Brake pad replacement at 10,000 miles?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(janrn @ Sep 30 2006, 07:22 PM) [snapback]326289[/snapback]</div>

Unless you are harder on brakes than anyone I have heard of something is very wrong with that recommendation. Either your car has a serious problem or you drive with your foot on the brake pedal. Take your car to a different dealer or maybe to a Les Schwab tire store they will look at them free and give you an honest opinion. Then, as efusco said, if they really need replacement it should be done under warranty.

 

10,000 miles??? can you say "Scam"

 

No Way!! I just had my 35 K check up and had >95% left on the pads. I suppose you could figure a way to chew them up in 10K but you would have to work on it real hard.

 

Doesn't sound like the "parking brake" could be an issue. The parking brake engages the rear brake SHOES through a cable. Your comment mentioned replacing the brake PADS indicating that it would be the front disc brakes.

Maybe you need to find another Service Department.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Oct 3 2006, 08:19 AM) [snapback]327301[/snapback]</div>

I'd agree with that. If the brake pads need replacing, then there's something else seriously wrong that simply replacing the pads wouldn't fix. Brake pads aren't under warranty, but anything that makes them wear out that quickly should be. And if there's a fault in something else, the pads "should" be replaced free as well. If the dealer told you the pads needed replacing, but didn't tell you why, then he doesn't know what he's talking about (a reason to drop him), scamming you (another reason), or just pulling your leg.

I definitely expect to get at least 100k out of my brakes, and maybe 200k.
I could get 40k out of a normal car's brakes, but I doubt that the brake pads are even being touched, unless I make a panic stop.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(janrn @ Sep 30 2006, 07:22 PM) [snapback]326289[/snapback]</div>

Yes, tell them go ahead and replace them. They should be covered under warranty anyway.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ditto @ Oct 3 2006, 02:11 PM) [snapback]327399[/snapback]</div>

Wear items like brake pads are generally not covered under warranty. These might be if another warranty fault caused the early wear.

- Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom_06 @ Oct 3 2006, 01:45 PM) [snapback]327420[/snapback]</div>

There is no way in H*** that I would let my dealer replace my brake pads in 10,000 miles, to wear out that quickly the car would be pulling you off the road all the time,they should last you a minimun of 75 to 100 thousand miles,make them show you why??

I have 2 04s with #9 packs with 50,000 plus miles no problems whatever

 

hi jan-

we're a couple miles shy of 20k, at the last oil change DH still was able to see the original rotor machining marks.

for reference, if you take a new non-prius car a mile down the road and back, those will be gone.

get a second opinion if you're concerned, but you likely have nothing to worry about.

-g

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Oct 3 2006, 02:53 PM) [snapback]327424[/snapback]</div>

That's more like what I would hope, i.e., 20K with minimal friction brake wear. Jan's dealer is recommending new pads at 10,000 miles, which seems impossible on a regular car, much less a Prius. Or am I missing something?

 

I think dealers like to scare customers into getting new brakes:

1) Customer comes in for an oil change
2) Dealer says "While we were down there, we looked at your brakes - only 2mm left! We recommend new pads and turning the rotors."
3) Customer freaks out and says "sure, I'll pay you $200 now to avoid $500 in the future."

This happened to me recently with my 03 Odyssey. It turned out that there was still plenty left of the pads when I measured them and I later swapped out the pads myself.

Same thing with all the "Free 50-point inspection" coupons auto dealers like to send - it's just an invitation to find problems that aren't there.

 

Best advice ever: Never trust a dealer. Instead, they say it needs to be replaced, ask them to show you the part they're trying to replace and what they want to replace it with. If it's legit, you should be able to see a problem with your part. if not, then you won't see that problem. when in doubt, get a second opinion. I've got some guys up here that would be happy to put the car up, pull a wheel, and look at the pads (in fact, we just replaced some calipers a few weeks ago in a guys camry).

 

Brake pads should be covered under the 12/12000 warranty.

Nate

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ari @ Oct 3 2006, 03:58 PM) [snapback]327483[/snapback]</div>

well... let's look at this from the side of a legit tech shall we?

DH will take a quick glance over any car that makes its way into his bay for two reasons. first and foremost, because he would feel awful if he missed something that put a family in an unsafe car and someone got hurt; second, because if he just did the jobs people went in and asked him to, we'd be more broke than we are now. (honest techs don't make a lot, at least at dealerships around here)

so if there is work that does need to be done, he's doing the customer a service by telling them it needs to be done and fixing the problem. he's also doing himself a favor by making a living.

sure there are people who are only in it for the money. they're all over the place and they're not just mechanics. because there are a few bad apples out there does not mean all of them are rotten. you simply ask them to show you the problem and if they're not legit they don't have a leg to stand on.

 

Right on, galaxee. As an ex-Toyota Tech, people come in two types, those that believe the service guy is there to screw them, and those that believe the service guy is there to help them.

Guess who spends more on auto repair? The guy who refuses to buy new brake pads and instead buys pads AND rotors. The guy who refuses to buy new antifreeze and instead buys antifreeze AND a water pump. The guy who refuses to buy transmission fluid and instead buys transmission fluid AND a transmission.

I had a guy who once brought his car in for an alternator and a battery because the battery wouldn't charge. He demanded that they be replaced. I insisted that I inspect the car's electrical system, he demanded that he be allowed to oversee me so that I wouldn't try to screw him. My boss agreed to let him, and as I attached the VAT-40 and started checking things out, I discovered the positive battery terminal was corroded to hell. As I removed the terminal and cleaned the connector, the guy asked me if I had a clue. I smiled, and calmly answered, yes. I replaced the terminal, and lo and behold, the alternator and battery all worked perfectly.

My point? The total bill was $19 for labor, $4 for parts, and $50 for diagnosis (we threw in a free inspection as well). The guy had been facing over $400 for a new alternator (Toyota's aren't cheap).

So, this guy who knew how cars worked, couldn't see what was wrong with the old terminal, and was prepared to take it on the chin for the alternator.

Needless to say, we had made a customer for life. That day he bought some other maintenance items and still went home with $200 in his pocket.

Your local Toyota dealership is not in the business of "finding work you don't need". Nor are you the owner capable of determining everything that is wrong with your car the same way the technician can. (I myself might be the exception, considering I hold Toyota Certification, but that's beside the point).

The best thing you can do is trust your instincts, and when in doubt, come over here to PriusChat.

If you had a conventional Toyota, I'd say the brake booster is out of adjustment. Ask the technician if that can be a factor in premature pad wear.

Nate