my CPO X5 needs new brake pads only 5mo/4000 miles after purchase
 

Hey everyone, I picked up a new to me 2012 X5 this past summer. The car had 38000 miles on it and was a CPO. I'm at about 42000 miles (the vast majority of the miles I've put on it have been highway) and just got a low brake pad thickness warning light the other day.

My understanding is that a CPO'd car would have things like pads, tires, etc. replaced if they were that low. Should I expect the dealer I bought it from to pay for the new pads, or did I just get unlucky with the brake pad wear?

Thanks for any help!

It may have been good enough to pass the CPO inspection at the time but its worth a try to go see them and say what the heck! But dont pay dealer prices to get them replaced if they dont do it for free. There are other pad options that are better as far as dust and same stopping grip. Do a search on brake pads on here, you will see.

CPO inspections are subjective and therefore, your brakes may have been overlooked when they should have been replaced.

CPO Inspections may indeed be subjective. But for things like brake linings (min 5 mm of friction material) and tire tread depth (min 3 mm from top of wear bar) BMW NA is very strict about what they will allow. Unless your dealers certification tech didn't check the linings properly, or misrepresented that (they and the Service Manager are required to sign the CPO form) it's possible they just wore out.

I'd politely ask the Service Manager at your dealer to check the paperwork and see if they think there may be a problem. They may be willing to give you a concession on the pads as a goodwill gesture, especially if your a regular customer.

If you do have to pay out of pocket, nothing wrong with shopping around for better aftermarket pads and rotors. I just had my fronts done at 55k miles by my dealer and it was not cheap. Good luck.

CPO Inspections may indeed be subjective. But for things like brake linings (min 5 mm of friction material) and tire tread depth (min 3 mm from top of wear bar) BMW NA is very strict about what they will allow. Unless your dealers certification tech didn't check the linings properly, or misrepresented that (they and the Service Manager are required to sign the CPO form) it's possible they just wore out.

I'd politely ask the Service Manager at your dealer to check the paperwork and see if they think there may be a problem. They may be willing to give you a concession on the pads as a goodwill gesture, especially if your a regular customer.

If you do have to pay out of pocket, nothing wrong with shopping around for better aftermarket pads and rotors. I just had my fronts done at 55k miles by my dealer and it was not cheap. Good luck.

OP- same comments here as BF.... ;)

If the brakes were at 50% at 38k miles, and he is now at 42k miles- and the sensor has tripped, THAT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

You would be saying in 4k miles he has used 30-40% of the pad life!

CPO inspections on pads and tires are NOT subjective- OP got screwed by a cheating or lazy dealer.

OP, what did the CPO checklist show on it????

It's possible that it's just the sensor that tripped for whatever reason. Happened to me on my F30 328i. Have them check it and reset the counter if that's the problem.

If someone replaced the pads and the sensor, but didnt reset the maintenance counter, the warning will come when the maintenance is due. I did this to myself last time :-(((

I'm taking it into the dealership on Wednesday. That was the earliest appointment they had with an available loaner. I'll see then if it's just a sensor (hopefully) or if it does need new pads.

Now that I think about it, and stupidly in hindsight, I never received an inspection report with the purchase. I bought it in Dallas and live in North Carolina.

I'll be contacting the dealer I bought it from and see what they say about it.

Dealer? Why?

You will piss away $700+ with them. They will get you to sign the work order committing to $100-200 to "check it out".. SA will murmur all the right words...nod sagely as you opine about sensors and resets, and how they should have done it during the CPO...blah blah blah

Then they will bend you over for $700, tell you that 'these high performance pads do wear fast', and otherwise circle the wagons around themselves and the selling dealer... he will absolutely not give you ANY info that will let you go back to the selling dealer...likely not even make any sympathetic noises at this point, no need- youve signed the work order.... "do you want us to do it?"

and if you decline he will only charge you "for the one hour diagnostic", or $160.

And you will not have priced a brake job anywhere else...and you'll be stuck... so you will have to agree.

"just a sensor"? Which sensor?

Just pads? Not BMWs; not at a dealer, not owner pays: Pads and rotors.




bawareca- back to the OPs post- this is not a 'brake service warning'...its a 'low brake pad thickness' warning...I thought that ONLY is tripped by the actual pad sensor wearing, no? In other words the final contact has been physically tripped meaning the pads have worn... Im not sure though...