I have a 2003 Expedition with 30,700 miles on it, that was purchased new in April of 2003, so it's under warranty both on miles and months. The front rotors are down to the minimum thickness of 27mm. They have never been turned. I'm asking Ford to replace them under their bumper to bumper 3yr 36.000 mile warranty. So far I've not had any luck. I checked the actual warranty document and under brakes it specifically excludes pads and linings, but does not mention rotors as non covered items. Has anyone else had this problem? Has anyone ever heard of rotors lasting less than 30,000 miles? The vehicle gets about 1/3 highway miles, 2/3 city miles, which I would think would be pretty normal. Any help or comments will be appreciated.

 

Pretty common from what I've read online.... The brakes are marginal at best when it comes to longevity.

Rotors will not likely be covered by the warranty. Typically they are considered part of the brakes' wearable items and treated as such. Belts, hoses, pads, rotors, spark plugs, etc. all fall under that category.

-Joe

 

Just out of curiosity, how long did you factory pads last? If they have been replaced more than once, I would consider you a "heavy braker" (IMHO, and no offence intended.) In that case, perhaps the rotors could be gone, too.

However, as far as warranty issues, since the wwarranty specifically excludes pads, but does not specifically exclude rotors, it seems to me that you would have a pretty good argument with FoMoCo.

Again, no offence intended to you or anyone else, but I would be dumbfounded if my rotors only lasted 31,000 miles.

To be fair, though, I have a pretty conservative driving style, with probably higher than average percentage of highway miles. I would be dumbfounded if my pads lasted only 31,000 miles.

 

I should have mentioned it before.... you used to be able to go 100,000 miles on a set of pads and have the rotors machined a few times. Most OEMs now only give you about .050" of wearable material on the original rotors.... the first time you chew through a set of pads, they'll need to replace the rotors too.

Unless you do a TON of freeway driving, you'll likely eat up pads and rotors anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 miles. If you do a lot of freeway driving, you may go longer as long as you're not using the brakes.

I have a co-worker with a '97 that just did his rotors over Christmas.... He's got just over 200,000 miles on his.... but he drives 150 miles a day to and from work.

On my '00, they made it to 30,000 miles before sandy water got into the slide pins and wore out the driver's side outboard pad prematurely. The passenger side could have easily gone another 50,000 easily.

-Joe

 

When they redesigned the Expy/Navi, the brakes increased in performance slightly, but the longitevity was decreased signifigantly. It isn't abnormal to see a woman drivin expedition these days going 15000 miles and needing brakes. Although, one of my employees dads has an f150 with 122000 miles with origonal pads and rotors, and look as if they've never been used. All he does is highway.

 

The brake pads are very aggressive on this truck, thus the reason for all the brake dust, the dust is a combination of rotor material and pad material.

I'd put on a new set of rotors and some Akebono ceramic pads. It will make a world of difference.

 

Yikes! I would have to consider taking her keys and doling out bus fare each day.

Or more realistically, insist that the brake jobs come out of her personal "mad money" leaving that much less for her frivolities.

I am fortunate enough to have a wife who has had a big part in going 90,000, 101,000 and counting, and in one case over 200,000 miles on original factory brakes on our family vehicles.

 

SM what kind of vehicle does your wife drive? Not all cars/trucks brakes are created equal, not to mention driving type, hwy vs. city, etc.

I had a 1997 Dodge Ram with brakes that only lasted about 35,000 with about 50% hwy. But I have often heard Silverado's & Sierra's (GMT800) going for 70,000 - 80,000 miles, my neighbor has a Lincoln LS, first brake job at 100,000!

 

Ed 753,

The mileages I listed without mentioning vehicles were as follows;

'93 Chevy S10 Blazer 90,000 miles on original factory brakes

'90 Ford Ranger 215,000 miles on the original front pads and rotors. Rear shoes were replaced around 120,000-150,000 miles, not due to wear but due to a leaky axle seal which soaked the shoes with gear lube.

'01 F150 Screw, currently at 101,000 miles and still going (and stopping ) on all original factory brakes.


When the Ranger was new, it was her daily driver for three years until we got the Blazer. The Blazer was then her daily driver for seven years until we got the Screw.

To be fair, only a modest percentage of our driving is true bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go, city driving. More of our driving is suburban type, with a number of long highway trips thrown in, which is a little easier on the brakes. However, basically I think we both might be just a little easier on both pedals than some drivers.

I drove the Ranger to work today, by the way.

 

Good Luck! My wife's 03 had the same problem at 27,000 and we got the song and dance about the weight of the truck, her braking habits, ect.. now after 56,000 and the same problem, I simply told the service advisor, to replace the rotors and brakes for free, because I know there is a tech bull out there on this problem, or I will start a letter writing promotion to the NTSB. We got the truck the next day, new rotors, brakes and a explaination that the brakes were allright, however they were replaced. We have a friend, whose husband is a mechanic for the same dealership, the same thing happened to her and her truck, and that was the same outcome. Apparently Ford has a don't ask/don't tell policy and when confronted on the issue, they make the repairs and ack stupid (more stupid)

 

THe problem is that the brakes are aggressive and female driving habits kill brakes. When the 04 expy first came out, a local daycare owners wife got one. 15K for rotors and pads. At about 37K, rotors and pads again, although the second time was here fault for grinding the **** out of them. The Dodge minivans typically will go 15 upward to 20 thousand miles and then need them. My lube managers dad has a chevy 1500, 111000 miles and the pads don't look like they have ever been used and are the factory ones. (I had the check the floor and ask him if he used his feet to stop)

 

My 2000 F150 went 82,000 miles on original brakes there was now warning they was worn out as i never heard the squeal the pads are supose to make when they are about used up instead i heard the awful griding sound one time when i went to use them and knew it was time and now i had to get rotors as well because of the griding sound I don't think the brakes on my 05 will last as long as tthe ones did on my 2000.

 

I guess I'm late to the party, but rotors are covered under 3/36. Pads aren't since they're a "wear item." Any dealer that tells you different sucks.