# 335d Front Brake Pads



## RiCh_SD (Jan 6, 2013)

I'm looking for some help with the 335d front brake pads.

I have a 2011 335d and just had my front brake pads replaced by the dealer under the maintenance plan. Since having them put in I'm experiencing really bad brake dust. I wash my car every weekend and I used to be able to go between washes with hardly any brake dust on my wheels. Now I can't even drive a few miles down the road without my wheels turning black. My wheels are coated with a high temp. sealant so you can see the build up straight away. The sealant just makes it easier to clean off.

I've been reading through the forums and it appears that at some point at the end of 2009 BMW changed the front brake pads on the E90 to a less dusting one and I think that is the one that my car had from factory.

My paperwork shows that the dealer installed PN: 34 11 6 794 917 which looks like the old part number.

For the 335i it shows that this PN is for cars up to 09/09. The other PN I found is 34 11 6 794 920 and for the 335i it says it's for cars from 09/09 onwards.

The 917 PN does not specify a year range for the 335d, which is why the dealers are installing them.

I put my VIN in on the Online ETK and it shows both PNs for my car. The 920 says from 06/10. I spoke the the parts department at the dealer and they can't see that part number for my VIN on their system. They can only see the 917 and said that their ETK is up to date and the online one must be old.

I tried talking to the service dept. and they said that they can only install what the parts database is telling them. If I want to install the 920 pads then I need to pay for them.

I feel like that I'm wasting my time with the dealer. Every time I go in for service work they treat me as if I don't know anything and are doing me a favor for working on my car - hello that's what the maintenance plan is for!

I called customer relations and they are even more useless - they told me to go and talk to the dealer because they have no access to the parts database.

Has anyone else had this issue? Does anyone with a 2011 know the part number of the brake pads that the car came with from the factory?


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## Pierre Louis (Oct 23, 2011)

My experience has been that OEM specific brake pads do not cause excessive brake dust, while aftermarket "performance" pads do. There may be other reasons for the extra dust, but it sounds likely that the dealer did not install the same type pads that came with the car.


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## FredoinSF (Nov 29, 2009)

Actually, BMW pads typically generate a ton of dust. Many will replace them with Akebono or others that generate much less dust. It's possible that BMW switched to less dusty pads, but I have not experienced that and all my new BMW's (including the 2012 X5) have generated lots of brake dust. 
No question dealers can be a pain to deal with, but I think BMW fulfilled their obligation by replacing the brake pads. If the part number issue had been discussed up front, I can see them trying to get you the version you prefer, but at this point, they installed brake pads that they can't resell or reuse so you're stuck.


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## nok (Mar 14, 2010)

Same thing happened to me a couple years ago. I got rotors replaced under warranty and they also did the pads. The dust was horrendous. The original pads had been dust-free. I think they must have taken the new ones from old stock at the dealership. I switched to Akebono pads and problem solved.


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## RiCh_SD (Jan 6, 2013)

nok said:


> Same thing happened to me a couple years ago. I got rotors replaced under warranty and they also did the pads. The dust was horrendous. The original pads had been dust-free. I think they must have taken the new ones from old stock at the dealership. I switched to Akebono pads and problem solved.


What model year is your car?


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## montr (Oct 7, 2006)

In summer 2009, BMW changed the composition of brake pads for E90. For model year 2009 and before, there is a lot of brake dust. For 2010 and after, new brake pads do not generate excessive dust. You date is correct, my car was built in Oct 2009 and there are no brake dust.

My understanding is that you can interchange either version, it will fit. The difference is mostly dust, not performance.


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## Geotrash (Dec 22, 2013)

montr said:


> My understanding is that you can interchange either version, it will fit. The difference is mostly dust, not performance.


And cost. Ceramic pads (like Akebono) are the ones that don't create excessive dust, and they're more expensive. Semi-metallic and some organic composite pads are the ones that create the dust, and they're usually 1/3-1/2 the price of ceramic.

My guess is that your car came with either ceramic or low-dust composite pads from the factory, and that the dealer simply replaced them with the cheapest type that had on hand. Before the rotors wear in too much more, you can buy a set of Akebono ceramic and put them on your calipers in probably half an hour or less.

Cheers,
Dave


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## Blackfly (Nov 10, 2010)

I have a 2011 335d and the front pads have been replaced. I noticed no difference in dust accumulation. My front componeents were replaced due to excessive pulsing > 50mph.

However, all new pads will spin off an increased amount of dust due to "wearing in". If you have new rotors as well as pads, you may see a differing quantity of dust. I remove the dust with something call "Pink Stuff" a heavy duty commercial cleaner found mostly in New England. The commonly available Simple Green, is useless on brake dust. Find an alternative. Is a recommendation.

As far as the pads are concerned, your dealer did what any dealer would do.. The dealer gave you a new set of OEM pads (and rotors, sensors,?) for nothing and you want what?

Good luck with your Diesel.


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## Pierre Louis (Oct 23, 2011)

Dealers do have a choice of using aftermarket parts not from the OEM category as long as they comply with manufacturers specs. The warranty stays the same, usually 90 days to 2 years for their work.

PL


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## KeithS (Dec 30, 2001)

I too noticed how clean my wheels were on my 335D compared to other BMW's. I also run Akebono Euro Ceramics on my other cars. These are very different than the newer lower dusting BMW brake pads. The Akebonos are much harder and a different compound. With the Akebonos you will have to press on the brake pedal harder to get the same stopping power. There is very little wear with the Akebonos, they will likely last the life of the car, and leave the brake rotor looking like a mirror. 

The newer low dusting BMW pads still give the terrific initial bite that everyone associates with BMW, that the Akebonos do not, but are much harder on the rotors.


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