How To Know When To Replace Your Brake Pads and Rotors

How to know when to replace your brake pads and rotors

In this video, I look a the oem brakes and rotors on my 2016 Subaru WRX. This is very applicable to 2015+ Subaru WRX owners and STI owners, but also one of the few so far on the channel that is for all cars!

I hope to answer the common questions:
- When do my brake rotors need to be changed?
- When do my brake pads need to be changed?
- When to change brake rotors?
- Are my brake rotors damaged?
- Resurface or replace brake rotors?

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[taz]

SINGLE video in whole youtube presenting signs of rotor damage to indicate change.
All other channels are ... "Just change them" or ... "if they don't look too bad, don't change them".
THank you!

[cookie_monsters]

I had 2 different shops telling me in the last year and a half tell me first, my back brakes need replaced, and the second shop telling me no my fronts need replaced. I just recently checked myself( im lazy) and neither need to be replaced. I'll do the work from now on. Why do shops rip people off?

[Dechieftian]

You answered my question - how can I tell I need to change the rotors? Now I know. Very well presented sir, thank you.

[jimjimdanglebun]

My 'mechanical' minded friend took a look at my car and said I didn't need my brakes replaced, they are 'fine'; just some surface rust. I don't know much about cars; this is my first one so I'm just learning everything by watching videos or reading forums.

Before even watching this video I just felt that the fact the rotors had a lip on them meant that either something was wrong or the rotors were worn.

Now I know for sure. Time to spend 2 hours trying to crack 12 year rusted on bolts!

[abdullahal-shimri]

The dealership replaced my front rotors and pads and I can immediately tell the difference. Braking is quicker and a lot smoother.

[AshleyCherv.]

Thank you. This backs up what the last mechanic told me. Want to have honest people doing good work

[abhinavparameswaran]

Wow this was actually the perfect video i needed to see lately. Thank you so much!

[David_Quinn_Photography]

thank you for sharing, my car just broke 150k and the previous owner said they just replaced the brakes ad rotors before I bought it and it seems they were honest.

[jamesbottger]

Our 2017 Mazda CX-9 still has all of the original brake parts at 68K miles. I inspected the pads and rotors by removing the calipers. Surprisingly, it still has about half of the pads left, and the rotors look good too. I don't know if I've ever had a vehicle go this long on the original brake parts without them needing to be replaced...

[losmoore]

Thabk for your video. Im trying to learn to replace my sqeeky and now grinding noise and feeling on my rear brakes on my 2011 silverado LT 1500 5.3liter. I now understand what u are saying. Im still doing more research on the subject.

[WebbanationX]

I did an emergency from Vermont to Arizona and know I had something's to do to fix my ride up a bit even before the trip. I was gonna work a bit to fix the car but found out I have to fix the car in order to work and the rear brakes were priority number one.

I'm in denial but I was hoping the shaking I seemed to have developed during the trip was uneven stud loss on my tires. Figured I could get new tires and alignment when the time was right. Got some new pads but looking at my poor system it looks like the whole thing might have to go 😢. Learned a lil bit from this vid tho, thank ya 🙏

[jjcarillo]

if you slam on your brakes every time you brake then maybe replace brake pads at 20, 000 miles. brake pads should last A LOT longer than that. i got 85, 000+ on mine. Mainly highway driving helps that too

[mrimmabreakitdown]

This is easily the best video describing in depth but easy to understand brake wear

[vernonppereira]

Loved your explanation. I purchased a brand new Honda Civic 2016. It now six and half years. The brakes still brake good, I am a careful driver. That is I don't hard brake all the time. It's over KMs. The service people tell me it's time to change the brake pads. I do not have any wobbling in the stearing. Do I have to change the rotors too?

[martinliehs]

Would be interesting to know more about rotor quality. In the Canadian rustbelt where I live, the rear disks on a 2010 Ford Fusion that I used to own would develop rusty scale on the piston side (similar to what you displayed in the video). Only thing is that I typically was driving it about 10, 000 miles/year, and I was lucky to get 2 years out of a set of rotors. I tried using Ford OEM parts, ATE coated rotors, chain store "no name" brands, all with fairly similar results. Even replacing the calipers and pins at about 40, 000 miles made no difference.

Meanwhile, I also have a 2014 Santa Fe where the OE brake parts (rotors and pads) lasted close to 60, 000 miles before getting replaced. The rotors still looked nice and clean, with little grooving or corrosion. How much of a factor do details like the backing/splash plate make?

Good video otherwise.

[faisaljaleel]

Excellent demonstration about common issues with rotors . Thanks for making very informative video, on the side note introduction could be edited to make video little shorter.

[camdentodd]

100k miles on my car brake pads and rotors still mint Toyota for ya

[FistOfTheWind]

My front pads are like the first pad shown....still got a bit of time to replace. 👍

[fndm_ymn]

When he said 20, 000 - 30, 000 miles, do i have to convert to kilometer? Because the higher the miles counted, the bigger differences when counted in kilometer.

[titanialupafae]

I love your super quick and subtle flex with your car year make and model lol Thanks for the video