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I replaced the rotors+pads+sensors 2 months ago. But today I got the code "Front Brake Pad Worn 5E5C". I was looking at the pictures I took right after replacing the brakes and just noticed that they said 1,100 miles for the front brakes and 37,000 miles for the rear brakes. How is it even possible that the "expected" remaining mileage for the front brakes is just 1,100 miles? I have actually now -40 on front brakes. Could be this the reason I got the brakes indicator on or it turns on only if it's damaged? I tried to reset the front expected mileage by going to service menu and pressing reset button, but it does not reset. What should I do?
The images below are right after I changed the brakes and reset the codes. It says now -40 for the front brakes.
Last edited by theateist; Jan 8, 2024 at 09:41 AM.
OK, the sensor cable is torn (see image below). How can this even happen? Can this somehow be related to driving on gravel road like I mentioned in my other post.
Regardless, how can it be that it shows me only 1,100 miles for the front brakes while 37000 (!) for the rear brakes right after chaning brakes? Is it normal that it suggests to replace the front brakes every 1,100 miles?
Rock Auto sells these Brake pad wear sensors for a very reasonable price. With the wear-pad circuit damaged, you're going to get an erroneous reading on the amount of brake pad wear remaining.
I suspect the wire was damaged from misrouting when it was installed. Do you see that clean spot on the inside of the wheel rim; looks like the sensor wire was rubbing on the inside of the rim until the wire was cut in two.
Can you explain what do you mean by "misrouting"? How it should have been istalled. I want to go to the mechanic who installed it and tell him what he did wrong.
This still doesn't explain why it showed only 1,100 miles for front brakes after the brakes were replaced?
A side question: what is the other wire below the sensor wire, is this for brake fluid?
1. Sure, see the pic bellow. Notice how there are four rubber retainers that hold the pad wear sensor in place and keep it from hitting the wheel. Three retainers hold the pad-wear sensor wire to the wheel speed sensor wire. The last retainer routes the pad wear sensor wire through the dust cap on the brake caliper bleed valve. Also notice in the picture how my pad wear sensor wire is inboard of the brake hose (away from the rotating wheel); in your picture, your pad wear sensor wire is outboard of the brake caliper hose.
2. With the pad wear-sensor wire cut, the computer is confused because it doesn't see a complete electrical circuit. 1,100 miles is probably the default reading in the computer when it loses the signal from the wear sensor.
3. Cables are labeled in the picture. The larger "hose" (unlabeled) is for brake fluid to the caliper.
2. With the pad wear-sensor wire cut, the computer is confused because it doesn't see a complete electrical circuit. 1,100 miles is probably the default reading in the computer when it loses the signal from the wear sensor.
Perhaps I didn't explain it well, when the mechanic replaced the brakes 2.5 months ago, I reset the brake light after literally 10 minutes, as shown here (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jO4OywjmyQ). In this video you can see the front reset to 37,000 and the rear to 10,000. In my case it was 1,100 in the front and 37,000 in the rear.
1 - Can it be that the mechanic installed the rear sensor in front and the front sensor in the back? And that's why I have 37,000 shown in the back and not the front as shown in this video?
2 - If answer to (1) is YES, Do the sensors have any visual identifying marks that can tell me if it is a front sensor or a rear sensor?
3 - Even if the answer to (1) is YES, why it still was 1,100 and not 10,000 like in the video? Or, because it was installed in the wrong place the computer expected something different and did the calculation based on that?
It's hard to say what your mechanic did correctly or incorrectly, and I'm unsure what would happen if the front and rear sensors were reversed. I've never tried that.
Sensors are ordered by part number, and come in a box or bag that identifies the sensor. The front and rear also have the rubber retainers in different locations and they are different lengths.
I can't say for sure why you had 1,100 miles remaining indicated when you first performed the reset; It's possible the mechanic damaged the sensor during installation. We don't even know if he/she connected it to the vehicle wiring harness correctly.
The fix is simple, order a new front sensor, install it, and reset your front brake pad indicator.
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Just so I know, by "wiring harness" you mean connecting the long white connector as shown on minute 2:30? If yes, how can it be connected incorrectly so I'll know what to check once I do it?
Yes. If the mechanic didn't fully seat the two halves of the connector, that would be incorrect; it would look connected, but the pins inside would not make contact. Also, be careful when you depress the locking tab; on older cars the plastic gets brittle and tends to fall apart in your hands.
I received the part and wanted to check the current routing again and everything seems to be in place (see current routing below). So what should I do differently? It looks like all the clips in your picture and the picture below are in place.
