There are few things more important to your Honda than properly maintained brake pads. Driving with worn-out brake pads can cost you—in more ways than one.
Worn brake pads can cause premature wear on other parts of your vehicle, including brake rotors and tires. More alarming, they also can lead to your vehicle becoming unsafe, and can increase the likelihood that you are involved in an accident.
Knowing that it’s time to replace your brake pads not only saves you money in the long term, it can also save your life. Here are the indications that your brake pads are worn and in need of replacement.
What are the Signs of Worn Brake Pads?
Every time you use your brakes, the brake pads apply pressure to the brake rotors, causing your wheels to stop. Over time, that friction wears away small amounts of material from your brake pads.
As your brake pads wear down, they get thinner, and eventually need to be replaced as part of the normal maintenance of your vehicle. Your car’s manufacturer suggested maintenance plan can tell you how many miles you might expect your brake pads to last, but driving conditions can make a big difference.
Bridgestone Tires has a great set of pointers that give a bit more information on some warning signs. Haynes, the database of car and scooter manuals, has a couple additional pointers to help you troubleshoot your brake problems:
Here’s what to look out for:
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Squealing Noises:
The squeal or whine when you use your brakes is the brake pad’s warning signal—a small piece of metal called the brake wear indicator. It’s your first warning that your pads are worn out.
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Brake Pad Depth:
Take a look at your brake pads through the spokes of your wheel to check the current pad depth. Using the image above, you can see that anything under 4mm is in the ‘Service Soon’ section.
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Deep Grinding Metal Sound:
Scarier than a squeal, a deep grinding or growling sound from your vehicle’s brake system is a sign that your brake discs and calipers are making contact. This is a very bad sign and metal to metal contact can cause serious damage to your Honda.
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Vibrating Brake Pedal:
An unsteady brake pedal, one that vibrates or feels surprisingly ‘soft’, means there’s a good chance your brake pads need to be replaced.
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Brake Warning Indicator Light:
Most Honda vehicles have a red ‘BRAKE’ indicator light on the dashboard that lights up if there are issues with your brake system. If your brake warning light stays on after ignition, and you’ve made sure your parking brake is off, you should take your car to a trusted mechanic.
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Vehicle Pulling to The Side: Uneven brake pad wear or a frozen caliper can both cause your car to pull to the side while you’re braking, you should visually check the brake pad depth and confirm that the calipers are moving unimpeded. (Haynes has a great tutorial on precisely measuring brake pad thickness.
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Mileage Limit: Brake pads can last anywhere from 25,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on the brake pad, the car, and your driving style. The heavier the car, and the more stop-and-go driving you do, the fewer miles you should expect to get from your brake pads.
Replacing your Brake Pads
If the troubleshooting steps above helped you confirm that your brake pads are worn down, the next step is to replace them before there’s any permanent damage to your vehicle. Bernardi Parts has everything you need to switch out your brake pads with only genuine Honda OEM parts.
To find the right parts for your Honda, click this link to open our homepage in a new browser window and then follow along with this video to select your model, year, and trim package.
For more information on this, or for help finding the right OEM Honda parts for your vehicle, feel free to send us a message or give us a call at 800-924-1884.
Bernardi Parts has everything you need to switch out your brake pads with only genuine Honda OEM parts.
Looking for more? Check out our comprehensive articles collection for a wide range of useful articles and guides offering maintenance tips or information on Honda vehicle care.