Hi everyone! It's time to replace the brake pads on my 2017 RDX. The dealership of course is expensive and told me that if I buy "after market pads" that they will be loud and won't last on my car. I have always purchased Autozone's top pads with a lifetime warranty for my VW Tiguan. My mechanic would toss the old pads in the box and I would stick them on a shelf in my garage. When it was time for brake pads, I would walk in to the store, swap them out, buy some oil and a filter and take everything to the mechanic. IF I buy these same brake pads for my Acura RDX will I regret it, or should I just order Acura pads from Bernardi Acura parts?
Thanks in advance if you can share your experiences.

 

The forum where you originally posted, the AcuraZine User Help, Support & Suggestions Area , is meant for problems, comments, and suggestions for the website itself, so I moved your thread to the car specific forum applicable to your vehicle.

This was explained in the sticky thread at the top of that forum, or click here if you can't find it, which will explain why you shouldn't have posted your thread there.

 

I'm not sure why but I've had nothing but issues with my brakes. I'm pretty sure I had OEM pads, rotors, and calipers still installed when I purchased my 2013 RDX 2 years ago. I've had all my brakes go bad once and I had my mechanic (who is a family friend of many decades and uses good parts) replace almost everything and he only charged me $975. Now after a year (maybe even less) my front end shutters when I brake at highway speeds mainly. The OEM parts for the brakes have a bad reputation because they tend to fail quickly on Hondas and Acuras. I'd personally rather go with a quality aftermarket set of pads and anything else you need to replace.

 

You might as well be speaking Greek to me lol..... It took me bloody forever to figure out how to post that question, sorry & thanks for getting it in the right spot for me!

 

The OEM brake parts are as good if not better than any aftermarket parts. Proper installation is the key. If you want to go aftermarket to save a few dollars, that's your choice. There are plenty of quality aftermarket parts that will work just fine......as long as they are installed properly. OEM will maintain the original braking of the vehicle. If you want to change it, go aftermarket.

Good luck.

 

When I had a TL, I had one of the retail chains put a set of Wagner pads on and they worked fine. Kept the original rotors and no issues.

Every Acura and Honda I have owned has had problems with rotor warpage. In part, could be the wheels getting over torqued.

I am now in the market for pads and rotors for the same RDX as you have and am going to get the Wagners. The purists on this board like Akibonos (spelled wrong no doubt). Was going to have the rear brakes serviced (cleaned, lubed...) when I get the new front ones.

 

I am sure that Nate's experience is real. Just as an example at the other end of the spectrum, since 1989 I have owned a 1984 Civic Hatchback, a 1986 Civic Wagon, a 2001 Odyssey (bought new, put on over 200,000 miles), a 2003 Accord (bought new, put on over 200,000 miles), a 2004 Accord Coupe (bought with 46,000 miles, sold with over 200,000 miles), a 2004 CRV (bought used for daughter, put on over 150,000 miles), and my current 2014 RDX Tech, bought with 115,000 miles, now at 134,000 miles on the clock.

I have never replaced a rotor in any of them, nor needed to.

I say this to point out that it it may be due to location/climate, it may be due to how the lugs are torqued, it may be due to good/bad luck, it may be due to a number of other things, but the problem with rotors is not due to a manufacturing process problem, or a general problem with Hondas due to sourcing materials.

If some of the above vehicles and mileage look sketchy, the 2001 Odyssey was for my wife, in 2008 I gave the 2003 Accord to my older daughter and bought he 2004 Accord, I bought the 2004 CRV for my younger daughter and she loved it. The wife (now ex) now has a 2020 CRV, the younger daughter now has a 2017 CRV, and the older daughter now has a Toyota Camry.

YMMV.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
Police officer: there’s a dead body in your basement.
Schrödinger, sighing: Well, there is now.

 

Having had Honda vehicles my whole like you can never go wrong with akebono pads and a quality set of rotors.. I am currently using akebonos and acdelco coated rotors.

Interesting that the rdx is one of my the only Honda vehicles that uses Advics for their oem pads. I have found that the Advics do provide a stronger Initial bite but are noisy and produce a pad squeel when letting off the breaks from a stop. Akebonos are very smooth and provide good modulation. They are both available from rockauto.

 

Dave, if climate is the issue then clearly the cold makes the rotors last longer, ha! I suspect over torquing is a contributing factor but beyond the multiple RDXs, TLs there have been Hondas in our family too with the same issue and at multiple dealers. I hate when they use the air wrench but if they do and set it to a lower torque and finish with a torque wrench, no problems but that is slower and at the dealer at least, all about speed.

Do you turn your rotors and is there a point (# times turned) or age that you would replace them? I know partially depending on how much material they machine off. Thanks,

 

Well, as far as the climate, almost all of the miles I mentioned above were driven while my family was living just outside of Montgomery, AL (I was there 32 years, having gone there in the Air Force in the seventies). We were all aware of fuel economy, we we tended to stay off the brakes, though.

I distinctly remember getting the rotors turned on the Odyssey, at least once (at the dealer...) I don't recall doing so on any of the other vehicles.

I suppose my examples are still a pretty small number of miles in the big picture. It is certainly possible that Honda has cheaped out in general on brake rotors, and it's possible that I have gotten lucky.; I have certainly been lucky enough in lots of other ways. I will add that while I didn't had work done on my cars very often (that's why I buy Hondas...), I always re-torque the wheels if they are pulled. I don't even check 'em, I just loosen 'em up and torque 'em myself.

Here's to better luck with Honda brakes for all of us!


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
"When people ask you what happened here, tell them the North remembers. Tell them Winter came for House Frey." -- Arya Stark

 

I do some basic maintenance to the cars myself but in my infinite wisdom, I never thought of buying a torque wrench which should have been obvious to me to do so. Any suggestions on a good torque wrench that is reasonably priced? I am sure the SanpOn ones are great, but I don't think I would need anything on that level. Thanks,

 

I have three (different sizes and ranges) that I bought, one at a time, at Harbor Freight. They seem to be accurate and have not failed me yet. Some folks are not comfortable with the quality of Harbor Freight tools (I don't blame them), but I have generally been pleased with how they work, and am OK with how long they last. As always, YMMV.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others. ~ Benjamin Franklin

 

Thank you for your input. What pads are you using?

 

Hi All,

I have a 2021 RDX A Spec. I love the vehicle but the brakes suck!! Are there any aftermarket sets you would recommend for the upgrade? I would love larger discs and at least 4 piston calipers. Hoping someone has some personal experience with this.
Appreciate the help!!