Brake life - miles remaining

[rochrunner]

Our '08 has only 38K miles, mostly in-town driving (short trips, stop signs, etc.). Right now, the OEM brake pads have about 7/32" remaining. Any idea what percentage of the total life is left in them? I know they recommend replacement at 5/32", but am not sure how strict a rule that is or how fast they typically wear.

 

[concept]

Brake pad wear is directly dependent upon number and intensity of stops, so unless you drive the same route and catch the same number of red lights, at the same speeds, all you can do is estimate by time and distance (knowing the original pad thickness). The recommended replacement thickness is typically, conservative. Generally speaking, the audible (max) pad wear indicator announces when you should replace the pad set. Otherwise, you'll have to hear that rattling sound during when the brakes are NOT being applied - very irritating to some drivers.