E60 front brake pads issue
Discussion
Taking my 530d in for its complimentary MOT at my local dealer resulted in a couple of issues being noticed, Firstly the track rod ends needed replacing due to "excessive" wear, which was carried out with no quibbles.
The second issue is regarding the front brake pads. I expected an advisory on the front pads as the OBC was advising 1100 miles left. When I went to collect the car I mentioned this to the service manager who checked - nothing mentioned. He told me that if there was that little left on the pads there'd be nothing to see and would inevitably have been picked up. Doing a check on the system it appears the car had new discs and pads fitted all round just before I bought it (approximately 11,000 miles ago)
He advised me to come back in and they'd get the car on the ramp and check. About 100 miles later I returned only to note the OBC now read 900 miles, which has now since dropped to 700 miles which is about double the speed of the miles I'm covering so 200 miles off for every 100 miles travelled.
I have been told it would appear the sensor is faulty and the pads need replacing. (Although I have also been advised that the technician is not entirely sure this will cure the problem).
The issue seems to be indicated rate of wear is excessive and I'm also not getting the impression the guys know what the problem is. They've also tried to indicate I will be paying for the new pads, but I have disabused them of that particular notion!
Has anyone else enjoyed such a problem? The car has the remainder of its 1 year AUC warranty left (ends in December) but apparently pads do not have the same warranty as other components but I would have thought this is not a problem with pads as such.
The second issue is regarding the front brake pads. I expected an advisory on the front pads as the OBC was advising 1100 miles left. When I went to collect the car I mentioned this to the service manager who checked - nothing mentioned. He told me that if there was that little left on the pads there'd be nothing to see and would inevitably have been picked up. Doing a check on the system it appears the car had new discs and pads fitted all round just before I bought it (approximately 11,000 miles ago)
He advised me to come back in and they'd get the car on the ramp and check. About 100 miles later I returned only to note the OBC now read 900 miles, which has now since dropped to 700 miles which is about double the speed of the miles I'm covering so 200 miles off for every 100 miles travelled.
I have been told it would appear the sensor is faulty and the pads need replacing. (Although I have also been advised that the technician is not entirely sure this will cure the problem).
The issue seems to be indicated rate of wear is excessive and I'm also not getting the impression the guys know what the problem is. They've also tried to indicate I will be paying for the new pads, but I have disabused them of that particular notion!
Has anyone else enjoyed such a problem? The car has the remainder of its 1 year AUC warranty left (ends in December) but apparently pads do not have the same warranty as other components but I would have thought this is not a problem with pads as such.
My Father's just had his replaced on his 535D and BMW wanted £220 for the PADS ALONE!!!!!! Absolute rip off so he looked around elsewhere and got them done for around £120 locally incl fitting.
I didn't think his looked that worn to be honest, even when taking the wheel off and having a proper look but it's difficult to know on modern pads as you can't quite tell just how much there is left before the material starts to change so he just agreed to get them done. I think they'd done around 18k on his car though, being auto i guess they're a bit heavier on pads but it still seemed quite low mileage for a set of pads to last, my Mk4 Golf would do 40k on a set.
I didn't think his looked that worn to be honest, even when taking the wheel off and having a proper look but it's difficult to know on modern pads as you can't quite tell just how much there is left before the material starts to change so he just agreed to get them done. I think they'd done around 18k on his car though, being auto i guess they're a bit heavier on pads but it still seemed quite low mileage for a set of pads to last, my Mk4 Golf would do 40k on a set.
TREs - no surprise, almost an expected service item with a big, heavy car and large alloys. Make sure you had both sides done and full KDS alignment by the franchise dealer. They should give you the printed output showing toe, castor, camber etc for each wheel before and after.
Pads - I think the i-drive & sensors are pretty stingy on pad life. In my experience there is usually a fair bit of friction material left, even when the sensors say its time to change them.
However, unless you've tracked it a lot I'm very surprised at only 14k from a set.
Maybe they forgot to replace the (consumable) wear sensor, or alternatively, simpy tried to re-set the i-drive without changing anything....
I'd get them to check that all disks and pads were replaced and maybe get a copy of the invoice if they did the work. It'll have mileage and date on of course.
Pads - I think the i-drive & sensors are pretty stingy on pad life. In my experience there is usually a fair bit of friction material left, even when the sensors say its time to change them.
However, unless you've tracked it a lot I'm very surprised at only 14k from a set.
Maybe they forgot to replace the (consumable) wear sensor, or alternatively, simpy tried to re-set the i-drive without changing anything....
I'd get them to check that all disks and pads were replaced and maybe get a copy of the invoice if they did the work. It'll have mileage and date on of course.
2007 LCI 535d - Sytner Chigwell told me my front pads needed done when it was in for service and MOT last week, "2mm left" apparently. iDrive is telling me 11k miles remaining.
Quoted £330. I declined that thanks very much, I will take it to Highams Park in due course. It was only in the main dealer as first service in my ownership and I have extended BMW warranty - decided to keep servicing main to avoid any quibbles should I need to claim. Consumables I'm going elsewhere.
Quoted £330. I declined that thanks very much, I will take it to Highams Park in due course. It was only in the main dealer as first service in my ownership and I have extended BMW warranty - decided to keep servicing main to avoid any quibbles should I need to claim. Consumables I'm going elsewhere.
I seem to have the opposite issue to most...
535d: Bought the car on 45,000 miles, iDrive reported 40,000 miles left on front pads; figured they must have been replaced recently.
Car now on 89,000 miles, iDrive reports 60,000 left on front pads. No i'm not kidding, that equates to a total projected lifespan of 105,000 miles on one set of pads. I have checked the pads visually and they look virtually new.
It's not like I don't use them either, I sit in plenty of traffic (brakes on/off constantly), and give it a bit of welly when not in traffic!
Weird, but i'm, not complaining...
535d: Bought the car on 45,000 miles, iDrive reported 40,000 miles left on front pads; figured they must have been replaced recently.
Car now on 89,000 miles, iDrive reports 60,000 left on front pads. No i'm not kidding, that equates to a total projected lifespan of 105,000 miles on one set of pads. I have checked the pads visually and they look virtually new.
It's not like I don't use them either, I sit in plenty of traffic (brakes on/off constantly), and give it a bit of welly when not in traffic!
Weird, but i'm, not complaining...
Hmmm. Unfortunately there weren't any 535d's available for my budget when I picked the 530d up! I believe I will contacting the dealer again today to see what, if any, decision they've reached. The front pads don't need replacing that much is obvious, from a wear point of view, but the sensor issue is something different. The dealer is not normally this dilatory I must say and I've not normally had cause for complaint.
I just got my car serviced and the obc is saying brake pads need changed soon.the mechanic said I will have about 1-2k miles left out them but that it will be 240 quid to replace pads and discs. Is this good?? Also how much is coolant in a 525d sport 2005 model as this wasn't done in service which I find strange.
Brake pad wear has never been a problem on the 3 535Ds I've had. I think they have different brakes to the 530D. I get a local garage to fit the pads. I buy the pads from a place at Lowestoft by mail order - they're in the owners club magazine - Motormec I think they are called. I can't remember the name of the make - but they are the people that make them for BMW, so they're genuine BMW pads but in a different box. DON'T go for anything else. I had some non-BMW pads once and they were dreadful - both for performance and "feel".
Out of sync brake readings to actual mileage you do and given the pads have been visually inspected and ok is down to a sensor fault.Mostly with non genuine sensors.
Mine counted down from 38k to 2k on the fronts in a month.Just before I bought the car the brakes were changed.I noticed on the invoices I got it had brakes done at Kwikfit and then went back to BMW a few days later for a genuine sensor on the rear.Front obviously hadn't gone faulty.
You can just about see your pads through your alloys,if unsure get it on a ramp and look.
I haven't bothered changing the front sensor with mine.A visual check is good enough for me and I have loads of life in the pads left.
Mine counted down from 38k to 2k on the fronts in a month.Just before I bought the car the brakes were changed.I noticed on the invoices I got it had brakes done at Kwikfit and then went back to BMW a few days later for a genuine sensor on the rear.Front obviously hadn't gone faulty.
You can just about see your pads through your alloys,if unsure get it on a ramp and look.
I haven't bothered changing the front sensor with mine.A visual check is good enough for me and I have loads of life in the pads left.
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