Brake Pad Life Calculator
Miles left on your pads and cost per mile.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Miles remaining
- 20,000 mi
- Months remaining
- 20 months
- Wear rate
- 0.2 mm per 1,000 mi
- Expected total pad life
- 45,000 mi
- Brake cost per mile
- $0.01
- Status
- Serviceable
Quick answer
Pad wear is roughly linear with mileage, so remaining life = usable material above 3 mm ÷ wear per 1,000 miles.
Miles left = (current − 3 mm) ÷ wear rate
How to use the Brake Pad Life Calculator
- 1Measure the friction material, not the backing plate.
- 2Enter the miles covered since the pads were fitted.
- 3Enter your monthly mileage and typical job cost.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Pad thickness when new12 mm
- Current pad thickness7 mm
- Miles on these pads25000 mi
- Miles per month1000 mi
- Cost of a pad and rotor job450 $
Results
- Miles remaining20,000 mi
- Months remaining20 months
- Wear rate0.2 mm per 1,000 mi
- Expected total pad life45,000 mi
- Brake cost per mile$0.01
- StatusServiceable
Frequently asked questions
At what thickness must pads be replaced?
Below 3 mm of friction material most manufacturers call the pad worn out, and squealer tabs usually start to sound around 3–4 mm.
Why do front pads wear faster?
Weight transfers forward under braking, so front brakes do roughly 70% of the work and typically last half as long as the rears.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.