Hi all!

Please forgive me if I seem naive. I've had my 2003 Cooper for almost four months (bought used from CarMax). I've also had some contact with the local BMW/MINI dealer. I'm sorry to say that I'm not too trusting of them. After having the car one month, they threw a scare into me when they said that I had 2mm left on my rear pads. Did the job myself for 1/7th the quoted cost. Surprise! I had 5.5mm left! I did not find a sensor connected to the right rear pads. I asked about this when I went back to the dealer. They said that these sensors where on later MINI's (which mine was not). Is there truth here?

Thanks in advance for your insight!

Haz

 

Brake wear sensors did not appear until the '04 cars. They need to be replaced if the indicator comes on, however, if you replace the brake pads immediately after the indicator lights, you can forego replacing the sensor. Reason for replacing the sensor is that once it makes contact with the rotor, it begins wearing with the pad. If you run for an extended time with the indicator on, you will wear the sensor down to the pad level, then if the sensor is used with new brakes, the light will not come on till well after the pads have worn to the limit, giving you little or no 'real' warning.

 

well dummy am I

My 02 ... on which I'm about to change the pads myself....does not have senors?

First I hear this - I don't doubt - but pls confirm

I have pads on order (to install b4 dragon first time) and would go CRAZYU looking for the senor wire.

Feel dumb not knowing that it is not there B4 but do not doubt

pls confirm

 

There are no sensors on a '02. The sensors and wires are obvious on the cars that have them, the wire comes out of the oval pad inspection hole on the outside of the caliper.

 

So, then, they were on the up-and-up. That brake pad thing still burns me. They wanted only $410 for the rear brake service. $1000 for both front and rear since I had only 4.5mm left on the fronts (It was really a tick over 7mm).

Haz

 

Brake sensors came in on the April Build 2003 MINI's I have them on my May '03 build.

 

It's possible that your dealer wasn't being intentionally dishonest or misleading.
The minimum acceptable brake pad thickness is 3 mm, so when you have
5.5 mm left, there's only 2.5 mm left to go until you reach the wear limit.
Perhaps this is what MINI meant.

My 2/03 build mini has the sensors.

 

I asked if it was 2mm above minimum or 2mm left. They said it was the latter!

I checked my build date and it's 2/03 as well!

Haz

 

2 mm left.....hard to confuse that with 5.5 mm even by quick visual check.
don't it just burn you when they lie to you.

Mine actually says 3/03 on the badge, but MiniUSA told me the actual
build date was 2/28/03. I wonder if the sensors came on board sometime
in 2/03? or could the sensor wire on yours be tucked back and tied off?

 

a quick search seems to confirm that 3/03 cars have the sensor and
2/03 cars don't.