Depends a lot on your driving style, but new brakes are something you should budget for every 3-5 years (possibly more frequently), depending on how much you drive. When you get your oil changed our your tires rotated a couple times a year, your mechanic should check your brake pads and drum/disc wear when you only have a few millimeters left, or your brakes start squealing every time you used them, they need maintenance!

When 3-4mm of liner is left on the pad.

It's not generally useful to measure brake replacement.in terms of distance due to the variability of types of driving. Highway commuting versus stop and go traffic for example.

Generally, you'll get a metal squeal at 3mm, which is a metal burr incorporated.into the liner to indicate it is time to schedule the pad replacement and brake service.

Best way to determine how much life is left is to pop the tire off and look at the pads. This is a relatively easy process by just jacking that side of the vehicle up and taking the tire off. You can get a good view of the brake pad and determine if thete is enough pad left. The other option is to find a trust worthy mechanic close by that will check when they do tire rotations, but you have to be very careful finding a shop. I have had many "trustworthy" shops tell me pads were needed that had thousands of miles left. Also brake pad replacements are some of the easiest most cost effective maintenance activities you can perform, just search your vehicle on YouTube and you will find an easy step by step video on how to do the replacement.

Not a dad but a car mechanic. Have a reputable shop check them for you. Mileage only serves a rough estimate at best. You want a brake measurement, unless they are at 2mm or less you don't need them yet. You can go years without needing to change them out. I will also say do not "pad slap" (only changing the brake pads), make sure when you change your pads you either change out your rotors or have them cut. The reason for this is because warped rotors can destroy new pads. It is best to just do them at the same time.

Brake pads are the cheapest replacement parts you can find. You can usually find a good local 'shade tree' mechanic who can knock it out in under an hour.

If you wear them down, there are rivets that will get exposed and will drive into the rotor. Then your rotor will get grooves where the rivets are touching the rotor. Now, you have to replace rotors and pads. Or worse, it doesn't stop when you need it to.

Typically when you hear the squealing, but that's usually an indication they need to be checked. Not necessarily that they need to be changed. Doing your own brakes is the easiest thing to do, alot of people pay 800+ to get them done for maybe 20mins worth of work. I could get rich off brakes and oil changes alone.

The time to do it is always before a trip. However, did you pull the tires and look to see if your pads actually need to be changed? If they don’t need to be changed, they slides may simply need lubrication. Look first, then you will know.

Squeaking doesn't necessarily mean they need changed. Something could be stuck in the caliper, etc.

You also don't want to mess around with the biggest safety feature of your car. Get them looked at.

Brakes usually have what's called a "wear indicator" (Circled in red here) that grinds against the rotor when the brake pads start to wear out, that's most likely what you're hearing, and that's it's purpose.

You shouldn't have to replace the pads until they get below about 1/4 inch thick, but if you're not familiar with checking it yourself it's best to rely on the squealing of the wear indicators.

When you first start hearing and if it's not frequent, it's probably not bad. If you hear it all the time in dry conditions it's time to replace them. If you hear them in wet conditions you should have already replaced them. There are some factors that can affect these guidelines, but they error on the side of caution, generally speaking it's the best way to be sure to stay safe and avoid worse damages down the line.

Since you're planning a road trip, I'd say go ahead and replace them now, better safe than sorry. And they'll, at the very least, be an annoyance if you don't.

Also consider finding someone who'll show you how to replace them yourself, the pads are really cheap and easy to replace (if it's disc brakes, drums are a pain and may be worth it to you to just pay someone), it'll save you a lot of money in the long run.

Whenever I feel them getting weaker or when my mechanic says they should be done.

Depends on the car, for me. When I had a stick, it was a lot less because I didn't need to ride the brake nearly as much in day to day traffic, and I could downshift when coming off the interstate, and all that.

I used to get 3 or 4 years out of them.

6+ years (100,000+ miles) on my current vehicle.   Brake pads aren’t about miles driven but how much you use your brakes.

My commute is mostly highway miles with minimal braking, and my vehicle has large dual piston front calipers with larger pads that last 3-5x as long as my prior vehicle that had much smaller single piston calipers, brake pads and rotor

When they need them.

100k ish

"75% wear" is an inexact report. Is that "they are worn to 75% of the original pad thickness" or "they are worn through 75% of the pad thickness and have 25% thickness left". This has the smell of a dealer upsell.

The specification for pads is pad thickness. The spec from the Gen 3 factory service manual.

Front brakes

Standard thickness: 10.0 mm (0.394 in.)

Minimum thickness: 1.0 mm (0.0394 in.)

If the pad lining thickness is less than the minimum
thickness, replace the disc brake pads.

Rear brakes:

Standard thickness: 9.5 mm (0.374 in.)

Minimum thickness: 1.0 mm (0.0394 in.)

Ask for (or measure yourself) the remaining pad thickness.

At 71K miles, I am inclined to think that the pads are 25% worn (or at about 7 mm pad thickness). But, only a measurement will tell the truth.

I wouuld say go for it. I changed my brake pads at 130K miles. My first change since I purchased my car used. My car brakes SO MUCH BETTER now

My 09 is at 330k+ and still on the brakes it was wearing when I bought it at 160k. Prii are easy on brakes if you don't usually brake hard, the friction brakes don't even engage until you get down to about 15mph.

I am at almost 200k miles, on original pads and rotors.

Last dealer inspection stated I had 60% pad life left.

I really doubt you are at 75% used at only 71k miles.

Dealer lying or you have a heavy brake foot.

Go to an independent mechanic to make sure.

Most of the braking done by a Prius is regenerative (if you drive the car smartly), and very little is done by the friction brake pads. It is not unusual to see Prius cars with well over 200K on a set of brake pads.

That depends on if they were installed in the first place, if the pads have them, and many times the wear indicator is below the minimum recommended thickness.

Have them done at a good independent shop. Pad wear is only a part of the equation. You would be wise to have them done soon so you can make sure the whole system is maintained properly such as lubricated pins and clean brake fluid etc

yes I'm aware of this,. In fact my plan was to wait until I hear this, then get the brakes serviced.

So if you wear the brake pads down to 100% you will ruin the brake calipers as the heat from the metal pad backer rubbing on the metal rotor to brake your car will cook the hydraulic seals in the caliper causing them to eventually hang up.

Next time someone tells you something like 75% ask for the measurement. The brake pads have a minimum thickness that Toyota states in the maintenance manuals. This does not mean the pad is 100% gone, it's the minimum safe thickness to still provide adequate braking.

If you wait leaving the pass to wear down too far you'll cost yourself lots of extra money.

No, rotors wear regardless of the age of the pads. They will eventually need to be replaced. You can resurface them and get better life out of them, but they don't last forever.

Two parts whose only purpose is to rub against each other to create friction. Pads are made to wear out more easily, but the rotors wear also.

It’s like cutting wood with an axe. You can cut a lot of wood with one, but they’re not indestructible and have to be sharpened regularly and eventually replaced.

Don’t forget to flush your brake fluid while you’re having your brake pads/rotors replaced.

There is still a physical part rubbing and pushing down on the rotor, The brake pad may be changed often enough but wear is inevitable as that's just how physics and friction work. You could probably have them resurfaced (they are put on a lathe and have a small amount milled off, to create a smooth rotor surface). It is much cheaper to resurface than fully replace, BUT there is a threshold to the thickness of the rotor so eventually they will have to be changed.

Rotors wear out and may get warped. They don't last forever

Expect to get 45k out the pads maybe more if they're ceramic but that life span all depends on how you drive.

What do you mean they are loose?.you change your pads when they are below a certain mm. Resurface or replace your rotors, do your tire rotations, check your tread depth

"The brakes are kind of loose" What exactly does that mean?

The other thing is; this car is still under the manufacturers warranty. You need to have this conversation with a service writer at your local dealership.

Once they start squeaking. Usually around 60000 miles.

No way it should need brakes yet.

That's such bad advice. Just go based off the mm on the pads.

The best advice is to get a multipoint inspection which usually covers mm left on brakes (ask for a picture, or physically be escorted to see them) and go from there.

It's wholly based on driver habits. I went 62k before replacing mine, I've seen people here and in the forums going 80k so I'm not terribly surprised. The factory pad is a very long life compound but doesn't have great stopping power. I switched to a organic hybrid pad, then later going full ceramic when I went to 11 inch rotors.

I've had the replacement pads and rotors on hand for a couple years... was gonna change em a while back, but they have life and just keep working fine so if it ain't broke lol... what I'm saying is... u can go a while... never bad to have replacements ready on hand.

Highway miles the rear brake pads lasted me 210-220k.

Front ones about 75-85k.

I engine brake too.

I have 59k on mine and 8/10 left on the front... Seems like I can go another 150k or so with them.

08 Sport automatic, 150K miles. Front brakes roughly every 2 or 3 years of commuting in Washington DC area. Rotors changed every time pads are because they seem to warp pretty regularly.

Here are some maintenance items/guides to save you some money. Most of these items are super easy to change and replace.

• Maintenance Schedule
• Throttle Body Cleaning
• Oil Changes & General Questions
• Brake Pad Instructions (2004)
• Cabin Air Filter Change
• Engine Air Filter
• How To Change Wiper Blades
• How To Install Android Auto
• Motor Mount Info (2004)

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Measure the pad thickness. I'm at about 77k and haven't had to change mine yet.

It depends on how you drive but usual signs is they start squeaking also you could just visually check them.

are you banned from google and local garages? bloody hell I hate this post

The brake fluid level is a good indicator. When the pads are thin, the fluid goes low. Change the pads instead of putting in break fluid.

You destroy the rotors. And ultimately, car won't stop when you need it too.

Very expensive compared to just doing the proper maintenance.

You turn a 20$ scenario into a multi hundred or thousands scenario. Replace the pads, they are very cheap

Found some on parts geek for 9$. For two wheels!

If she isn't doing this simple and mandatory maintenance, what else is she neglecting? That car can get very very expensive to repair. It's in her best interest to maintain it... Even if it's just the minimum. She's also risking complete strangers lives by driving a dangerous vehicle.

It literally becomes metal on metal. And she should get that fixed asap

She needs pads and rotors now. Rotors could of been avoided

There are usually crazy metal to metal brake pictures posted there daily during the work week.

Just take a look through r/justrolledintotheshop.