How long should I expect brake pads in my car to last?

Question

I have a 2004 Grand Cherokee and only have 23000 miles on them. The dealer says I need to replace the pads already. Isn't this a bit soon? How long should they last under normal conditions?

Answer 1

As many people have stated, the way you drive and the type of driving you do are very inportant indicators of brake wear. Some other things to consider.

1) A trucks (a 2004 Cherokee qualifies) weight and suspension tends to place more stress on brake pads, shortening life. A person used to a car will generally be surprised at the reduced brake life in a truck (or SUV).

2) Most braking is done with the front brakes. A heavier engine will place more weight over the front brakes, shortening brake life.

I tend to be pretty easy on brakes. I've always gotten about 90K+ on brakes, my Wrangler (2002) needed them at 49K. Reason 1 was my cause.

Answer 2

Impossible to say without knowing your driving style, where you drive (highway or city), flat or mountains, and if you carry heavy loads or tow trailers.

Brakes are wear items, like windshield washers and clutches. There is no standard, nor any guarantee on miles or months.

If you do a lot of stop and go driving, or hard acceleration and stopping, or drive up & down steep hills, or tow a trailer frequently, I would say that you should be happy to get 23K miles. If you drive conservatively with lots of highway miles (not bumper-to-bumper commuting), perhaps 1.5 to 2X that mileage.

Brake wear also depends on the type of steel in the brake rotor and the type of pad on the brake pads. Softer steel or pads will wear faster, but they also don't squeal as much - and that's a big complaint factor for auto companies, so they use softer pads from the factory.

You can request harder pads on your next brake job, but you might experience more wheel dust, too.

I have a 2000 BMW 323 sedan, a light car. I drive conservatively. First set of brakes lasted about 45K miles. I replaced brakes and rotors myself with some good aftermarket parts, and they are still running well at 91K miles. Maybe another 10K miles remaining?

One of my brothers & his wife drive aggressively in their cars and complain about having to change brakes every 20-25K miles. (Of course, in their opinion, they won't admit driving hard.) Go figure.

Lots of tradeoffs - good luck.

Answer 3

Depends on how you use your brakes. If you spend a lot of miles on the x-way, they ought to last a long time (in miles). If you do most of your driving around town, they will need to be replaced sooner. If you're one of those morons who drives with one foot on the brake, they probably should have been replaced a while ago. (Why would you go to a dealer for routine maintenance? Talk about wasting money! Find yourself an honest mechanic, and make him one of your best friends.)

Answer 4

There is a lawsuit going on right now with 2004 jeeps. You'll probably get something in the mail soon. It's about their brakes going out and stuff. I have to take my 04 grand cherokee in next week to get them replaced. My Jeep is an 04 and has 21000 miles. fyi

Answer 5

It depends on how you drive. If you gun it then slam on the brake all the time you will have to replace them frequently. Especially the new ABS breaks. If you drive slow, shift down and coast to a stop at an intersection, then they will last a lot longer. Brakes wear the same as tires. If you care for them they will last a lot longer.

Answer 6

I would think they would last longer then that but not knowing what kind of pads the manufacturer put on your vehicle its hard to say.

If you dont trust the dealer than get a second or third opinion.

Answer 7

Tom-sj is right on the mark,
anywhere from 20-30k on todays suv`s would be considered "normal".

Answer 8

about a year.......