I've owned my mini since last November. 2010 MCS, 6MT. This is the first car I've owned where the rear wheels build up more brake dust than front wheels. Visible difference in 3-4 days of driving.

Service history shows brake fluid flush by dealer, but rotors and pads may be original (39k on car).

Is the buildup normal? or should I have the dealer check it out?

 

Brake dust is normal with MINIs. Having more on the rear than the front isn't normal. The fronts are usually much dustier.

 

Yeah my front wheels are always dirtier. And the mini does have alot of dust

 

Maybe you have aftermarket brake pads on the front? That seems like a big possibility. Everybody has more on the front than rear.

 

Sounds like you may need to bleed the system.

 

With the aftermarket front and factory rears - That might be your problem , some people just change the front pads. I would get a pic of the brake calipers with the pads and post them. Most of the time you can tell is its factory vs aftermarket. I have most of the pictures to compare them to. If they are both the factory pads. Most likely you might have a sticky e-brake cables in the back if you live in an area with snow and salt.

A would check those also.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/34406769955KT/ES2581684/

 

My guess is the front pads are aftermarket. 39k isn't unheard of. Maybe a lower dust pad. Stock the fronts are way dustier than rear, like double.

 

I've been living with brake dust on lot of my other cars and used to dealing with it, especially my old C36 AMG, but Akibono ceramics fixed that. But good to know my condition is not normal. The car is still under warranty but i'll try to take pic of the pads (and post here) first before having the dealer tell me the fronts are aftermarket.

 

funny thought just came to me.....if the rear calipers have been engaged all along I see improved acceleration in my future

 

Once you diagnose the issue and have everything squared away, try the product below on your rims. You'll never see much brake dust again regardless of what pads you choose.

 

Its pretty easy to test if you've got a stuck caliper. Drive on the freeway and lay off the brakes, come to a stop (using as little brake as possible) and measure the brake temperature (or just feel it if you don't have a handy thermometer). Good brakes should be cool-warm, bad brakes will be hot. (When I had a sticky caliper, the good one was 100F, the bad one was 200F.)

 

I took some pics...

My Front Wheel.


My Rear Wheel.


The dealer didn't mention pads being replaced in the service history, but I would say these are pretty new. Both front and Rear pads still have the bevel. If an independent shop replaced the pads I suppose they could have mixed and matched pads. I don't think Mini dealer would have mixed pads.

To be clear, i'm not complaining about brake dust. The brake dust on the rear is about what I would expect a from factory pad, the fronts are too clean and what I like, almost like my old Akibono Ceramics. I'm just puzzled at the difference between front and rear.

Front Pads:


Rear Pads:


I'm going to have the dealer check the history once more, and see if the emergency brake cable is stuck.

 

You need to find out what pads are in the front so I can get some. I spend a few minutes per wheel in the front cleaning them and they look just as dirty the next day because of my driving

 

Those look like factory pads from the side, but most loook that way. Do you have a picture of the back of the pad.

Front pads should look like this:

-8/2010 MINI Cooper S fronts.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/34116778320/ES59944/



-8/2010 MINI Cooper S Rears.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/34216778327/ES60494/



They should have the BMW or MINI stamping on the back of the pad plate. That will tell you if they were OEM Genuine MINI from the factory.

Anything else and there aftermarket. Hope that helps.

 

Here is the rear pad.


I didn't get photo of the fronts. I do recall in the center of the pad a cooper color round section. The part number was etched on the side of the pad.

 

The rears look like the stock pads above, MINI/ BMW change the pad printing over time , but its mostly the same. Once you get a pic of the fronts we will know.

Thanks for the rear pic. That helps a bunch.

The aftermarket ones tend to dust less like Hawk brands. Pics for reference:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2010-C.../Braking/Pads/

Fronts:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/HB560/


Rears:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2010-C...Braking/Pads/2

Hawk HPS

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/HB574/


That's what aftermarkets will look like. Its obvious when them come in different colors like EBC Red, Yellow, and Green & Hawk Blue .

Thanks and waiting for more pics.

 

I'll get pics soon....thanks for the help.

 

Great,

That will let me know. Your welcome for the help.

 

Here is the front. I can't see any markings other than very small laste etched PN or something. too small to read on side of the pad.

 

Yea,

From the picture it looks like a stock OE replacement. Has the black plate but no writing, on most aftermarket and Genuine MINI pads they have a marking around or on the shim plate which sits on the back. Can you make out what the writing says , I can see anything in the picture, or it you can get a pic of the pads from another angle. I might not be seeing everything do to the flash.

Thanks for the pics as they do help narrow it down.

 

Sorry been away for a while. I will take more pics.

 

That's ok.

If you take the pics from multiple angles then you will not get a reflection.