Poor Design or Bad Driving? Report Indicates Car Brakes Wear Out Faster

Brake discs are wearing out faster, warping and losing their braking performance earlier on some modern vehicles according to a new report. Mail order supplier Car Parts Direct claims it is regularly supplying replacement brake discs for nearly new cars that have been driven for less than 25,000 miles. Early brake disc wear appears to be a combination of problems. Modern brake pads are more abrasive due to harder compounds used in brake pad material and so wear discs faster. Inferior brake discs imported from the Far East could be to blame for some car makers.

Thousands of new cars arrive in the UK, are parked up for several months, stock piled, waiting to be distributed to dealers. These vehicles stand in all weather conditions without the wheels moving, the brake discs start to rust and deteriorate even before the customer receives their new vehicle.

Car Parts Direct claims it has seen a 23% increase in sales of brake discs for vehicles under two years old, whilst sales of brakes for cars over two years have risen by only 14%. Complaints about the original brake discs fitted on cars are now very common according to a spokesman from Car Parts Direct.


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Agent009 - 2/22/2007 9:53:06 AM

+1 Boost

009's personal brake count over the last few years:

2-Infiniti's
2-Honda's
1-Lexus

All needed new rotors at the first brake job, typically at the 40K point. The rotors are typically considered disposable (at about $150 ea)

2 Audi's

No rotors needed and both cars went through brakes at about 70K and the rotors were just fine. One just hit 154K on the original rotors.

If you ask me it is a trade off of weight vs durability, The Audi's rotors are noticeably thicker and probably withstand the heat far better. The other models brake jobs were typically triple what the Audi's were in cost due to the extra parts needed.

d1sinfo - 2/22/2007 12:07:02 PM

+1 Boost

It could have to do with the types of cars being sold. What kind of cars are growing in popularity?
Do SUV's eat up brakes?

Just some ideas. I would say that my experience as a driver is so unusual that my results are inconclusive. Track days, ice rally, and aftermarket components kind of cloud what I think about brakes :)

jt716 - 2/22/2007 12:30:48 PM

+1 Boost

Yes happened to me on my Ford Fusion but it was covered with the year warranty yeah w.e

kart1 - 2/22/2007 2:54:09 PM

+1 Boost

Could it be that people are driving faster, because their regular cars can now go faster. I am not talking about the V8's here, I mean the economy cars can now go about 75 mph without stressing as much as the older cars did.

Agent009 - 2/22/2007 3:03:25 PM

+1 Boost

A combination of that and the makers are making the brakes thinner to save weight and lower costs.

All they care about if it makes it through warranty, and most warranties exclude the rotors.

One possible reason the Audi was a thicker disc would be the fact it came from a country with unlimited speed limits. The thinner rotors would be a hazard there.

DeeDogg - 2/22/2007 4:05:28 PM

+1 Boost

I think it's most likely due to that new thechnology used by cars now.
In wet weather, the brake system is linked to the windshield (wet)sensor and applies the brakes just enough to keep the discs dry.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/22/2007 6:20:58 PM

0 Boost

I had to replace the rotors on the RX330, but that's it, in the last few years at least.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/24/2007 7:05:11 PM

+1 Boost

And the '98 A4 we traded in. I forgot about that one. The A4 was given to my local dealer in February 2006.

jt716 - 2/22/2007 6:50:12 PM

+1 Boost

sorry typo that was 5 year warranty.

trd1 - 2/22/2007 11:33:59 PM

+2 Boost

lol agree, and i dont get it, if you dont like lexus, then why do you still own one.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/24/2007 7:03:10 PM

0 Boost

Me? I'm passive about Lexus. I don't like them, I don't dislike them (except I do like the IS350, and I hate the SC430). The RX330 is my wife's- I don't choose her car. I will have a big influence on her next car, however.

XYZZ - 2/23/2007 7:49:23 AM

+1 Boost

guy called the Car Talk radio program last Satiddy. he had a long term but minor problem with his LS. minor 'cuz it ONLY required occasional topping off of fluid for the power steering pump.

now he's finally broking down to splurge for a new pump.

he has yet to need new spark plugs.

and his LS has MERELY 350,000 miles. lexus quality. YUP!

izfuney - 2/23/2007 7:07:56 PM

+1 Boost

LeMansFan ... to paraphrase your comment.
"My parents ES330 has had the power steering system fail once already. And it's only three weeks old. Hahahaha! Lexus quality! LOL", in essence you are saying that not only can you not afford a Lexus, you are mocking your parent choie of vehicle simply beacuse it had a problem !?
The saddest (lame too IMHO) part of comments like these are when people say "my parents car". Its sort of sad that you havent defined your tastes or likes/dislikes beyond mummy/daddy.
Unless of course you are a grade school noob, whose whole existance is defined is opposition to your parents.

M53R - 2/23/2007 10:44:42 AM

+2 Boost

At work, we have a proton wira, and it needs the brakes to be changed at about every 2 weeks..........

Matthew1 - 2/24/2007 6:11:44 PM

+1 Boost

In the old days, drivers were taught to engine brake by down-changing the gears as they slowed down, however most new cars today are Automatic, and so brakes have to do all the work to haul up even heavier modern cars.

I think modern drivers take their brakes for granted, and do not take measures to ensure they are not being over-worked.