[TimH]

I wa just doing my 20,000km wheel rotate and gave the brakes a cursory look. The fronts are ok but  the rears are cactus! I didnt measure it but the pad material left is less than the thicknes of the pad backing plate. So here's the thing; at the 15,000kms service there was 75% brake material left front and rear (according to the service report). The hand brake also got adjusted apparently.

Since the last service I must admit the car has lost a bit of its punch, I recon the diesel engine is probably the best part of the car but its taken a lot more throttle to get it up the local hills than it used to and has been using more fuel too.  I did mention this to the dealer a few weeks back as I was nearby. I wondered if there had been an ecu update I didnt know about but it was only the global update on the electric power steering computer that got touched. 

So have they overadjusted the handbrake (there is some drag whenI turn them by hand or are the calipers sticking? Either way the dealer will be getting a call on Monday! By the way I am in my 50's and have never in nearly 40 years of driving ever worn a set of brakes out so quickly. Yes I drive it around town a bit but consider myself a mechanically sympathetic driver.

[beerman]

So far I have gotten 128,500k out of mine, so I would be surprised if the 75% they put on your service card was accurate, should be closer to 98%.

The I30 has a reputation on here as being very light on brakes, so I suspect your diagnosis is correct.

[cruiserfied]

Very unusual.
I'm guessing GD with that many KM's? Mechanical handbrake, not electric?
GD use the caliper as the handbrake. The only adjustment is to the cable and requires removal of centre console to do so. If the adjusted the cable there is a good chance the brakes have been dragging.

[Wingerdave]

Very unusual.
I'm guessing GD with that many KM's? Mechanical handbrake, not electric?
GD use the caliper as the handbrake.

I'm pretty sure my (euro) i30 has a drum handbrake, but i won't take a bullet for it, coz the misses has popped out with it so i can't check just now.

[TimH]

I have spoken to the dealer and its booked in for them to check. They have initially suggested that the stability control uses the rear brakes a lot and as there are lots of roundabouts and twisty suburban roads this would cause extra wear. If this is the reason for wearing the back brakes out in 19,800kms  then this is crazy.

The wheels got a clean yesterday and this morning a wipe with my finger on the rear wheel shows there is brake dust there. The fronts are clean still.

Incidentally the parking brake operates directly onto the back of the caliper.

Am I alone with this problem?

[Surferdude]

I'd guess you are alone in this as I've not seen any wear factor like this in any car, let alone an i30.

Despite what the dealer says, I think everyone else on here who's commented on their brakes has 100,000 klm plus, up on their pads and the rears wear better than the fronts.

[Dazzler]

I'd guess you are alone in this as I've not seen any wear factor like this in any car, let alone an i30.

Despite what the dealer says, I think everyone else on here who's commented on their brakes has 100,000 klm plus, up on their pads and the rears wear better than the fronts.

and there are a lot of roundabouts where Trevor lives.. 

I suspect the Euro built cars may have softer pads than the Korean cars, as I have never seen brake dust build up on wheels so quickly as it does on Trish's 2014 Tourer..

Trish does only around 130 kms per week, mainly town driving and I can almost see the brake grime darken daily on her wheels!

[Surferdude]

I'd guess you are alone in this as I've not seen any wear factor like this in any car, let alone an i30.

Despite what the dealer says, I think everyone else on here who's commented on their brakes has 100,000 klm plus, up on their pads and the rears wear better than the fronts.

and there are a lot of roundabouts where Trevor lives.. 

True dat. 
A whole suburb of roundabouts. Not one traffic light in sight. 

[Phil №❶]

I have spoken to the dealer and its booked in for them to check. They have initially suggested that the stability control uses the rear brakes a lot and as there are lots of roundabouts and twisty suburban roads this would cause extra wear. If this is the reason for wearing the back brakes out in 19,800kms  then this is crazy.

Forget that suggestion. The ESC only operates when the sensor senses a g force greater than a preset  acceptable amount and acts as an emergency control to assist the driver. When activated, you should have an ESC warning on the dash and I suspect that you don't drive in that fashion normally. Ours has only ever displayed once and that was to avoid a car unexpectedly changing lanes into our path.

[cruiserfied]

Phil beat me to it.

[Lorian]

Plus you'd need to be razzing it a lot for that to be the cause. I can only recall my active yaw control firing a few times in five years, and never in the dry to my recollection. I suspect the rear pads on mine will last the life of the car LOL.

[tristan00]

sounds excatly like the problem I am having, totally agree this is not good at all for brake wear.