Normal to go through rear brake pads in less than 50k?

We just had our 2017 Legacy 2.5 i Limited at our Subaru dealer for an oil change. We are at about 37k on it. The Goodyear LS2's on it have seen better days already and I was expecting them to call to try to sell us new tires.

 

When they called, instead they tried to convince me that I needed rear brake pads, not mentioning the tires at all. I said, how can a car with this mileage need rear brake pads, already!?!?!? and needing them before the front brake pads? He said, that these cars use a lot of rear brakes. I said, so you are going to tell me that it's normal for a car with 37k, under 2 years old, to need rear brakes.....before fronts. He said, yes this is completely normal.

 

I said, just do the oil change. I took the rear wheels off myself once I got the car home to have a look.

 

Now, of course no surprise....the back brakes do not need to be changed right away.....but I was surprised to see how much wear that they did have. I would say they are down about 50% or maybe a little more. I would estimate that we have easily another 15k of life out of them, but that would still mean that the rear brakes would be toast around 50k.

 

Every other vehicle I have owned with rear disc brakes has needed front brakes at least 1.5 times or twice as often as the rear... It makes sense when the front brakes do like 70% of the braking.

 

Is this normal for 6th gen Subarus?? Have they designed the rear brakes to grab much harder than normal? perhaps use poor pad material? you could actually see old pad material almost melted on the outside edge of the brake pad.

 

I checked the caliper slides and rear brakes for signs of something that would cause them to stick, but they appear to operate just fine.

 

Yup, since about 2010ish, rear brakes are now more engaged than fronts in a typical braking situation.

 

From https://www.stanleysubaru.com/blog/2012/april/19/how-do-brake-systems-work-in-subaru-vehicles.htm

 

Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD System): The EBD system maximizes the effectiveness of the brakes by allowing the rear brakes to supply a greater proportion of the braking force. It functions by adjusting the distribution of braking force to the rear wheels in accordance with the vehicle's loading condition and speed.

I just had mine replaced @41k almost nothing left..

My rears made it to 54k. Pads and rotors replaced.

 

I did the fronts at 67k. Pads and rotors.

2014, 40k and new pads/rotors... replaced with Napa gold pads....should last much longer...

yes completely normal... I don't expect mine to last that long if my wife drives it, LOL

I had my rears done around 80K, and still on my factory set on the front and I'm at 96K and just passed inspection a few months ago

Mostly highway miles and I'm very easy on my brakes

Had my rears done at 52k. Surprised they lasted that long given my commute in and out of Boston with all the stop and go traffic and quick stops on the highway. Even more surprised when I was told the fronts will last a while.

Every time I read threads like this I think back to our 1987 Maxima wagon, its rear brakes were almost gone at 28,000 miles.

 

The best thing you can is keep and eye on the pad wear when you rotate the tires. Living where we have winter, in early Oct I inspect the car and get it ready for winter.

 

Remember the repair shop or dealer have to lean towards the safety side of things.

I see you like in New York. Does the VDC system activate often in the winter? If it does ease off the gas pedal. VDC will eat rear brakes fast. I've seen it worse on the Crosstrek's

 

Subieguys.com

 

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My previous 2005 Suby had EBD. I believe thats when EBD started in Subaru's. Rear brakes were almost on the same schedule as the front brakes.

also hill assist will eat into them as well...

Make sure you check both pads. I changed pads on a 2016 Mazda 6 with 30K miles and the inside pad in the rear was almost gone while the outside still had life.

Wow - interesting. I just traded in my wife's car, but the rear pads were down to less than 3mm, so I slapped pads all around to make sure the new owner was good with brakes for a good while. The car had right at 38K miles on it.

 

I was wondering why the rears were so worn when the front weren't even at halfway really.

 

Rear pads:

Wow - interesting. I just traded in my wife's car, but the rear pads were down to less than 3mm, so I slapped pads all around to make sure the new owner was good with brakes for a good while. The car had right at 38K miles on it.

 

I was wondering why the rears were so worn when the front weren't even at halfway really.

 

Rear pads:

 

in a nutshell Subaru (and others whom use EBD) will use the rear pads to help keep the car level while braking, while the VDC may use any brake to help with yaw control when the car starts to skid. Also Subaru uses the rear brakes to act like a limited slip diff on the rear wheels....as on the legacy and outback both the front and rear differential are open...