How long did your brake pads last?

That's a good bet, I'll bet.



OK then, too many variables to generalize. That would also account for the minority reporting faster wear on the fronts.

I'd bet they take corners more sedately or live in flat areas. I know the cx5 has a very high threshold of "behind the scenes work" before anything illuminates on the dash regarding the various stability processes, and that we are provoking them a lot more than we think we are.
 
I'm surprised so many rear brakes are wearing out before the fronts. I always thought that the fronts work harder, therefore wear out faster, due to weight transfer and greater weight on the front axle. Remember when cars had discs on the front and drums on the rear? And they often [usually?] have larger discs in front than back [but only 0.2" difference on CX-5, larger in the back].

Does anyone know why this is happening? Force distribution maybe, but why? There should normally be LESS force applied to the rears, no?
My theory is most late model vehicles are "designed" to wear out rear brakes faster. Earlier vehicles were having larger brakes at front and smaller brakes at rear due to the reason you described. Newer vehicles use EBD applying rear brakes more for light braking situation. But auto-makers don't want to put larger brakes at rear to extend the life-span due to mainly cost issue or sometimes the space limitation with parking brakes there. Small disc pads with more usage will make the life shorter. Hence we'll see much shorter rear pad life-span on many new vehicles.

For our Mazda CX-5 there're some rust issues and lack of lubricant issues on caliper pins which contribute early replacement on rear pads. For some early CX-5 with new EPB there's issues on original rear calipers which can't release EPB properly and causes uneven and faster wear-out on rear pads.

My 2001.5 VW Passat needed new set of rear brake pads and rotors at 45K miles while the front still had about 70% of pad's life left. On the the other hand my 2000 BMW 528i needed new set of front brake pads and rotors at 45K miles but the rear is still fine at current 61K miles. Of course BMW has dedicated small drum brakes at rear used only for parking brake which should prolong the rear pad's life.

Then my 1998 Honda CR-V at 180,738 miles has gone through 3 sets of front pads, but the rear brake shoes are still original from factory! (boom03)
 
That is, what I knew as well, the electronic brake distribution is shifting the braking power to the back, this way the car does not dip at the front, in case of a hard brake. It is safer.
 
I'm gonna throw a new hardware kit on the rear as well. OEM only about $14

PN: K0Y12649ZA ('13-'15)

Great idea! I've found that the hardware keeps the brakes from squeaking and sliding around. I learned from experience that the hardware is only good per each set, or else the stuff gets loose.
 
I'm gonna throw a new hardware kit on the rear as well. OEM only about $14

PN: K0Y12649ZA ('13-'15)

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Does this shim kit include 2 different type of brake greases in the background?

On Honda the OEM brake pad kits do include these shims and brake grease. And your Mazda OEM rear brake pad kit doesn't include any of these?
 
The OEM pads I bought came with those two. I'll let you know tomorrow when the shim kit arrives if that also includes them.
 
This will probably be my May project... rears looks pretty simple

http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Mazda-CX-5-Rear-Disc-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide/index.html

EDIT: I threw Paul a donation. His work is bound to save many on these service items.
Paul's Travel Pictures do offer excellent write-up.

Two comments here, most importantly his write-up only applies to 1st-gen CX-5 without Electrical Parking Brake, not for all "1st generation 2012-2016 Mazda CX-5 SUV" as claimed. Use Lisle 28600 brake caliper piston tool to back off caliper piston most likely would damage the EPB mechanism! Use Maintenance Mode for 2016/2017 CX-5 electronic brakes procedure provided by Anchorman and posted by tomcat1446 instead of special brake tool to back off the caliper piston on EPB equipped 1st-gen CX-5 for rear brakes.

Secondly, the write-up says to use an open-end wrench to loose a caliper bolt. I'd never use a open-end wrench, a "Flare Nut" open-end wrench should be used if everything else failed.
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The OEM pads I bought came with those two. I'll let you know tomorrow when the shim kit arrives if that also includes them.
Then what is the purpose of getting this extra shim kit?
 
Good point...Yeah.. I wouldn't use an open end wrench either. I was thinking more of general guidance for the non EPB first gen models.
 
Then what is the purpose of getting this extra shim set?

I didn't purchase the shim kit for the lubricants. I just wanted to replace all aspects of the rear brake hardware. If all for naught a waste of less than $15 which won't likely make things worse.
 
I didn't purchase the shim kit for the lubricants. I just wanted to replace all aspects of the rear brake hardware. If all for naught a waste of less than $15 which won't likely make things worse.
I see. Normally OEM brake pad kit will include everything needed, including brake grease, to be replaced as outlined in the Service Manual. That's why I always get OEM kit. Please let us know what are the additional pieces in the shim kit not included in your OEM brake pad kit.
 
I just liking having contact points on all sides of the bolt and try to never use 12 point sockets on anything of importance.

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I swapped my pads and shims this morning. The hardware came with greases as well. Make sure the spring piece of hardware shim is compressed enough because I didn't do that the first time and wear indicator popped off one of the pads. Easy enough to put back on though. I just took my time. Jacked up by the rear differential, jack stands on each side, tires under for extra safety and chocked front wheels on both sides.
 
I swapped my pads and shims this morning. The hardware came with greases as well. Make sure the spring piece of hardware shim is compressed enough because I didn't do that the first time and wear indicator popped off one of the pads. Easy enough to put back on though. I just took my time. Jacked up by the rear differential, jack stands on each side, tires under for extra safety and chocked front wheels on both sides.
So the only item in your hardware skim kit K0Y12649ZA not included in your OEM brake pad kit is the metal spring piece?
 
Everything here was included in the hardware kit.

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The only redundant items with brake pads were the brown and black grease packets. Just pads and grease. Nothing else pictured above came with pads.
 
I just liking having contact points on all sides of the bolt and try to never use 12 point sockets on anything of importance.
Agreed. But from my experience 12-point socket or wrench is good enough appling force against all 6 corners of bolt or nut. I've never stripped any bolts or nuts by using 12-point as long as bolts and nuts are in good shape. Standard open-end wrench is a different story with only 2 out of 6 contact points when force applied.
 
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