# Brake Pads Idiot Light



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

The pad sensors work by the sensor rubbing on the rotor when the pad gets very thin and breaking teh circuit.

This is NOT a fail safe design. If the sensor falls out of the pad, the light stays off and never comes on.

It doesn't come on until the pads are WAY low.

Pads and rotors aren't that expensive, just do them.


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## EdCT (Mar 14, 2002)

Plaz said:


> I know my brakes are near the end of their life. My rotors have been lipped for quite awhile now. But the idiot light has not yet illuminated, and there's no godawful squealing, so I think I'll have a tough time getting a BMW dealership service department to cover a brake job under the free maintenance plan.
> 
> I'm driving cross-country in a month, and don't want to have to stop for a brake job mid-way.
> 
> ...


If you're driving through the mountains, get your brakes done.

Ed


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## Salvator (Oct 14, 2003)

I have the extended maintenance plan, which includes brake pads and rotors... They will replace the brake pads and rotors assuming the brake pad warning light comes on... Has anyone ever taken their car in to the dealer for state inspection, and found that the pads / rotors were below spec, and were unable to get the dealer to cough up the new pads and rotors, even though the light was not yet on? Just wondering, so I can steel myself for that inevitability...


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## Mpire (Mar 28, 2003)

It will take you all of 20 minutes to change your pads, so just do it yourself.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Salvator said:


> I have the extended maintenance plan, which includes brake pads and rotors... They will replace the brake pads and rotors assuming the brake pad warning light comes on... Has anyone ever taken their car in to the dealer for state inspection, and found that the pads / rotors were below spec, and were unable to get the dealer to cough up the new pads and rotors, even though the light was not yet on? Just wondering, so I can steel myself for that inevitability...


 Just had my car in for the "low rpm stall" problem, and wanted hem to check the rotors since on my previous visit (for the replace pads idiot light coming on) they said I was very close to minimum. When I requested that they check the rotors again the SA said "they will not check/replace rotors unless the idiot light comes on again, it is a regular service interval, or I report a braking problem". Argh! And I just got off the phone call from the post-service-telephone-survey and I'll bet you can guess what kind of numbers I gave 'em. We'll just have to see if that gets anyone's attention.

Now, I have heard anecdotal evidence that what happened to me has also happened to others, but also that there are some good SAs and service departments that are not so cheap azz as mine seems to be.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

operknockity said:


> there are some good SAs and service departments that are not so cheap azz as mine seems to be.


Bring your car to Center BMW in Sherman Oaks - yeah, it's far, but they've never given me this kind of :bs: - just stay away from Scott, the other SAs are cool, especially Steve and Bill.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Raffi said:


> Bring your car to Center BMW in Sherman Oaks - yeah, it's far, but they've never given me this kind of :bs: - just stay away from Scott, the other SAs are cool, especially Steve and Bill.


 I'll keep that in mind for the future. Problem will be, though, that Sherman Oaks is too far from where I work/live for a courtesy ride to/from, so I'd either need a loaner, have to rent, or have to arrange for one or more coworkers to give me lifts.

For now, I'm gonna see what happens with BevHills since I gave 'em really low scores on the service satisfaction telephone survey and said that I was not given the proper maintenance that comes with the car which might make the car unsafe to drive. Let's see if the SA or the service manager calls me back and tries to make it right.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

operknockity said:


> For now, I'm gonna see what happens with BevHills since I gave 'em really low scores on the service satisfaction telephone survey and said that I was not given the proper maintenance that comes with the car which might make the car unsafe to drive. Let's see if the SA or the service manager calls me back and tries to make it right.


I can almost guarantee they won't give a rat's @ss, since they get to kick out some of the lowest scores they earn when their average score is calculated. Just try another stealer in your area.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Raffi said:


> I can almost guarantee they won't give a rat's @ss, since they get to kick out some of the lowest scores they earn when their average score is calculated. Just try another stealer in your area.


 I'm sure you are correct in that nothing will happen. But not much is gonna happen today anyway. I'll measure the rotors at the TS (hint hint... bring your micrometer) and go from there, faster if the rotors are very close to or under minimum thickness, and slower if not.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

operknockity said:


> I'm sure you are correct in that nothing will happen. But not much is gonna happen today anyway. I'll measure the rotors at the TS (hint hint... bring your micrometer) and go from there, faster if the rotors are very close to or under minimum thickness, and slower if not.


When's the TS? 5th? Same place as usual?

I'm thinking DIY brake job, if someone will help walk me through it.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Plaz said:


> When's the TS? 5th? Same place as usual?
> 
> I'm thinking DIY brake job, if someone will help walk me through it.


 The next TS is this Sunday at Casa Sergio. I don't think we have a schedule for the next one other than just before O'fest so folks an tech their cars for the O'fest car control clinic, autox and driving school.

If you do it, I wanna watch/help as it looks like I'm gonna be doing my own sooner than later.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

operknockity said:


> The next TS is this Sunday at Casa Sergio. I don't think we have a schedule for the next one other than just before O'fest so folks an tech their cars for the O'fest car control clinic, autox and driving school.
> 
> If you do it, I wanna watch/help as it looks like I'm gonna be doing my own sooner than later.


Oh, thanks, but this Sunday doesn't work. I'll be up in Santa Barbara. Oh well.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Plaz said:


> Oh, thanks, but this Sunday doesn't work. I'll be up in Santa Barbara. Oh well.


 Priorites are a bitch, huh


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

operknockity said:


> Priorites are a bitch, huh


Yeah, that and in-laws. :eeps: :rofl:


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

operknockity said:


> If you do it, I wanna watch/help as it looks like I'm gonna be doing my own sooner than later.


You can watch me install the pads on JamesItalia's car.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

Dave 330i said:


> The compromised solution is to get the rotors and the pads and put them in your trunk just in case you need a brake job, and the shop doesn't have the parts available.


 Sometimes you really are the king of common sense, Dave. :thumbup:


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Plaz said:


> Sometimes you really are the king of common sense, Dave. :thumbup:


Don't tell him that.... He'll just come back and delete the posting with the good advice :rofl:
(At least you could have quoted the essential info from his post for posterity).


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## DrewM (Sep 2, 2002)

Raffi said:


> Bring your car to Center BMW in Sherman Oaks - yeah, it's far, but they've never given me this kind of :bs: - just stay away from Scott, the other SAs are cool, especially Steve and Bill.


I'll second the kudos to Center BMW...Bill is my SA, but when I had my first (BMW sponsored) oil service at 15,000 miles, he told me that my brakes were close to needing replacement, but BMW wouldn't approve the early brake job. I wound up going back about 6 weeks later.


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## Motown328 (Jun 4, 2003)

Well, I made an appointment for new brakes on June 7th because I thought they were feeling soft and lo and behold, on the 9th, the lights come on. My appointment is on the 30th. Anyone want to back me up in my feeling that I should now try to bump up that appointment?!??!!  :dunno:


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## DrewM (Sep 2, 2002)

Motown328 said:


> Well, I made an appointment for new brakes on June 7th because I thought they were feeling soft and lo and behold, on the 9th, the lights come on. My appointment is on the 30th. Anyone want to back me up in my feeling that I should now try to bump up that appointment?!??!!  :dunno:


My SA (again, Bill at Center BMW) told me that I would have about 300 miles of save driving with the light...for me, that translated to about a week, and he made sure he was able to get me in quickly.


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