[BIGTIME]

My 335i has 12k miles on the clock and according to the idrive I have 10k miles left on my rear pads and 41k miles left on my front. How can my front pads last much longer than the back? I thought it would be the other way around.

[idnan]

I think the rears are used by the traction control quite a bit. I noticed I lost quite a bit of life in the pads due to the snow and me not turning the TC off fully.

[BIGTIME]

Surely when the traction control kicks in it just tweaks the brakes. I can't see this causing premature rear pad wear. It's not like I drive everywhere with opoosite lock on.

[gaza01]

have a visual check and see what condition the fronts are in compared to the rears

[BIGTIME]

Never thought of that Gaza, but I am useless at these sorts of things. I'll get my wife to check

[AlwynMike]

I would say it is the DSC trying to keep the power on check.

I've been to see quite a few 335d's in my search for a car, and most of them have had "excessive" rear pad wear compared to the fronts. It looks like it is one of those "Nah, they're all like that, mate" (in an Arfur Daley voice)

Mike

[BIGTIME]

I thought the dsc just cut power when the wheels were spinning. I didn't realise they used the brakes as well.

[xenon]

It does brake but unless you're continually driving to an extent that, if DSC were off, you'd be spinning your wheels then I don't buy in to this being the reason.

When DSC does something you see the warning light and unless you're a complete nutter it's pulsing the brakes every now and then. I simply don't agree that DSC causes premature wear, I suspect the brakes have more rear bias for braking stability.

[zltm089]

completely normal for me!!!...my fronts last twice as much...and i drive with DSC/ DTC off...or on.....whichever way u see it...to "save" some of the rear pads...( i press the button for like 3 secs...)

[xenon]

If you drive like that all the time then as far as I'm concerned the DSC has negligeable effect on pad life as the DSC would be doing hardly any braking at all.

It's simply the brake bias over a smaller contact area.

[carl_d]

Originally Posted by BIGTIME

My 335i has 12k miles on the clock and according to the idrive I have 10k miles left on my rear pads and 41k miles left on my front. How can my front pads last much longer than the back? I thought it would be the other way around.

Same here. I do not belive it. Expect software clitch?

[MEGA]

My rears run alot faster than the fronts too as the DSC engages the brakes (rather than cutting the power as in some other car ESP systems)

[xenon]

Nah, it's the brake bias, got to be. The DSC would have to be braking significantly in the course of a journey to actually noticeably wear the pads. The DSC doesn't come on when you're travelling along the motorway for example and not that often in any event unless you're driving "enthusiastically" and surely you don't do that all the time.

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by xenon

unless you're driving "enthusiastically" and surely you don't do that all the time.

Haha... Those who've met me will profess to the way I drive my car: "All the time"

[HighlandPete]

I suspect most of it is brake bias and how you typically brake.

I have noticed if my car stands for a couple of days up here, with high humidity, the discs will show rust. I drive a very 'open' journey with little braking and certainly no DSC or TC intervention, the run is just too ordinary. But I do notice the rear brakes polish off no issue, but the fronts will often still be showing rusting.

Now sometimes, coming back into the village, I'll brake a bit harder in an attempt to scrub off any rusting. What happens, the car clearly hunkers down at the rear, showing the rear brake bias, at a certain brake pressure. I had a VW Passat which was just the same, you could feel the bite at the rear, when braking a bit more aggressively.

Both on SE type suspension, which may show up the rear 'bite' more so than on M-sport models.

HighlandPete

[I6Touring]

I bought mine with 30k miles and the rears showing 9k left, but 15k later they still show 7k remaining. My thoughts are of previous driver(s) drifting it before before my ownership, but even worse is that they must not have fully disable the TC when doing so!

I also wonder if there is some fixed mileage brakes must be serviced at, regardless of condition, as the computer indicates my front brakes are due a service at around 47k (<2k from now) while there's clearly plenty pad material left. Would this be indicating time for a change of disks is due? They do look a bit worn to me.

[I6Touring]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

I suspect most of it is brake bias and how you typically brake.

I have noticed if my car stands for a couple of days up here, with high humidity, the discs will show rust. I drive a very 'open' journey with little braking and certainly no DSC or TC intervention, the run is just too ordinary. But I do notice the rear brakes polish off no issue, but the fronts will often still be showing rusting.

How about the DSC disk drying pulse on the rear brakes, do you think that may be cleaning the surface rust?

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by BIGTIME

My 335i has 12k miles on the clock and according to the idrive I have 10k miles left on my rear pads and 41k miles left on my front. How can my front pads last much longer than the back? I thought it would be the other way around.

Maybe the previous owner just have had a set of front pads replaced?? When you brake from high speed weight will shift to the front wheels, and the front brakes will be doing most of the work. In all my previous cars I've gone through front pads at 8-10K with normal road use. Rear pads usually lasts twice as long. I doubt the fake electronic diff will effect rear brake pads that much...unless your doing donuts all day

[m1bjr]

Rears discs are smaller.
Pads are smaller.
Heat is much higher due to far less cooling - front of the car has ducts in the spoiler too.
And the DSC does more than you think, you dont always see the LED.
The yellow lamp lags the event, and only get to come on if its significant.
In the logs I have made I can see throttle plate closure as a result of DSC intervention.
But no LEDS on the dash, but you can just feel it when pinning it over less than glassy terrain.
The EDIFF style function wont kill pads as the throttle gets closed too.
Rears get a hard time from the DSC braking during cornering.

The way a lot of people drive new cars loaded with FREDS (like DSC) they are working hard.
You just don't realise it until you turn them off.
And back it through a hedge.


HTH.

[gangzoom]

Personally I hate all the ESP / DSC / TC rubbish...it allows people to drive way beyond their ability, and when things go wrong it happens at much higher speeds.

I remember years ago doing a 180 spin my mates Elise at 20mph around a empty round about (it was my first time in a RWD car)....I like to think that experience, plus quite a few outing on the track has made me much safer as a driver compared to someone who relies on ESP / TC to keep them on the road...I wonder if thats the reason why so many people get stuck in the snow/ice when TC/ESP/ABS simply doesn't work

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Personally I hate all the ESP / DSC / TC rubbish...it allows people to drive way beyond their ability, and when things go wrong it happens at much higher speeds.

I remember years ago doing a 180 spin my mates Elise at 20mph around a empty round about (it was my first time in a RWD car)....I like to think that experience, plus quite a few outing on the track has made me much safer as a driver compared to someone who relies on ESP / TC to keep them on the road...I wonder if thats the reason why so many people get stuck in the snow/ice when TC/ESP/ABS simply doesn't work

plus one...

altho when i first got the car DSC/ DTC saved my ass a few times....but real drivers/ sports cars shouldn't rely on them....

[parapaul]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

Rears discs are smaller.
Pads are smaller.

Not on mine... I checked a few places because I was sure the first place was wrong, but my front discs are 330mm, rears are 336mm.