5 Causes of Uneven Brake Pad Wear

Do you feel your brake pad replacements are too frequent? Uneven brake pad wear could be the cause. Brake pads should wear evenly and last between 30,000 and 70,000 miles. However, sometimes the brake pads wear unevenly, necessitating repeated replacements. 

But what causes uneven brake pad wear? Several reasons could be behind the irregular wear of your car's brake pads. Understanding the causes can mitigate the problem and reduce avoidable visits to auto shops for brake pad replacements. Check out these potential reasons for uneven brake pad wear.

1. Misalignment

When well aligned, the brake pad should squeeze evenly on the rotor. A misaligned brake pad, on the other hand, squeezes unevenly, leading to irregular wear. Wheel misalignment can also lead to uneven wearing of the brake pad.

2. Slide Pins

Slide pins align the caliper to the brake rotor. Corrosion on the slide pins hinders the back-and-forth movement of the caliper during wheel revolution, which can cause uneven wearing of the brake pads.

3. Sticky Caliper Pistons

A sticky caliper piston can cause the rotor to exert more pressure on one brake pad. The uneven pressure distribution causes the brake pads to wear on one side.

4. Caliper Failure  

Most brake pad issues arise from caliper failure. Caliper failure may result from slide pin corrosion or sticky pistons. Your mechanic should check and repair failed calipers when brake pad replacements become too frequent.

5. Rotor Thickness Variation

The brake rotor can also wear irregularly, leading to Disc Thickness Variation (DTV). Uneven rotor thickness can also cause the brake pads to wear irregularly. Your mechanic should check and correct rotor thickness variations to reduce irregular brake pad wear.

Correct Uneven Brake Pad Wear at Custom Complete Automotive

Uneven brake pad wear reduces braking power, which affects how you slow or stop your car. Besides the safety risks, uneven wear leads to frequent and costly brake pad replacements. Contact us to learn more about the causes of uneven brake pad wear, how to resolve them, and the appropriate brake pads for your car.