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09 Honda Accord brakes machined

The rear brake pads and discs had to be machined after 27,000 km on my 2009 Honda Accord, even though most of my driving has been on the highway and in low density Canberra traffic. My dealer told me Accords were hard on rear brakes and 27,000 km was not unusual; Honda replied that "the braking system on modern vehicles has undergone a lot of development, and one of the improvements has been to increase the rear brake proportioning, which is also applied earlier, and the advent of vehicle stability assistance. The increased application has the tendency to decrease weight transference to the front of the vehicle under brakes, which improves vehicle stability and improves its safety levels. The down side is that rear brake pad wear can be greater than we have been accustomed to and it is not unusual to require the replacement of the rear pads before the front." Honda's statement seems to acknowledge the existence of a problem exists, but of course won't admit to it. The pads and machining cost $325 and if machining has to be performed every 27,000 km the rotors will need replacing. I have spoken to another Honda owner and he had a similar gripe. Have you had any previous reports of premature brake pad wear on late model Accords? What can you suggest I do now, as Honda Australia seems indifferent to the problem?

Yes, we have had other reports on Hondas, but it's not restricted to Honda. The brake wear rate on today's cars is much higher than it is on older cars, but the braking performance has also improved markedly and that's the trade-off. What Honda told you is petty much on the mark. About the only thing you can do is to consult a brake specialist, such as Howard Reynolds of Race Brakes Australia and see if they could supply aftermarket discs and pads that would last longer. Howard can be contacted on 03 9687 7222.

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