Rear brake pad question

[rwh963]

i recently had a service done at the dealer, and as usual, they did a multipoint inspection. for the rear brakes, they came up with 6,6,6,3 for pad measurement numbers. they said one of the pads had come loose (or something to that effect).

they recommend a full rear brake job, eventually. i haven't confirmed the issue, but was wondering if this is common enough issue (legitimate), what the probable causes are, and if with 50% pad left on most, could just a pad replacement suffice. they don't think it is a caliper issue (original) because wear is only occurring on one pad.

 

[waypoint]

The rear brakes are 2-piece units, with a stationary bracket and the floating caliper mounted to the bracket on slider pins.

I've seen pad wear variation when one or both of the sliders seizes, either due to failure of the rubber boot (water incursion and resulting corrosion) or lack of lubrication. Similar failure modes when the caliper piston seizes in the bore.

No idea what they may have meant by the pad coming loose.

I'd unbolt the caliper and inspect for proper slider pin movement, and piston smoothly retracting into the bore. Also inspect the rotor surface for indication of overheating, e.g. black discoloration on the friction surface.

 

[UrbanRunner651]

If a pad is wearing faster then others it is typically due to caliper failure. Pad replacement would just be a band-aid and in a couple months you would be right back to where you are now if they can even reuse the caliper. If they said the pad was loose then they should be able to tell that the piston is seized as long as it is mounted properly..
Brakes are a big safety factor, not somewhere I would be comfortable with going the cheap route..

 

[rwh963]

If a pad is wearing faster then others it is typically due to caliper failure.

i asked about the calipers, and was told that the tech recommendation was pads and rotors, and not calipers at this time.

i will be going elsewhere for a tire rotation, and they will inevitably do a multipoint inspection, so i will see what they come up with.

i've had many questionable suggestions by dealers over the years to be skeptical.

 

[4Runnergenius]

If a pad is wearing faster then others it is typically due to caliper failure.

i asked about the calipers, and was told that the tech recommendation was pads and rotors, and not calipers at this time.

i will be going elsewhere for a tire rotation, and they will inevitably do a multipoint inspection, so i will see what they come up with.

i've had many questionable suggestions by dealers over the years to be skeptical.

Dealers and Techs are their to make money sad to say they sometimes don't do the right thing, I do agree the issue is probably a sticky slider so a pad replacement only won't fix your problem. get a second opinion