original rear brakes at 120k miles

[jeffg]

'08 rogue, awd. I'm the original owner. The first brake job was at 70k miles and replaced the front rotors and pads, but the service guy said the rear brakes were "like new." when questioned on this, he stated that the rear brakes only get used when the rear of the car is weighed down from back seat passengers or cargo. Since I rarely have either, I accepted the explanation. Now at 120k I took the car in for a second brake job. The service guy said only the front pads needed replacing. He didn't have an explanation for why the original rear brakes still didn't need replacing.

Any ideas? Is it normal for the rear brakes to go over 120k before needing to be replaced?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[ImStricken06]

he stated that the rear brakes only get used when the rear of the car is weighed down from back seat passengers or cargo.

total crap. all of your brakes are used every time you press the pedal. since the weight lurches forward, the front brakes are actually taking on a larger responsibility and have more pressure from the fluid. the rear brakes dont need as much, or they would lock up and skid. so in theory the rear brakes dont work as hard as the fronts, but they certainly work. the rear brakes are also whats doing the suspension pre-load stabilization when the car lurches forward. trust me, there is no car that works the way dummy described in his reply to you.

Now at 120k I took the car in for a second brake job. The service guy said only the front pads needed replacing. He didn't have an explanation for why the original rear brakes still didn't need replacing. Any ideas? Is it normal for the rear brakes to go over 120k before needing to be replaced?

i have a feeling your rear brake calipers are seized and dont move = thus not wearing the brake pads down. the next brake service you should have, ask them to check the rear calipers to see if the piston is seized. that could explain your issues. i have had my Nissan Maxima's calipers seize in the outward position, and create air bubbles in my brake lines- that ended up creating a 'loss of brake pedal pressure' on a highway. i found all of the problems out, when i slowly drove home after rebuilding brake pressure.

yours might be seized in the closed position, and not creating any brake pressure issues - but still they are seized(if they in fact are)


questions:
1. do you drive on the highway at all? if so- whats your fastest speed, and how often?
2. are you a 'grandpa' driver? and be honest, because this could be an answer as to why your wearing your brakes so slowly.
3. do you only do 'city' style driving, where speeds are kept at an extreme minimum?

[Qashqai]

From the Factory Service Manual, Section MA, Page 35-36:

FRONT
Brake pad
Standard thickness 11.0 (0.433)
Wear limit thickness 2.0 (0.079)
Disc rotor
Standard thickness 26.0 (1.024)
Wear limit thickness 24.0 (0.945)

REAR
Brake pad
Standard thickness 8.5 (0.335)
Wear limit thickness 1.5 (0.059)
Disc rotor
Standard thickness 16.0 (0.630)
Wear limit thickness 14.0 (0.551)

Unit: mm (in)

[jeffg]

thanks for the replies. Just to follow-up a bit, I do a lot of freeway driving, if I had to guess, I would say 70%. I don't think I am grand-ma driver. The car was actually at the dealer when I made the first post. The dealer had just called and explained that the rear pads were at 5mm. I asked that they double check to see if there was anything wrong. Now I have heard back again and they assure me that the back brakes are functioning fine.

my new theory is that the rear brakes were not functioning prior to the 70k brake job. Either the service tech on his own initiative resolved the issue at that time, or simply the act of inspecting the brakes resolved the issue. Since there is some evidence of wear, I suspect it occurred entirely between 70k and 120k.

[ImStricken06]

Either the service tech on his own initiative resolved the issue at that time, or simply the act of inspecting the brakes resolved the issue. Since there is some evidence of wear, I suspect it occurred entirely between 70k and 120k.

impossible. brakes dont simply 'seize'. once they seize, they need to be replaced. brakes operate around 1,000psi - trust me, if they are seized and 1000psi doesnt move it, nothing will.

[ImStricken06]

do you do a lot of coasting prior to applying your brakes, to get off the highway? i think your just one of those people that just doesnt his/her brakes in an aggressive manor - or drives a commute that has a small frequency of brake applications on your commute.

[rickrogue]

'08 rogue, awd. I'm the original owner. The first brake job was at 70k miles and replaced the front rotors and pads, but the service guy said the rear brakes were "like new." when questioned on this, he stated that the rear brakes only get used when the rear of the car is weighed down from back seat passengers or cargo. Since I rarely have either, I accepted the explanation. Now at 120k I took the car in for a second brake job. The service guy said only the front pads needed replacing. He didn't have an explanation for why the original rear brakes still didn't need replacing.

Any ideas? Is it normal for the rear brakes to go over 120k before needing to be replaced?

Thanks for any suggestions!

i've seen FACTORY BRAKES last that long or longer. your question is, Is it normal? Yes, but to a point. the life of brakes is determine by how much you use it and it varies on the driving condition and the "manufacturing of those parts"

[ImStricken06]

iv seen crazy things too. it MUST be your careful driving style. keep it up and dont change!! its saving you money lol