Brake pads and discs: when to replace them, squealing brakes and costs

Brake pads need replacing when the lining has reached its minimum thickness. The lining is the friction material on the brake pad that presses against the brake disc. According to the ANWB, brake pads last at least 4 years or 60,000 km in normal use. According to the ANWB, you should allow for replacement from 40,000 km onwards.

How quickly brake pads wear depends on how and where you drive. According to the ANWB, brake pads last longer if you do a lot of long journeys with little braking. In city traffic or with a sporty driving style, they wear faster.

According to the ANWB, you cannot properly check the thickness yourself. The brake pads are checked during a car service. If they are likely to become too thin before the next service, it is sensible to have them replaced. According to the ANWB, in most cars a warning light on the dashboard tells you when something is wrong with the brakes.

Brake discs need replacing when they are warped or thinner than the minimum thickness given by the manufacturer. According to the ANWB, brake discs last about 100,000 km on average. That depends on your driving style, the conditions and the quality of the material.

The minimum thickness is marked on the brake disc itself. According to brake manufacturer Brembo, the disc shows the abbreviation MIN TH (minimum thickness), followed by the minimum thickness. The mechanic measures the thickness with a disc thickness gauge at a minimum of four points. According to Brembo, the lowest reading applies to the whole disc.

Source: ANWB (brake pads and brake discs) and Brembo (minimum thickness of the brake disc).

According to Brembo, as a rule of thumb the discs are replaced at every second brake pad change. If the discs are replaced, new brake pads go with them, according to the ANWB.

The noise tells you something about the condition of your brakes. Squealing can be harmless, but it can also be a warning. Grinding and vibrating point to wear or damage that you should have checked.

Source: ANWB, pages on squealing brakes, brake pads and brake discs.

According to the ANWB, cheap or hard brake pads can squeal more readily. Brake parts that have not been fitted properly can vibrate when you brake. If the steering wheel also vibrates when you are not braking, the cause may lie with the tyres or the suspension. Read more on our page steering wheel vibration.

Brake pads and brake discs are replaced per axle, left and right at the same time. That way both sides of the axle brake evenly. According to the ANWB, you replace the brake pads on the same axle, front or rear, left and right together. The ANWB says the same for brake discs. Even if only one disc is below the minimum thickness, according to Brembo you replace the discs on both sides.

The front and rear brakes do not need to be replaced at the same time. Each axle is assessed separately.

When replacing the brakes, the mechanic also looks at the rest of the braking system. A braking system only works well if all its parts are in good order. In broad terms, the replacement works like this:

1. The mechanic measures the brake discs at several points and compares the lowest reading with the minimum thickness marked on the disc.
2. He checks whether the brake callipers move freely and whether there are any leaks at the brake pipes and brake hoses.
3. He fits new brake pads, and new brake discs if needed, on both wheels of the axle.
4. He checks the brake fluid level. Whether the brake fluid needs replacing is explained in our article on replacing brake fluid (in Dutch).
5. Afterwards, he checks how the brakes perform on a short test drive.

New brakes need bedding in. According to the ANWB, you bed in new brake pads and discs by braking calmly and in a controlled way for the first 100 kilometres. You can read more about this service on our page about brake replacement in Rotterdam.

During the APK, the inspector (in Dutch: keurmeester) checks whether the brakes work properly and whether the parts are safe. More Dutch words you may see on an APK report or a quote are explained in our guide to Dutch garage terms (in Dutch). The requirements are set out in the APK manual of the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority. The section on the parts of the braking system does not give a minimum thickness in millimetres for brake discs or brake pads.

What else the inspector checks is listed in our APK checklist: what the inspector checks. Preferably have worn brake pads replaced before the APK, so you know where you stand in advance.

The cost depends on your car and on what needs replacing. The ANWB gives this indication (checked on 5 November 2026):

Source: ANWB, pages on brake pads and brake discs, checked on 5 November 2026. Market indication, not a price from Autobedrijf Willemsbrug.

At our garage you receive a quote in advance based on your registration number. Call +31 10 479 00 00 or drop by. If the mechanic sees during the work that more is needed, for example a brake calliper that is sticking, we only carry out that extra work with your approval.

No. According to the ANWB, you cannot properly check the thickness of the brake pads yourself. Do look out for signs such as a warning light, a squealing or grinding noise and a brake pedal that feels different. If you notice any of these, have the brakes checked.

According to the ANWB, squealing after rain or after standing still is often caused by dirt, dust or surface rust on the brake discs. In many cases it disappears by itself after braking firmly a few times in a safe place. If the squealing continues, have the brakes checked.

According to the ANWB, you notice warped brake discs by vibration when braking and by varying braking power. Warped discs must be replaced. According to the ANWB, a disc can warp due to a sudden change in temperature, for example if you drive through a deep puddle with hot brakes.

Yes. According to the ANWB, you bed in new brake pads and discs by braking calmly and in a controlled way for the first 100 kilometres. So avoid braking hard unnecessarily during that time.

No. A layer of rust is not a reason to fail as long as the smooth part of the disc is wide enough. According to the RDW APK manual, that smooth part must on each side, around the whole circumference, be at least 50 per cent of the maximum width of the brake pad. If it is narrower, the brake disc does not meet the requirement.

• ANWB: Remblokken: op tijd laten vervangen (in Dutch)
• ANWB: Remschijven uitgelegd: vervangen, kosten en wanneer (in Dutch)
• ANWB: Help, mijn auto heeft piepende remmen! (in Dutch)
• Brembo: De minimale dikte van de remschijf (in Dutch)
• RDW: APK-handboek: onderdelen en werking reminrichting, passenger cars (in Dutch)