You need to check the condition of your brake pads at regular intervals and be sure they are safe for the road.
Brakes can last 80.000km or so without getting worn but you need to consult your manual for a better estimate of when you should replace your brake pads. If the brake discs are unevenly worn, you should change the brake discs and brake pads.
Due to the importance of your vehicle's brakes, you need to ensure you maintain your brake pads.
You know it is time to get new brake pads when you note symptoms like the below.When you hear squealing noise when you are driving, it may mean you need to fix your brake pads or your car's brake discs will be damaged.
Some cars show a warning light on their dashboards to tell you that you should do something to your vehicle's brakes. Check in your car's manual to confirm if brake pad sensors are installed in your vehicle.
If you feel your car vibrate when you step on the brake pads, your brake pads probably need attention.
Conduct a visual inspection to check your vehicle's brake pads and brake discs from time to time.
Brake pads can last from 30,000 km to 100,000 miles - there are so many variants. Sometimes, their durability depends on the friction materials they are made of. Some of the materials are organic materials made from non-metallic fibres and friction modifiers, semi-metallic materials made from organic materials and metals, metallic materials and synthetic. Ceramic pads are stronger and they last longer than average brake pads and organic materials last the least out of the brake pad materials.
Your brake pad is made up of friction materials, steam backing plates, shim, and other strong materials, but they are not strong enough to prevent it from wear. Your brake has a friction material that gets worn when the discs and pads run against each other for a long time - the thickness of the friction materials determines the thickness of the pad. When the materials become too thin, your car may slow down abruptly immediately you step on the brake pedal. When the materials completely fade, your brake may fail completely. When the thickness of a brake pad goes down to around 3mm you need a replacement. When it gets to 2mm, the metal wear indicator will be exposed cause disturbing noise in the disc. Although thickness varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, the lowest is 2mm as it causes hea tto retain in the pads. The standard thickness size is between 10mm and 12mm. Materials differ and some last longer then others.