshing to see plenty on here who try to minimise use of the brakes by anticipating properly, and not just looking at what's happening 20 yards in front of them.

Driving is one of those things most people just 'do'. They don't think about it, it's a means to an end - getting them from A to B. Only those of us who actually think about it and want to do it as well as we can, actually pay any attention to it.

I had the misfortune to be a passenger on a scary ride the other week. Only 10 miles, but a driver who was constantly not paying attention, mind on everything that was happening AFTER the drive was over, not the drive itself.

[TouringPleb]

In case anyone was interested, over a year and 15,000 miles later my car is still showing front pads in 3,200 miles!

[teaston]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

In case anyone was interested, over a year and 15,000 miles later my car is still showing front pads in 3,200 miles!

Yep it's a crap system and BMW know it, on the Gxx's it doesn't tell you how many miles are left on the pads until the physical sensor is triggered!

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by teaston

Yep it's a crap system and BMW know it, on the Gxx's it doesn't tell you how many miles are left on the pads until the physical sensor is triggered!

I know everyone's driving style is different, but I've done 42,000 miles now on original pads and discs. Is this normal?

[teaston]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I know everyone's driving style is different, but I've done 42,000 miles now on original pads and discs. Is this normal?

Yes these cars with brake energy regeneration are very easy on the brakes, a lot of the braking energy goes into charging the battery instead of wearing the brakes.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by teaston

Yep it's a crap system and BMW know it, on the Gxx's it doesn't tell you how many miles are left on the pads until the physical sensor is triggered!

What!!!! Surely a whole load of snowflakes and Karen's will be complaining that they didn't get enough warning?

[454697819]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I know everyone's driving style is different, but I've done 42,000 miles now on original pads and discs. Is this normal?

yes Im at 63k miles with about 4mm of pad left...

I usually get 100k out of discs and 75k out of pads.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by 454697819

yes Im at 63k miles with about 4mm of pad left...

I usually get 100k out of discs and 75k out of pads.

It's advisable to change them at 4mm, so I'd say you get 63k out of pads

[Fazil]

Hi all, my front pads on idrive are due in 4000 odd miles, counting down every so often.
At my last dealer visit recently, the vhc showed front pads as 7mm both sides. Which is a lot I think. Discs all OK too.
So what do i do if idrive counts down towards 0, and discs are fine. Dealership looks after me as I'm a pain in the arse so I don't expect them to try fobbing me off.
As I understand it, the brake pads sensors give an estimate, not an exact measurement?
Many thanks

[CuntFace5000]

Mine has done 33k. The fronts have 8mm left but the rear are down to 3mm.

Does this seem strange? Does the DSC use the rear brakes more than the front?

My driving style is very easy on the brakes although the same can't be said for the previous owner because the milage for the brake pads went up from 3200 (if I remember correctly) to 5000 after only a few days of me owning it and has stayed there ever since - 9 months