3.0 CRD - Brake Pad Wear Indication

Stargate Sentinel said:

Does anyone know if the 3.0 CRD Commander has any indication / warning for brake pad wear. (I.e. The brake pads are getting low) ? Or is it just a question of visually checking them?

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Big Blue said:

None that I'm aware of @Stargate Sentinel .

I'm fairly certain, that all brake pads have a wire sensor, that are within the actual brake pad itself.

As the brake pad wears down to the point where it's low on pad material & needs to be changed, the wire sensor becomes exposed & makes physical contact with the rotor, which creates a very high-pitched, squeaking/squealing sound when you apply the brakes.

So, if you hit your brakes and hear a very high-pitched squeaking/squealing sound, that's a very good indicator, that it's time to have your brake pads changed.

Short of that, the only other thing you can do is, pull of your wheels & visually inspect your brake pads, to see how much material they have left on them.

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Stargate Sentinel said:

Thanks 'Big Blue' for your prompt and detailed response, I'll bear all that in mind. I am very surprised though that there's no electronic warning of low pad wear on a car so technically complex as the Commander is 😏

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Big Blue said:

To be honest with you @Stargate Sentinel , I don't know of any vehicle that has an electronic warning system for low brake pad wear.

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Stargate Sentinel said:

Thanks for your reply Big Blue. Brake pad sensors are fitted to Cadillac and Chevrolet cars I believe, also to Mercedes Benz, BMW, Porsche and Audi.
The pads have an embedded 'capsule' containing the insulated ends of two wires. The wires exit the pad as a pigtail lead which plugs in to a connector near the brake caliper.
When the embedded capsule in the pad wears through, the rotor shorts the ends of the two wires, completing the circuit and brings up an alarm or warning symbol on the dashboard.
I've owned several BMW's and Mercedes with these pads fitted.
I'm surprised the Commander doesn't have this feature, it wouldn't have cost a lot to have included this in the design 😏

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Stargate Sentinel said:

Thanks for your reply Big Blue. Brake pad sensors are fitted to Cadillac and Chevrolet cars I believe, also to Mercedes Benz, BMW, Porsche and Audi.
The pads have an embedded 'capsule' containing the insulated ends of two wires. The wires exit the pad as a pigtail lead which plugs in to a connector near the brake caliper.
When the embedded capsule in the pad wears through, the rotor shorts the ends of the two wires, completing the circuit and brings up an alarm or warning symbol on the dashboard.
I've owned several BMW's and Mercedes with these pads fitted.
I'm surprised the Commander doesn't have this feature, it wouldn't have cost a lot to have included this in the design 😏

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