2017~2024 Do rear brakes get more use than front?
- Thread starter wlong01
- Start date
CarpeDiem
Under Pressure
- :
- Superstitions
- :
- 2021 CE Turbo
The stability controls Mazda uses will put more wear on the rear pads than many other makes. Some have reported faster wear on the rears than the fronts due to this. Of course this assumes that there are no problems with the rears like dragging, etc.
The rear brake pads are much smaller than the front. Presumably Mazda sized them with some intention - perhaps that was to wear evenly. But the relative usage may be heavily dependent on how the car is driven.
My rears seemed t be wearing faster than the front when I replaced all 4 around 35K miles. IIRC, rears still had over 5mm and fronts more. I jumped the gun by a few years.
My rears seemed t be wearing faster than the front when I replaced all 4 around 35K miles. IIRC, rears still had over 5mm and fronts more. I jumped the gun by a few years.
- :
- 2016.5 CX-5 GT AWD titanium/black 2016 Miata Club ST MT white
Good question! I keep forgetting to turn off the TC in my CX. Oh well.
Rears will wear faster than the fronts in modern cars. Two reasons. They have a smaller surface area, and the discs are not vented. The bigger reason is there is now a built in rear brake bias on initial application that's meant to reduce front end dip/nose dive when first applying the brakes. This built in bias has been around for a while now. You can google it to see how it works. If I remember right, there was a good explanation somewhere of how Hyundai does it . It's interesting actually, if you are a gear head, lol.
Wow, so many answers that sound so definitive.
The answer OP is Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), which is part of the ABS system. Have you ever applied constant pressure to the brake pedal and then felt the rear of the vehicle dip down and feel more 'planted?' That's EBD
www.mazda.com
The answer OP is Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), which is part of the ABS system. Have you ever applied constant pressure to the brake pedal and then felt the rear of the vehicle dip down and feel more 'planted?' That's EBD
MAZDA: Brake Assist and EBD | Active Safety Technology
Brake Assist and EBD. With the aim of achieving an accident-free automotive society, Mazda is advancing safety initiatives in three areas; vehicles, people, and roads and infrastructure. [MAZDA Official Web Site]
- :
- Plano, Texas, USA
Yes, it’s the EBD.
- :
- Mazda
I think a few maybe do not understand the engineering regarding braking systems what and how brake bias effects a vehicle, because the responses I am reading are not very good.
The funniest one is the one I must mention that because the rotors are not vented, they are not as efficient.
As for how long brake bias has been around, I think a few of us remember installing adjustable valves to control or change the brake bias on our car's way back in the 70's?
Thats all I am going to say because I am sure I opened the Pandora's box.
The funniest one is the one I must mention that because the rotors are not vented, they are not as efficient.
As for how long brake bias has been around, I think a few of us remember installing adjustable valves to control or change the brake bias on our car's way back in the 70's?
Thats all I am going to say because I am sure I opened the Pandora's box.
- :
- Plano, Texas, USA
Yes, and that’s what the EBD does.
And I also believe the tiny rear brake pads on CX-5 are also contributing the shorter life on rear brakes too.
- :
- 2016.5 CX-5 GT AWD titanium/black 2016 Miata Club ST MT white
Standard cruise control does not use the brakes.
Does the radar cruise control use the brakes at all? I'm not talking about SCBS.
HyFlyer
2019 CX5 sig 2.2 diesel / 2016.5 CX5 touring 2.5na
- :
- Southwest Ohio
Standard cruise on my 16.5 touring will downshift the transmission to try and prevent overrunning the set speed on a downgrade.
Radar cruise on my 19 diesel will do the same and also use the brakes as well (if necessary) on a downgrade. Brakes only (no downshift) to maintain set distance to a leading vehicle. (Yes, the brake lights come on when activated by the radar cruise.)
- :
- Pueblo county CO
- :
- CX-5 Sport 16.5 6M
I would guess the diesel doesn't have an exhaust brake?
HyFlyer
2019 CX5 sig 2.2 diesel / 2016.5 CX5 touring 2.5na
- :
- Southwest Ohio
It does not. Only slightly higher compression (maybe 14.4:1 IIRC) so engine braking is slightly better.
- :
- 2015 Mazda CX-5 Touring FWD
Had to replace my rear pads at 46,000. Fronts lasted until 85,000, at which time I also had to reolace pads, and discs all around.
Last edited:
I believe that the rear brakes are set to active slightly earlier to help with straight line stability. If you slowly drag your brakes to a stop, you may be only using the rears but, if you stop with a normal fairy brisk stop, then you bring the fronts into play. If correct, then the person who drives easy and uses the brakes lightly will replace the rears first. Make sense to me but then, I was wrong once last year. Ed
