Boston to FL, brake light on-can I get home?

Pedro and others. I'm in Winter Park, drove down for a 50th Gator frat reunion and the wear light came on. Can I make it home to Boston if I promise to be gentle with the brakes? It's an 02 with 58,000 never done the brakes.

If not, anybody got the number for a good indy in W.P?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2011 11:02AM by tom coughlin. (view changes)

There's usually several millimeters left when the wire shorts to the rotor (or opens). Heck, i ran nearly 3 run groups at the track, watching them very very carefully, and taking it a bit easy since they offered little insulation to brake heat.

Grant

Tom,
Don't fret, you still have pad left! The indicator is that you pads have reached a wear level that they will need to be replaced. The indicator does not mean to reflect that the car is not drivable until the pads are replaced.

Your drive back north will, I assume, be mostly interstate which is easy on brakes. Head home and get your pads changed after you arrive.

Drive safe!

dghii
2000 Boxster S 6speed 112k miles

I suspected that the Pcar guys designed in enough slack, but my drive home will be more enjoyable without the concern hanging over my old brain.

warning light came. I found I could reduce the chances of the brake light coming in various ways without compromising safety.

I drove -- mixed driving -- the car several thousands of miles but finally did the brakes because at the end the warning light was on all the time.

When I removed the old pads they were worn down to where about half the wear sensor was worn away. The sensor is approx. 3/16ths of an inch in diameter so this meant the pads had about 3/32nds of an inch of pad material left. I had planned on driving the car until one backing plate made contact but as I said above, I gave in and replaced the pads/rotors (the rotors usually get replaced every other set of pads) simply because I got tired of the warning light on all the time.

However, the brakes exhibited no other signs of any trouble, no noises, no signs of pad fracture/break up and no signs of any rotor scoring. As long as your car remains free of these signs (or any other signs of brake distress) I believe you can drive the car a while with no real problems. I would in spite of Pedro's experience not track the car. While chances are nothing would happen there's no reason to press your luck and accept unnecessary risk.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

and much more highway.

The light did go off a few times, always to come back on the next time I started up. The brake pads seem to have some more life in them but will get replaced next week.

Other than in Winter Park and St. Pete. I don't think I saw another Boxster on Route 95 or on all the other routes on the trip from Boston to West V.and then to FL and back to Boston.
Tom

Glad to know you had a good and safe trip.
When you buy new brake pads make sure you get new sensors as well. Yours are toast.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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