I own a 2005 TL MT at ~23,000 miles. I have I noticed that my brakes were squealing with light application.

While surfing these forums, I came across a service bulletin that mentioned that as an issue.

When I took it in to my Acura dealership to have it fixed via warranty, they said that the brakes were down to 1mm and that this means the squealing was due to wear-and-tear, not to a manufacture's defect; hence, it's not covered by warranty. Now they're saying that I have to have them replaced because state inspections (Virginia) mandate a 2 or 3mm minimum thickness for brake pads. It's gonna cost me something like $460!

Is this true about the brakes not being covered by warranty?
Anyone know if 1mm is a thickness I should be worried about?
Is that a reasonable price for the service?

 

If your pad depth was actually that low, then yes, the brake noise was most likely a result of normal wear, not a defect. If they're that low, then definitely get them replaced, but you're not obligated to pay dealer prices. If you don't want to do it yourself you can always find a local shop.

 

There are alternatives if that's what you want, but it doesn't matter if you think the dealership is being reasonable. If they charge $460, then it's $460, know what I mean? But you can get service at another shop that specializes in Hondas/Acuras or purchase some Brembos online and take them somewhere to have them installed.

Or you can buy a comparable product from one of our vendors that sells Rotora rotors who has specials:

https://acurazine.com/forums/sponsored-sales-group-buys-10/rotora-slotted-drilled-slotted-rotors-special-cl-tl-tsx-324531/

Good luck!

 

You can also try Marcus in our mrheeltoe vendor:

https://acurazine.com/forums/members/mrheeltoe-162175/

 

BY LAW- shops that find brakes below the minimum allowable- in our case its 2 mil worth of pad material remaining- they cannot let the car leave the shop on its own power- danger to other drivers!
So you can tow it away or have them fix it

As soon as you hear noise from the brakes get it checked
Not a few months afterwards when its really bad and now you have trashed the rotors too.

 

The squealing noise was apparently the wear sensor on the outer pad. It's just a metal tab that contacts the rotors surface once the pads get so thin.

New pads from Acura cost about $150 (make sure to get the 07 version you saw in the TSB) and can be swapped in very easily with the instructions found here ----> click me

All you will need is some Molykote M77 grease for the backs of the pads and to look up some creative techniques on how to push back the 4-pistons in the calipers without honda's special tool.

If the rotors are not very flat & smooth, it would be a good idea to get them cut at your local mechanics shop. If you don't get the rotors cut, the brakes are gonna suck when you first install the pads. To fix this its gonna require a typical bed-in procedure. This consists of 10 consecutive medium pressure decelerations from 60mph to 10mph followed by a 15 minute cooling period where the car is kept moving constantly (no stopping with the brakes applied). Then follow that up with a second set of 10 hard pressure decelerations from 60mph to 10mph pressure decelerations followed again by a 15 minute cooling period without stopping the car.