Posted on 02/17/2015 11:08:22 AM PST by LouAvul
My wife's Honda Accord has 33,000 miles on it. It's also got "traction control." I was told traction control utilizes the brakes non stop to control traction. The result is that brakes wear out sooner than older vehicles.
I was also told that the OEM rotors are manufactured in such a way as to be light as possible, meaning they're thinner, meaning they aren't designed to be "turned." Replacement rotors are only $40 each.
It's the first brake job on this car. Comments?
I would pony up and replace them, 40 bucks apiece is cheap.
That is awfully early for brakes on any car.
Second, traction control is not a bad thing.
Third, OEM rotors can be turned. That is not necessarily true.
I think you have a valid complaint with the dealership.
Either someone drove the car very, very hard on the brakes, or your wife rides the brakes all the time.
replace 'em
Figger out why later
Hmmm ... a brake job at 33,000 miles? I guess they do wear out quicker. I’ve got about 80,000 so far without a brake job.
$40 is cheap does that price include labor $ to replace?
Buy something pre 1973 so you can survive a EMP....
I have an Acura TL, and the front rotors have been turned twice. It has 65k miles with the original rotors. My mechanic said Honda/Acura uses higher quality rotors.
Traction control uses brakes, and throttle. Unless you drive like a maniac, traction control is rarely employed. If someone is telling you that your brakes are wearing faster because of traction control, you need to find a new someone to work on your car.
You are basically correct regarding how traction control on your wife’s Honda works.
In reality, though, the brakes are not used “non-stop”. In fact, the brakes on one wheel are only activated by the system when one wheel on an axle is rotating at an appreciably higher rate than the other (an indication of loss of traction on the faster spinning wheel).
In other words, the traction control system is dormant until a loss of traction is actually detected. it is not an “active” system.
That said, this type of traction control can result in higher rates of brake wear than a similar non-traction control car.
Long story short, I’d shell out the $40 buck per rotor. That is WAY less expensive than most.
You must be one of those people that coast down the highway in the fast lane and when I pass you on the right you flash your high beams at thinking you got me good...;-)
The minor wear on the pads is insignificant.
Just replace the pads if they are worn down.
Don't use the cheapest pads, use pads that last longer.
“Traction control” does not use the brakes “non-stop” to control traction.
Generally, “traction control” leverages the ABS function to stop wheelspin, which will only happen in limited situations, and then only for a few seconds. Each instance where traction control engages will put less wear on your brakes than a normal stop would. So, unless your wife is doing mad smokey burnouts all the time, it’s not the traction control that has done in your brakes.
You mentioned turning the rotors. That shouldn’t be needed in most instances. Likely, all you’re needing is new pads; the shop should check to make sure the rotor is still within tolerance, but it’s unlikely they need to be turned.
If your pads are gone within 30k miles and your wife doesn’t do a lot of stop-and-go driving, it’s more likely your wife is riding the brake with her left foot, thinking it will make her “faster” to hit the brakes in an emergency. This is a bad (and potentially expensive) habit and should be eliminated.
As my local mechanic tells me, “foreign car brakes suck!”
Says he is lucky if he can even turn their rotors once. In a quest to meet Obama’s increasingly insane CAFE standards all metal parts on cars are becoming thinner and flimsier in a desperate attempt to get the weight down.
(full disclosure: I own a Korean car.)
1. If this is a traction control issue, you should see “TCS” flash on the dashboard when it activates.
2. If TCS is activating whenever you’re under 18 mph, there is a significant problem with your car. It’s detecting low traction even when that’s not actually happening. If you are seeing TCS all the time, you need to fix it or have someone else fix it, or you’ll go through brakes like Obama goes through trillions of dollars.
A good mule will serve you better.
Honda Ridgeline, replaced pads at 90,000.
Honda CRV, replaced pads and had rotors turned at 110,000.
Honda Element, no brake maintenance in 54,000 miles.
At 33,000 you are within the 36,000 warranty (could be past 36 months, though).
I do not trust your shop - get a second opinion.
Stop and go commuting takes a toll on pads...
I was told traction control utilizes the brakes non stop to control traction.
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I don’t think so. Traction control controls the tire spin when accelerating. I think you’re talking about ABS.
And IF your wife’s car needs a brake job at 33,000 then one of two things are likely.
Your wife does a lot of city driving. Or she’s like my wife...
Full on gas pedal - Or full on brake pedal.
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