How Long Do Car Brakes Last?

How long do car brakes last? Well, it depends on how much you drive. Those wondering “How many miles do brakes last?” will get a more useful answer, but 25,000 to 65,000 miles is still an enormous margin. At the end of the day, how you drive can have a very significant impact on your brake life. The type of brakes you’ve chosen for your vehicle will also play a role. If you’d like to maximize your brake life on Providence streets, you’ve come to the right place. Our service team can help you get more value out of every mile.

How Many Miles Do Brakes Last?

On average, brake pads are engineered to last for around 50,000 miles–but different types of brake pads can be expected to last for different lengths of time. It’s always a good idea to check your owner’s manual for a recommendation, but you should also be familiar with each of the three main varieties:

• Non-metallic organic brake pads have the shortest lifespan, but they’re also the quietest!
• Semi-metallic brake pads are the most common, and they offer a balance between cost and durability.
• Ceramic brake pads can be expected to last the longest. They’re also the most expensive.

Remember that regular brake service (and regular checks of your brake fluid) can help to ensure a longer life for the brake pads on your Mercedes-Benz. In certain cases, they may even last for 80,000 miles or more! Of course, no matter how long your brake pads can last, it’s a good idea to keep up with any and all replacement recommendations in your owner’s manual. You can always pick up new, OEM-approved brake pads at our Warwick parts center.

What Factors Affect Brake Pad Life?

The most important factors affecting brake pad life have to do with the driver’s behavior:

• Coasting: Those who accelerate more gently and coast to a stop will enjoy longer-lasting brake pads than those who are always slamming on the brakes.
• Highway Driving: City driving almost always requires more braking than highway driving. If you don’t commute through traffic, your brakes will probably last for more miles.
• Tire Quality: It’s also important to note that driving on tires with poor traction forces your braking system to work a lot harder. Keep up with tire service to preserve your brakes!

Why Does My Car Shake When I Brake?

What are the signs of brake pads that need to be replaced? In most cases, you’ll notice that your vehicle shakes while braking! In more advanced cases, that shake will evolve into a very unpleasant screech, which signals that your brake pads have worn down completely. In these cases, you risk doing permanent damage to the brake rotors. If your vehicle takes longer to come to a stop than it used to, schedule brake service at the earliest opportunity.Of course, there are other reasons that a vehicle may shake while braking. Since these problems can be very serious, it’s never an issue you’ll want to ignore:

• Advanced uneven tire wear
• Unbalanced wheels
• Front-end alignment problems
• Steering system breakdowns
• Axle shaft damage
• Loose lug nuts

If you notice that your vehicle shakes while braking, our service team will run through all the possibilities to identify the problem.

Have Your Brakes Inspected and Serviced at Mercedes-Benz of Warwick

We’re glad to be able to offer a wide range of Mercedes-Benz parts and service specials to our neighbors in East Greenwich and Cranston. Whether you’re caring for newer brakes or you’ve determined that it’s time for a new set, we’d love to help you out today!