LR3 pad wear sensors?

[rcharrette]

Hi all, I have a 2008 LR3. I knew I had front pad wear sensors but I pulled the rear wheels today to check pad thickness and I saw a wire running down to the caliper. I've attached a picture. Is that wire running into the middle of the caliper for a pad wear sensor? If it is when I get a warning that I need pads will it specify front/rear?
Thanks, Randy

 

[umbertob]

Yeah, both left front and right rear pads incorporate a wear sensor and no, unfortunately you'll have to figure out which one of the two triggered the warning whenever one of them is tripped, all you'll get is a cryptic "Brake" red icon in the instrument cluster. In theory, this happens when either pads are about 75% worn. In practice, take that with a grain of salt... They are not extremely accurate gauges.

 

[rcharrette]

Ok, thank you for the reply. I bought pads and rotors for front and rear and the front kit came with a wear sensor. I guess if I trip the rear I'll have to order one of those as well as I assume they are not interchangeable?

 

[Campndad]

Randy,
You may want to buy a set of Rotors and Pads to have ready when the time comes. I changed mine over to the performance slotted and dimpled rotors and EBC pads. I got about 50,000 miles out of the pads and the rotors are still good going on 60,000. I changed them after I had read so much negative stuff about the OEM rotors. British Atlantic's link is below, but they show them OOS currently. Its an easy driveway job.
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/8849EBCK.cfm

 

[umbertob]

Yes, front and rear sensors are different. Fortunately, they are cheap (and can be reused if they haven't been triggered yet): http://www.bputah.com/RR44/rr44_brake_pad_sensor.htm

 

[rcharrette]

Ok, thanks again. I do have rotors and pads for front and rear waiting here at my house. I took it in for service a month ago and they said the rear pads were getting thin (but still ok). I bought the truck at 50K miles and now have 98K miles and have never put brakes on it (F or R). I pulled the wheels today to check them and still good so far!

 

[Mack73]

Search for Brody's Brake Bible - you can download it from disco3.co.uk.

The rear brakes require a very precise procedure to be followed when changing the rotors. If you don't, you WILL destroy your rear parking brake.

 

[johnsoax]

Or, you could just cut, and wire nut the wires together. They really don't do anything useful if you maintain your vehicle..

My left rear brakes were grinding, so I ordered new pads and rotors for just the rear, hoping to do the fronts in the spring. The wear sensor never went off as the right rear brakes weren't quite as bad. Of course the sensor broke as I was trying to put it on the the new pad. Just cut and spliced it. No brake light.

Two months later, the front sensor started going off, and it went off as annoying as possible. Every time I released the brake pedal, the alert would happen again... and again, and again.. It was infuriating..especially since the brakes were still usable. I went ahead and ordered parts, and lived with the alert for two weeks (stupid Amazon messing up the order for ONE rotor).

When I changed the front brakes with new pads and rotors (and had to drill out the stupid rotor screws) I just went ahead and cut out the sensor there too. Your mileage may vary. I didn't think they were worth the hassle.