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Brake pads are perhaps the most important safety feature in our cars, so it’s vital to understand them.

Here we run through the different types of brake pad, how to make them last longer, how to replace them yourself and much more.

Brake pads

A typical vehicle braking system consists of a pair of brake pads, a brake disc and a brake calliper for each wheel. 

The pads are fitted in the calliper with their friction material almost touching the two sides of the brake disc.

When the brake pedal is pressed, hydraulic fluid in the calliper pushes each brake pad against each side of the rotating brake disc. This results in friction which slows down and eventually stops the vehicle.

When you think of the number of times this simple action takes place every day, week, month and year – it's no surprise that brake pads suffer gradual wear, so they need replacing regularly.

How long do brake pads last?

There are no hard and fast rules on this. A set of brake pads can last from anywhere between 30,000 and 70,000 miles – possibly more.

A major factor in the lifespan of the pads is down to the way the vehicle is driven.

What factors can affect how long your brake pads last?

It's worth taking into account the following factors to give you an idea of how long your brake pads might last.

Where you drive

If a lot of your driving is done on the motorway, you might find your brake pads last longer than if you drive more around inner cities and on shorter journeys.

That’s because urban journeys require more stopping and starting at traffic lights, roundabouts and junctions – so your brakes are used far more often than when cruising along on a motorway.

The weight of your car

Another factor in brake pad wear is the weight regularly being carried by the vehicle, e.g. four or five passengers, fully loaded boot, towing a caravan etc. When the vehicle is lighter it’s easier to slow down and stop with less braking effort required.

A vehicle used by a 5-person family is obviously heavier than say, one used by a couple – so stopping it in the same amount of time requires greater pressure and puts more strain on brake pads. 

Type of brake pads

The type of pads you can have in your vehicle also vary in durability:

• Organic brake pads are generally the cheapest but have a shorter life span
• Low metallic brake pads can be noisy, but have a slightly longer life expectancy than organic
• Semi-metallic or sintered brake pads use fused metal particles such as copper and bronze along with other materials. Although they offer excellent braking performance and have a long life expectancy they may wear brake discs down quicker than other pads 
• Ceramic brake pads last longer than other materials and are more resistant to wear. The drawback is that these are also more expensive than others

How many miles you cover

Although it fluctuates based on the type of road you’re on: the more miles you put in, the more you use your brakes and the faster your brake pads wear out. It's as simple as that.

Usually, front brake pads will wear out faster than those at the rear because the front handles more of the braking load.

When to replace brake pads

Never ignore brake pads that need replacing. Most vehicles are fitted with wear sensors to detect when front or rear brake pads are getting critically low. However, there are other signs to look out for too.

The most obvious indication is a brake pad wear warning light such as the one above.

It will show on the car's display board to indicate that at least one set of pads is almost worn out and a replacement needs to be fitted. 

However, not all cars are equipped with brake pad sensors. If your car doesn't have them, you must make sure the pads are inspected and checked by a professional regularly.

Services will assess the condition of brake pads but at other times, listen and look for the possible flaws mentioned below.

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If you can hear a loud screeching sound when braking it's a real warning sign that new brake pads are needed, or at least the current ones require inspection.

If you hear a grinding noise, it's likely the brake pads have been worn down completely. If this happens you should not drive the vehicle and arrange for the brakes to be checked and replaced as soon as possible.

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It's sometimes possible to look at the brake pads for wear and tear. 

Depending on the vehicle model, you may be able to see the outer pad by looking through the spokes of the wheel – the outer pad will be pressed against the brake disc.

There should be at least 3mm of pad visible. If you see anything less, get the brake pads inspected. 

This is the kind of check you should be getting during a car service, but be aware that some unscrupulous garages might be skipping the removal of your wheel to check, so use a garage you trust, or use a RAC Mobile Mechanic. 

While braking, if the vehicle feels as if it pulls to one side, then it's likely that a brake fault exists. 

Uneven pad wear will be caused by an imbalance in braking efficiency, which needs to be checked and rectified.

There are ways of making brake pads last longer:

1. Be aware of traffic and anticipate potential braking situations – apply brakes steadily and gradually instead of suddenly slamming them on
2. Avoid high-speed driving – sudden braking puts brake pads under extra pressure
3. Accelerate gently as heavy, sudden braking increases wear and tear – driving responsibly can reduce damage and contribute to a longer life span
4. Drive light – you can’t always avoid having passengers, but you can unload anything in the vehicle that isn't required for a particular journey. Clear out the boot, remove an unused roof rack, that kind of thing

Replacing brake pads yourself requires a good level of mechanical knowledge – it's not like checking tyre pressure or topping up oil levels.

This is work that must be carried out by someone who is competent and confident – remember that brake pads are a critical part which, if fitted incorrectly, could lead to brake failure and severe consequences.

You should change brake pads in sets, for example front wheels together and back wheels together. Follow these steps to replace your brake pads:

1. remove your wheel – use a jack to safely lift your car on a level surface, you may want to use axle stands for extra safety
2. remove the guide pin bolt – use a spanner to hold the guide pin, and unscrew and remove the bolt
3. remove brake pads – unbolt the callipers before removing the clips, holding the brake pads and their mounting brackets 
4. inspect the brake disc – make sure you check the brake disc for damage too
5. tighten the clamp – allow pressure in the system to escape by removing the top from the brake fluid reservoir – watch for overflowing liquid as you tighten the clamp
6. apply lubricant – add copper grease to the edges and backs of the new brake pads while avoiding contact with the friction linings
7. fit brake pads – fit the new pads into the mounting bracket, the callipers should slip over the new, thicker pads once they’re put back into place. Then refit and secure the calliper
8. test them out – once you’ve fitted the new pads press on the brake pedal a few times to check that they make contact with the disc. You may need to top-up your brake fluid too

As with brake pads, life expectancy of brake discs will differ from vehicle to vehicle.

Sometimes, both pads and discs will need changing and replacing at the same time, though generally discs will outlast pads.

Front brake discs will eventually get too thin, which could result in overheating and loss of efficiency. The required thickness of a brake disc is dictated by the manufacturer.

Although you should aim to replace brake discs along with brake pads, you can keep an eye or ear out for the following signs:

• a warning light should illuminate when there is a problem somewhere in the braking system
• a loud screeching can occur as a result of rust build-up on the discs, however the damage should wear off after driving 
• bad vibrations could indicate warped discs that the naked eye may struggle to recognise
• longer braking times can indicate wear and tear to the disc and pads
• grinding sounds are usually made when your pads become worn, the damaged parts will accelerate wear and tear to brake discs

Your ideal brake pads will depend on your driving style and the conditions that you keep and drive your car in. You’ll need to consider the following:

Organic brakes are perfectly suitable for smaller cars and a great option if you’re looking for something eco-friendly and easy on your discs, however, their shorter lifespan may not suit your needs.

Larger, more powerful car owners may want to fit metallic pads for their improved stopping power but should be aware that they’re usually louder than other materials. 

Ceramic brakes are perfect for high-performance, long-lasting and near-silent braking, but come with an expensive price tag.

Most drivers won’t have to worry about the temperature of their brakes, especially those that avoid heavy or sudden braking. 

However, if you enjoy taking your car on a track day, or know that you tend to brake late, you may want to consider pads designed to withstand higher temperatures.

If you’re planning on fitting brake pads yourself you’ll want to check how difficult the job could be. Some manufacturers include the bare essentials with their pads, while others add extras to avoid having to find and buy additional hardware.

Although damaged brake pads often give off a screeching sound, perfectly good pads can also be noisy. Metallic pads tend to be the loudest, followed by organic pads. 

If the sound of braking really grates on you, ceramic pads are a near-silent option. 

If you want to avoid cleaning brake dust from your wheels, ceramic pads are your best option. However, they can prove expensive and you may want to go for organic brake pads that give off slightly more debris.

It may be tempting to buy cheaper parts to save on costs, however, the budget option may end up more expensive over time. Look out for quality pads that offer more value for money by avoiding the need to buy and fit replacements.

As they make up part of the most important safety feature of our cars, the braking system is thoroughly checked during an MOT test. This includes brake pads, brake discs, and callipers.

Brake pads with a thickness of 3 millimetres or under should be replaced.

There are a number of methods for checking your brake pad thickness with your wheel attached to the car, but the most accurate way will involve removing your tyre. You should:

• remove your wheel – use a jack to safely lift your car on a level surface, you may want to use axle stands for extra safety
• inspect the brake pads – they should be visible through the edge of the calliper and easily measured
• reinstall the wheels – fix them back in position, making sure you tighten lug nuts before lowering the jack