Tbred911

My brake service light just came on... how many miles can I drive with it before I actually replace my pads... is this something that needs to be done immediately or is there a 500 mile grace period built in?

LVDell

There is easily 500 miles left. But you need to get things in motion to get the pads replaced. If you just do a visual inspection you will see just how much room you have left on the pads. Very easy DIY as well.

Res Ips

Remember also that the harder you brake the shorter the life on the remaining pads -- and there is always the danger of going into the rotors when the pads get real low...like 1 -2mm remaining. I'd get them changed as soon as you can.

Tbred911

so is the sensor indicative that ALL pads need changing? would their ever be a case when you would only change one set of pads... this is the first time I'm changing pads on the car so I don't know if porsche brakes are designed to wear evenly...

djantlive

You'll need new front pads for sure. Rears are probly ok but you should check for thickness of all 4 pads in the rear. Put the car on jackstands to remove wheels for inspection. Never use the scissor jack (not safe to get under the car with scissor jack)

If you are happy w stock pads, just get a new set from dealer or online.

PorschePRH

Just did the pad replacement all the way around with Mintex pads. Brakes about the same as stock, but is suppose to have less dust.

At less than $100 for all 4 wheels, and the fact that it took longer to remove and replace the wheels than the actual pad change, I wouldn't mess around just trying to change one pad here or there...

LVDell

Wow! Less than $100 all the way around? Where did you purchase and how did you choose Mintex?

Tbred911

thx guys... definitely porsche pads... they have been flawless so far.

teflon_jones

No, it means one of the 4 sensors has been contacted.

You could just change the fronts and leave the rears, but in my experience, the rear pads wear faster than most other cars. While you're doing the change you might as well do all of them.

Tbred911

ok.. I'll have a look at all of them and see if its the fronts or the rears that are tripping the sensors... my guess it's the fronts.

Patrick

My stock pads wore out evenly, front and rear. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you have to replace the offending sensor as well. It is detroyed when it trips. (disclaimer, I haven't had sensors since the first set of pads wore out).

Tbred911

I thought sensors were "built-in" to stock porsche pads? you have to buy sensors as well as pads?

PorschePRH

Several post about people using these pads for less dust. I can confirm that they don't squeal either. So far so good. I got them here:

http://www.importrp.com/home.php

Seem like good people. Shipped fast and correct.

And yes, if you have a sensor light, you have to buy a new sensor. The sensor is literally an electrical wire held inside the pad material with a plastic piece. When the pads wear into that portion of the pad, the wire's plastic sleeve is worn through and an electrical ground is made with the brake disc.

I am sure importrp has the replacements for that too. I did not bother to replace the vibration dampers because the old pads only had 10K on them and looked brand new. No squealing on my brake pads so the old vibration dampers are doing their job just fine.

Any resale value in Porsche original pads with only 10K super light miles on them? I am sure they have 30-40K left on them of regular driving.

LVDell

The factory pads just have the holes drilled in them.. You have to purchase the sensors sep.

PorschePRH

Not on my stock 03 C2 pads... They are just clipped onto the backing plate for the brake pads and the wire goes down into a hole drilled into the pad material.

The Mintex pads are perfect fit replacements with the correct clip down point and hole drilled for the sensor.