I got my brake pads change a little while and paid extra for ceramic pads. The brake dust is still black - making my rims look ugly. Do u think the mechanic ripped me off by putting in metallic pads, or is it normal?
I run ceramics on my car and they're always clean.What you're seeing is brake dust that's been building up on the inside of your rims.Take the wheels off of the car and clean the inside of the rims with a good tire and wheel cleaner.Put the wheels back on the car and you should be good to go.
The ceramic pad material is black just as the metallic pads as I just put a set on my wife suv and you will have some brake dust no matter what brake pad you use.
Your brake pads should have what is called a wear indicator, which is a clip that is attached to the brake pad, which upon wear, comes into contact with the rotor, making a loud, screeching noise. This noise is an indication that the pads need to be replaced. With this said, the wear of the brake pads can fluctuate, depending on several factors: 1) Your driving style. Alot of heavy braking can cause premature wear of the pads. 2) the type of material that your brake pads are made of. Organic pads tend to wear faster, where semi-metallic pads create fast stopping, but wear quickly, tend to damage the rotors over the course of time, and emit a black dust that you will quickly notice on your front wheels. Ceramic pads offer the best of both worlds, they are quiet and have little dust, and cause less wear to the rotors. I agree, with an earlier response, I would take the car to a reputable mechanic, and have them inspected. Many dealerships and service centers offer a free brake inspection, I would also ask to be present when the inspection is conducted. If they will not allow you to watch and ask questions, politely leave and don't look back. If they do welcome your presence and questions, look for excessive dust, and determine if the wear indicator clip, at the bottom, is even with the friction material on the brake pad. (Note: the caliper in which the pads are installed may be rusted and dirty. This is common, and in no way affects your quality of braking) Most mechanics are honest, but a few assume that you don't know the difference and are looking to sell you a set of pads, at a high labor rate. Being informed is the best savings and safety option that you can take with you when having work performed on your vehicle. I wish you the best.
