Brakes don't last

[scwidy]

I was told by my dealer that this has never happened to anyone else. I have a 2016 Duramax Sierra DenaliHD and have had to replace the brakes every 20,000 miles. I bought the truck brand new and have always had it serviced at the dealer I bought it from. At 20k miles, without warning I could feel the metal in the pedal and took it to the dealer and they replaced the pads and rotors with no explanation as to why the squealers didn't activate. They said it was how I drive. I have towed a single axle aluminum trailer with about 800#'s in it for a total of about 500 miles and that is all the weight this truck has seen. I have 109,000 miles on it now and have had to have the brakes replaced(and calipers) 5 times now, approximately every 20,000 miles. The dealer has covered everything up to this point but have told me that this is it, they won't do it again. They say nothing is wrong with my brakes, but I have never had a vehicles brakes last 20,000 miles. I put a lift on it at about 50000 miles and had replaced the brakes twice to that point. Has anyone else had something like this happen. Any ideas, I started a case with GM but am not sure how it will go.

[Colossus]

The lift probably doesn't help, I've heard lifted trucks and bigger tires add extra stress onto the braking and alignment and as such to expect higher maintenance frequencies

[DmaxHugh]

I have 35” tires on my Duramax and tow 16k a lot more than 500 miles, I’d guess I have 20k-30k towing. Truck is a 2019 with 57k miles on it and my brakes are still stock ones with 60% left. I just check the other day. Something is wrong on your end. Maybe they put cheap pads on and you’re blowing through them. I would bring your own pads from Napa and make sure they are good ones! The good ones cost $150 + - for four of them. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by DmaxHugh

[Grumpy Bear]

On 10/26/2020 at 10:20 PM, scwidy said:

I was told by my dealer that this has never happened to anyone else. I have a 2016 Duramax Sierra DenaliHD and have had to replace the brakes every 20,000 miles. I bought the truck brand new and have always had it serviced at the dealer I bought it from. At 20k miles, without warning I could feel the metal in the pedal and took it to the dealer and they replaced the pads and rotors with no explanation as to why the squealers didn't activate. They said it was how I drive. I have towed a single axle aluminum trailer with about 800#'s in it for a total of about 500 miles and that is all the weight this truck has seen. I have 109,000 miles on it now and have had to have the brakes replaced(and calipers) 5 times now, approximately every 20,000 miles. The dealer has covered everything up to this point but have told me that this is it, they won't do it again. They say nothing is wrong with my brakes, but I have never had a vehicles brakes last 20,000 miles. I put a lift on it at about 50000 miles and had replaced the brakes twice to that point. Has anyone else had something like this happen. Any ideas, I started a case with GM but am not sure how it will go.

My ex use to go through brakes like this. I followed her one day and noticed the brake lights were on constantly. She use to rest her toe on the brake pedal (heels girl). She argued she didn't  and after a few more replacements I bought the parts and set them on the kitchen table. "You want brakes then you fix them." I told her. 

 

She did and it was the last brake set than car needed for about 70 k miles.

 

I watch people all the time pass with 100 yards to the STOP sign or pass, brake and turn left. Never hit the pedal until they are 30 yards from the sign.....it's a long list. I've never heard anyone every say they thought that was the issue. 

 

Just say' n. Your mechanic is likely close to being on the money. 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2020 by Grumpy Bear

[Z45]

Brakes wear out because of the way they are being used, plain and simple.  Most drivers don''t realize how hard they are on them. Used to work with guy and every time we got new trucks we would wonder how long before John trucks needed new brakes and transmission. Everyone he drove in 30 yrs had a trans failure and brakes would never last 20,000 mile.  He was hard on everything he drove. The boss would say, its a shame they give him a new truck, it will be junk within 2 yrs.  He would drive with one foot on the gas and they other foot resting on the brake pedal and he did not realize it.  We worked highway surveying.

Edited October 27, 2020 by elcamino

[KARNUT]

I’ve said in other post I traded every two-three years do to lots of miles driven. With the exception of a couple later ones carried weight. 100gal fuel tank, toolbox with tools, gas powered air compressor. The 3/4 tons had that plus pulled equipment. I never did a brake job. Never had an alignment. My work was on ROWs. Paying attention driving. Anticipating stop lights is the only way I can explain it. In 40 plus years of driving even counting my wife maybe 3 brake jobs, no alignments. We both have lead foots. She keeps her cars awhile. She driving in town only one front brake job on her 10 year old 110K mile Genesis.

 

 

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[flyingfool]

i still have the origional rotors and pads on my 2500HD from 2012, come to think about it it still has origional tires from way back then, i am on wear bars, but i tow several times a year. its also a weekly driver. and has about 50,000 miles total. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by flyingfool

[aseibel]

1 hour ago, Grumpy Bear said:

I watch people all the time pass with 100 yards to the STOP sign or pass, brake and turn left. Never hit the pedal until they are 30 yards from the sign.....it's a long list.

I've driven from Eastern WI to Western Nebraska twice this year for work. I-80 is pretty boring on a weekday. I can somehow drive with my cruise on for 4 hours without touching the left pedal once. (okay I tap it to disengage cruise every so often) Yet I watch countless others come bearing down on a semi who is stuck in the left lane, and they don't coast, they don't slow down until 100' behind, then light up their brakes. It's all about driving style. My dad taught me to coast the last 1/2 mile when I know a stop is coming up. I still do it. I have averaged 1 brake job per vehicle and the last 3 I got rid of I put on over 100,000 miles each.

[newdude]

If you were in NY (good ol rust state) I would consider that almost normal sometimes.  Winter is hard on brakes that are never regularly maintained up here.  My 2015 HD I had for two years, the pads and rotors lost no more than 1mm of thickness in 35,000 miles.  I did clean and tear them down twice in that time.  Even then, ones that don't get cleaned ever, and some that are towed with daily make it 40-50k on brakes.    

 

Obviously I have no way of seeing how you drive your truck, but I can only assume that driving habits and now the lift have a strong input on your premature brake wear.  The wheels/tires have an increase in unsprung mass, and you've got a much more negative offset than stock, so the weight is not only more, but its pushed out further.  

Edited October 27, 2020 by newdude

[redwngr]

Not sure which model year it was, but a while back there were some HD's that had a problem with the way the calipers were machined.  Prevented calipers from sliding on pins properly, resulting in rapid pad wear. 

 

 

 

 

[scwidy]

All good points and while I do appreciate your trying to guess how I drive(I didn't tell you), none would explain why the squealers never hit the rotors, plus I've had never had this issue with any of the other gm trucks I've driven other than the 94 that had rear drums and that I got over 40k with. I do drive fast, there is no doubt about it but I have driven this way for over 35 years and have never had brakes go like this. I would expect a 2500 truck brakes to outlast a 1500 truck brakes with both being driven the same. My 2011 6.2 actually towed `16k weekly and I replaced the brakes once in 135000 miles. And the dealer actually put Napa pads on this the time before this last one to try something else. Still got 20k miles out of them. Thank you all for trying to help, I don't drive two footed and I really have no clue what to have done next.

[flyingfool]

try flushing the entire brake system with fresh fluid and  a pressure tank over the master cylinder, maybe junk is building up or something is hanging up. get it on a lift and turn the tires by hand feel for drag. whats your mpg and gear ratio. my 2500hd gets 11 city 12 highway, this is normal for my gearing and weight

[wdavis]

On 10/27/2020 at 5:32 PM, scwidy said:

All good points and while I do appreciate your trying to guess how I drive(I didn't tell you), none would explain why the squealers never hit the rotors, plus I've had never had this issue with any of the other gm trucks I've driven other than the 94 that had rear drums and that I got over 40k with. I do drive fast, there is no doubt about it but I have driven this way for over 35 years and have never had brakes go like this. I would expect a 2500 truck brakes to outlast a 1500 truck brakes with both being driven the same. My 2011 6.2 actually towed `16k weekly and I replaced the brakes once in 135000 miles. And the dealer actually put Napa pads on this the time before this last one to try something else. Still got 20k miles out of them. Thank you all for trying to help, I don't drive two footed and I really have no clue what to have done next.

was hoping someone would have had a good suggestion to why you are going though pads. I have a 2017 silverado 4wd. It has about 39k miles and I've had just the back pads wear out at about 19k miles. Just replaced the pads for a second time. I too have never had bake problem of this type. Never had to replace pads or shoes on gm trucks I've owned over the pass 50 years before 80k miles.

My problem is its only the back pads wearing out on this truck. Will start a new post for this problem.

[GTBensley]

I have a 2016 2500 with 50k on it, just checked my brake pads last week while I had it up for an oil change. Pads still have 70% of their life left. Rotors have some rust ridges but that expected around here.

My co worker has a 2015 with 35k on it. He has already had to replace brakes on it. He also says they just wear out quickly. Riding with him I think it's more a driving habit. He doesn't drive fast, but he just doesn't brake smooth. A 2500 has a lot of mass....yes it has bigger brakes then a 1500 but that doesn't mean they will last longer.

I bet it's a combination of weight and slightly aggressive breaking. Probably was not an issue for you before because you had lighter trucks.

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[Z45]

I rode with a friend 100 miles to help him haul back some new windows he bought.  Not more than 20 miles down the road you could see his driving style. You be driving 40mph and you know there is a stop ahead but instead of slowing down he stays at 40 mph and <200 ft from the stop sign, he stands on the brakes.  I felt like I was in a rocking chair for the whole drive and it was very annoying.  He never anticipates traffic slow ups, catches up to slower traffic and then has to use the brakes to slow down.  By his driving habits I can see he been doing this all his life and thinks nothing of it.