Guess Why My Hybrid's Front Brakes are Nearly Worn Out at 13.5K Miles
 

Was near an Acura dealership this morning and stopped in to have the oil changed and tires rotated. The Acura Service Advisor handling my work came to me with an incredulous look and said: "Your front brake pads are worn down to only 3mm remaining and we recommend replacing at 2mm". For a moment I was taken aback as my previous 2014 RLX PAW-S had 56K miles when I traded it in and had plenty of brake pad thickness remaining.

I immediately figured out the reason. Can you guess why my front brakes are nearly worn out and the rear brakes only have 50% pad thickness remaining? Remember, this is a hybrid, my bride and I are in our 60s and not prone to doing high speed braking events.

By the way, I have already given you a context clue. Here's another clue, we bought this car used with 756 miles according to Acura's records, yet the car was never titled until we took ownership. Third clue, we got this car for an outstanding price and knowing the reason we got it for a fantastic price, I cannot mentally assign Acura the responsibility to pay the cost of the replacement front pads (it helps that the rotors look great and need no attention according the Service Advisor).

Let's have your guesses for why a hybrid, featuring regenerative braking, would have such extreme and early wearing of its brakes.

Maybe it was used for Acura's promotional track drives.......?

I know my SH has 21,000 miles, and the pads are still new......

Curious to hear the real reason.....

You are in the right area code, but not the right zip code, so to speak with your wording. Remember, I got this car for an excellent price because it was used, yet never titled. Like Obi Wan Kenobi said, pgeorg, search your feelings (words)!

No idea but I just hit 22k in my SH and as of last service still had about 7mm all around. And I am prone (at times...) to using the gusto packed into this machine of ours....

Testing vehicle?

You have definitely peaked my curiosity :)

I just crossed 58,000 miles any my pads are still measuring nearly new all around. At this rate I may never replace them. No guess on how you could have that wear already. It is weird though.

^^
The rear motors, helps us out a lot with this!

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

Yes, it was a testing vehicle. Acura bought some RLX hybrids back from dealers and took them to the Mid-America track in Ohio to do "apex testing". Methinks this was for software testing/improvements ultimately relating to the RLX hybrid, the MDX hybrid and the NSX. We owned a Lexus 400h and it simply did not wear out brake pads. When the advisor told me today's brake pad wear situation, I immediately visualized stops from 130 mph (or whatever the top speed is for a hybrid RLX). High speed braking is what is needed to wear out the bulk of the usable life in brake pads within a 750 mile operating interval.

Wow! Very cool that Acura would take the time to do this!

At least you know your SH is built very well, since it went through all of this :)

that is neat! thanks for sharing

Interesting piece. I am a little surprised Acura, knowing the history of this car, did not change the brake pads prior to turning the car back over to the profit center after testing. Even though the car had not been titled, it should have been treated as a CPO vehicle in my opinion, qualifying it for that top to bottom inspection the CPO vehicles go through. Those well worn pads may or may not have been changed. True you may have gotten a sweet deal and the piece of mind knowing your car has been put through the paces and can take a punch or two. By the way, what did they charge you for that brake job? Courtesy service?

^ agree with moose66 on the CPO brake pad replacement.

Ummmm.....

By any chance, is this a Pomegranate colored car?

: runs away :

Graphite luster, ebony interior

yeah I'd probably insist that they pay to put the pads on.
you shouldn't have to brake your wallet to slow down the spending on such a new car.
I couldn't go to bed knowing they were trying to shim me with that cost.

That may explain the sweet purchase deal, knowing they would make up their perceived loss in the service/parts department.

I appreciate your concerns and plan to tee up the payment/warranty question to the service advisor. If the answer is no, to then get Acura to pay for this repair would logically involve action on my part dealing with writing letters, making calls, butting heads with divisional supervisors, etc. Unfortunately (actually fortunately in my case), I've got way more important fish to fry and my time is too valuable to get tied up in knots about exacting justice with Acura about this type of repair cost. I understand my compatriots on this forum and applaud their actions in pursuing Acura in matters of this nature. I hope you will not think too much less of me for going my own way.

My apologies if it appears I was condemning your actions regarding your brake issue. We all manage these types of situations differently. I guess that is the beauty of having a forum such as this one, where you can view the opinions of others, as well as provide your point of view. As soon as you hit post, you have to be prepared for whatever comes next. I think all in all, 99% of us who read and advise on this forum have the best intentions, including me! If you go after them, good luck. If you decide to pick the next battle with Acura, that works too!

LOL...not at all...
I still have a HS mentality where I HAD to do work myself and the plight of the righteous...I agree...$200 ain't gonna make or brake you, not worth the headache.

I think it could be argued that Acura already "pre-paid" for the brake pad replacement in the price they gave wstr75 for the car. $49K for an Advance RLX Sport Hybrid with 700 miles on it was a steal of a deal and that kind of deal at least implies an "as is" arrangement. That said, you may still get some cost relief from the dealer when you bring up the issue there - especially if the dealer does the leg work for you and gets Acura corporate involved. Good luck.

I would just change to some cmax gold from autozone which are guaranteed for life INCLUDING wearing down!
Call it a day.

Well, then, it's certainly not my fault!

:-)

:ohsnap:

:what: