i've always thought that brakes on a car were only used for the front and the rear brakes are the e-brakes for when your car is parked.

my fiancee's wrx was metal to metal at the rear brakes. i noticed a grinding sound on regular braking. turns out i needed to get the rear rotors and pads replaced. i had only replaced the front before.

Will the TL have the same result??
i've had my 6mt car for 3 years with 62,000 miles on it. i changed the front pads once, but never the rear > thinking that since the car is parked and not moving the rear brakes isn't wearing down like the front.

questions.....

are all four brakes braking when i step on the brakes?
when would be a good time to change the rear?
where is the cheapest place to get rear pads?
if my rotors are messed up in the rear, would it really matter to get them replaced? or just replacing the pads are good enough ?


i feel dumb askin these questions..
but help me out

thanks

 

1. Yes. About 30% of the braking power is in the rear
2.Replace them whenever they are worn. The rear brakes last about twice as long as the front
3.If they are messed up then it might be a good idea to replace them. The rear rotors aren't that expensive

Edit: I forgot to mention that the parking brake assembly is inside the hub

 

the parking brake- lets not even consider it an EMERGENCY brake, is a set of miniature
old-school drum brakes- located inside the center hub of the rear rotor, the part right behind the wheel...
its just big enough to hold the car in park- without allowing severe strain on the transmission gears- like on a hill.
They can wear out too- if you back down the driveway with the park brakes on!
It even makes the rear brake job more expensive for labor time because you have to adjust the park brakes very carefully with the new rotors, or even the old ones.
Too tight and they will affect gas mileage!!

All normal brakes have a warning system- on the TL and most cars its a simple metal piece that extends to the pads minimum thickness so when you push the brake pedal, a high pitched squeel is heard. Thats the warning to look at them soon!
Ignoring that noise only makes things worse and usually results in new rotors

You dont really believe that the fronts are for stopping and the rears for parking??!!??
thats hilarious~
and deserves a reminder to read the owner manual-- to understand all the cars cool features and normal operations and special safety things it will do to outthink you!!
click year then model for your free copy download
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/...01_OMANUAL.asp

At least the TL has a seperate system, some cars use the rear disc brakes as the park brake too- its funky and not good to put hot parts together under pressure

 

you are probably close to the 2nd set of fronts on the 6mt car-- and now it will need rotors and pads
For the price of dealer items (be sitting down when you call the parts dept and ask them)- many ziners switch to Rotora rotors and matched pads
See our sponsoring vendor Excelerate for them. Good product~

 

This is so grade school but there is no such thing as a dumb question. The desire to learn more is to be commended no matter how simple it may be for others.

I have a fairly extensive automotive background but I still learn new things about cars all the time.

D

 

I drive mostly highway miles and have 72K on an 04TL. I had the rear pads/rotors replaced at 61K. At the time, the dealer said the front pads were still at 60%. I asked if it was odd that the rears went first and he said no. I have heard that the salt used to clear the snow has something to do with the rears going first, but not sure why. I'm having the fronts checked next week because I just started noticing a slight pulsation.

I would have thought the fronts would go first but not in my case. Any thoughts on why?

 

Beause the tech didnt actually do a proper brake inspection?
Happens all the time- they do a visual and come up with a percentage- but is that of pad depth remaining until at the minimum thickness??- or that they look ok for now???, or....
IF no actual pad depth measures are given- its hogwash
Salt causes what??
Pulsation in fronts-- its going to be expensive!!! Let us know if there was ANY meat on the pads or if metal on metal!!!