05 Elantra GT Rear Disk Brakes Question

Generally speaking, how long should the rear brake pads last? I am
fully aware that it depends on driver etc, but am curious. I changed
the front pads at 18K, car now has 21000. I also have an 03, rear
brakes are still going strong at 35K. I know in the old days of drum
brakes, I've had cars go over 100K without ever changing rears and
some have gone around 45K....curious how this translates into disc
brakes. Thanks for any opinions.

 

I've seen them run 20K to 90K. The variance is just too great to put some
sort of general expectation on them. As long as the parking brake is not
overtightened and is working properly, they'll probably last quite some
time.

 

In most cases, the rear brakes will outlast by 2x to 4x the front brakes.
One exception was my 91 Regal that ate up rear brakes. It was the first
year they had disks on the rear and it did not seem to be quite ready for
the road yet.

 

Actually I am quite upset with a local Hyundai dealer. I brought my 05
in yesterday because the brake pedal has been going to the floor (it
was always lower on this car than my 03). They said it was fine except
it needs rear pads as they have 15% life left. What they don't know is
that I had already checked the pads, they have at least 50% life left
(prob more like 80%, but I don't have new ones to compare). Even at
15% they should not cause these symptoms. I have complained to
Hyundai, both the dealer and the company. What sucks is I was going to
buy an Elantra for my son, now I don't feel I can trust them..at least
until I hear back from Hyundai. If I do decide to buy another, it will
be from another dealership.

 

Yes, generally I agree I just wanted other's opinions. See my post
above to Hyundaitech..and thanks for the response.

 

In my experience, '04 to '06 Elantras have more brake pedal travel than the
'01 to '03. I've had a few people complain about "pedal to floor," and
some have even claimed loss of braking, but I've never been able to
duplicate this problem on these vehicles. Some customers demonstrate by
stopping the vehicle and then pressing the pedal until it reaches the
stop. This is a meaningless demonstration, since when the vehicle is
stopped, there is no way of determining how much brake force is being
applied.

So, while there's a possibility you have a problem with the '05, I wonder
whether the pedal travel is simply more than expected.
-- Is this an intermittent problem?
-- Was there a loss of braking ability?
-- Did the ABS kick in?
-- Can you lock the wheels (or activate the ABS) by slamming on the
brakes?

 

My experience with rear brake pads is that they fit the caliper too
tightly (at least in some cases), which causes the pads to stick in
place when the piston retracts and causes excessive wear. When I
replaced mine at 45K miles, I had to use a hammer and punch to get them
out of the calipers. The new pads were too tight until I filed the ears
on them to get a proper fit. Now everything seems fine. This doesn't
seem to be a problem with all Elantras, but it's not uncommon, either.

 

Thanks Hyundaitech. The 05 has always had more brake travel than my
03, but as of about a week ago, it definaitely got worse...much worse.
It was truly going down to the floor, but still stopping. I can't
completely lock the wheels (no abs) but it still stops OK. The real
problem is that the brake power does not come on at exactly the same
point in the brake travel each time, which is what makes it dangerous.
I bought brake pads today and will change them Saturday morning even
though I'm sure it won't matter. Actually I hope I am wrong and that
solves the problem, but i am sure that is not the reason. But this way
I'll know for sure.

 

I did look at them and they don't look worn, but I decided to change
them anyway which I will do Saturday. This will eliminate the
possibility that it is indeed the pads. Thanks.

 

Have you checked the fluid level and/or bled the brakes?

 

fluid level is fine, I did not bleed the brakes. I thought this would
be the first thing the dealer would do, but they didn't mention it. If
the new pads don't fix it, I will bleed the brakes next.

 

If the brake lines were not opened during the work the dealer did on the
brakes, there would be no need to bleed them. Most soft pedal problems are
from worn out pads/incorrect shoe adjustments, or having the rotors turned.

 

We shall see..I will change the rear pads in the morning. Then I'll
come back here and let everyone know what happens.

 

If you cannot lock the wheels, there's definitely a problem. There are
three main things I've seen cause this problem:

1. Etching of rotors on vehicles that are driven infrequently.
2. Foreign substance on rotors (such as tire shine).
3. Problem with master cylinder.

Like Mike, I think it would be best if you didn't bleed the brakes. When
you return to the dealer with the problem still present, your bleeding the
brakes will only complicate their diagnostic process.

 

Thanks again. 1.Rotors looked fine, and the vehicle is used everyday
for about 40 miles. 2. Never used on this vehicle (I do use it on my
03, which is the one I personally drive daily) 3.What I've suspected
all along BUT suspecting and proving it are two different things.
After i change pads tomorrow I will report back...even if I turn out
to be wrong and it is indeed the pads. Actually I hope I'm wrong, I
just want it working correctly. Thanks again.
PS I am giving my son the 03 soon and buying anew car...I do not like
the looks of the 07 Elantras at all + no more GT. I may end up with a
Sonata. Maybe even within a few days. I won't let my experience with
the dealer cloud my thinking...I've been very happy with both my
Hyundais.

 

Master cylinders are always a consideration when a pedal is weak, but they
also generally give warning. Failures are not typically sudden. I'd never
discount a master cylinder when looking at a bad pedal, but I wouldn't put
it anywhere near the front of my list right now. BTW - that was just my
rambling - I realize you're not rushing into that one.

FWIW, I just put pads on the front of my wife's 04 Sonata. Really bad
pedal. I mean - really bad. She drives it daily and the wear was something
she had grown accustomed to until she drove my car. I drove hers and holy
cow - that pedal went lowwwww. I got pads for both the front and rear, but
only put the fronts in due to time constraints. I did not replace the
rotors, as hers were in very good condition - the best I've ever seen with
the mileage they had on them. The difference those front pads made was
remarkable. She thinks she has a brand new car now. I'm much pickier than
she is about these things, and I was impressed with the difference I saw
with just front pads. I'll get around to putting the rears in soon. Soon.
Did I say... soon?

I suspect you're going to find the quick and happy solution to your problem
this weekend.

 

I took my 03 Elantra in for recall and one of the techs said i needed to
have new pads on the front because the shims were wrong. this was at about
15000 miles. can you replace the shims, I asked? no you have to do a new
pad installation. HT is that right???

 

It's possible that the wrong shims would interfere with proper caliper
operation. I haven't checked to see whether you can get the shims
separate from the pads, but I'd think you'd just be able to remove the
shims if they were causing some sort of interference. Their purpose in
life is to reduce brake squeal, so removing them will present no safety
hazard.

By the way, I've never even heard of having the wrong shims. I'm not even
sure how this would be possible. Normally, the shim fits on top of the pad
backing plate. If the shim were wrong, I'd think it would stick out past
the sides of the pad, preventing proper installation.

 

When I was doing the pads, I decided to try to put the original shims
back. I had to pry them off the original pads, but I did end up using
them. They are not stuck (glued?) on the new pads but they fit OK and
did not seem to interfere with anything so I left them on.

 

There shouldn't be an issue of significance, then. Probably, the worst
situation that can occur is that the shim can move and contact the hub
portion of the rotor and make a squealing noise.