Advice on rear brake pads on UK Jazz 2019 CVT

[JBR]

Hi, just had the car serviced (it's second year).

Everything was fine except an advisory on the rear brake pads. 4mm left. Dealer said bring it back in 4 months as it wont make the whole year!

I'm a bit confused as in the 2 years I've only done 6,250 miles.

I don't drive hard, mostly short distances but always a 30 mile journey every week.

I would have thought that the front pads would go first as they take more of the braking?

Any advice much appreciated.

Jim.

[Jocko]

Welcome, Jim. Get them checked by an independent garage. Your thoughts are correct.

[dvhttn]

... I would have thought that the front pads would go first as they take more of the braking? ...

Just replaced the fronts on mine - 5 years old and just over 20K miles (was the in-laws car - in their 80s - I live fairly close to work and lockdown etc etc to explain the low miles!) but at the MOT and last service they both said front and rear pads were down to about 4mm (the local MOT guy lets me into the pit to see for myself so correct). I was thinking that maybe the rears are thinner than the fronts maybe? Or a different compound from new that wears quicker?

But as was said, get them checked by a local garage if you're wary of the advice given by Honda.

[embee]

Rear pads certainly have less material on them when new. I don't know if the compound is different, it might be. A common problem is that particularly the rears don't do much work so the discs tend not to clean very effectively. Continually running on rusty discs will probably wear the pads more quickly (guessing).

[culzean]

Rear pads certainly have less material on them when new. I don't know if the compound is different, it might be. A common problem is that particularly the rears don't do much work so the discs tend not to clean very effectively. Continually running on rusty discs will probably wear the pads more quickly (guessing).

Spot on, just what I was thinking after seeing the state that rear discs get into very quickly, rubbing that rust off all the time must wear the pads a lot - discs not good for rear brakes.   

[Jocko]

Granted, mine is a Mk1, but I have done 56,000 miles and my rear pads have bags of life left. And they were not new when I got the car.

[monkeydave]

the rears as long as they are not missaligned should clean the rear disc even with low mileage as yours

check the level of your brake fluid, if it is still at the same level as when you got the car and hasnt been touched the pads should be ok

[Rory]

Both our mk2's had the rear pads and discs changed at 3yrs due to one of the pads sticking and wearing out.

On the first one, Honda and the dealer covered to cost between them - car had done about 15K miles.   On the second one, car had done around 30K and dealer (different one, as the other had closed) and Honda wouldn't hear of covering the cost.  Dealer told me it's up me to clean the brake calipers and that I should jet wash them!

[JBR]

Thanks for all the answers!

I'm going to contact Honda direct and see what they say.

I find it very hard to believe that 8K worth of driving warrants new pads.

Cheers, Jim.

[monkeydave]

just had my 3rd service at just under 14k miles and still got 15% wear all around as last year (i have only done abot 3500 miles this year) and just recommended strip and clean of brakes as they did last year too as they said they were dragging a little, but absolutely no advisories on the MOT

sounds like something is wrong with your rear brakes or you got a not very good dealer

[Rory]

... I would have thought that the front pads would go first as they take more of the braking? ...

Just replaced the fronts on mine - 5 years old and just over 20K miles (was the in-laws car - in their 80s - I live fairly close to work and lockdown etc etc to explain the low miles!) but at the MOT and last service they both said front and rear pads were down to about 4mm (the local MOT guy lets me into the pit to see for myself so correct). I was thinking that maybe the rears are thinner than the fronts maybe? Or a different compound from new that wears quicker?

But as was said, get them checked by a local garage if you're wary of the advice given by Honda.

Our 2014 mk2 has done 55K, much of it local short trips, and was noted as having front pads wearing then on the MOT last year.  I could see the discs are heavily lipped and there's not much pad left.   Took it in (the garage is a spin-off of one of the closed Honda dealers) and asked them to change the pads and discs, and the brake fluid, as well as service the car and MOT it again.

They called me mid-afternoon and cheerily said "all done, front pads and discs are OK for now, and the brake fluid tests OK."   MOT had same advisory for pads weraing thin!    I was pretty miffed as I wanted them done to get it out of my mind.  I think they thought I was a bit mad!

It's weird - we get so used to fighting off scamming dealers trying to scare us with un-neccessary work, yet when you specifically ask a more 'ordinary' garage they seem reluctant to anything that isn't essential!