How many miles do disc brake pads last? I have a 2008 Dodge Carvan and do about 50/50 for local and long distance driving.
That’s a question for you and your right foot.
No single answer here.
Too many variables to even go there.
I sold my 1992 Explorer @ 140k miles. Had front brakes @ 120k, never needed rears.
1979 chevy pickup has only 71k miles has never needed any brakes.
2006 Escape hybrid 41k miles shows only 10 % wear.
2008 Expedition 46k miles only 20 % wear.
Anywhere from 20k to 100k, depending on vehicle and driving.
Err on the low side for brake pad replacement. Always. I do them every two years. But I buy now light cars, and never tailgate or speed (much), and don’t do that ride the brakes thing that some people do. I also let the engine and transmission slow the car when I am exiting a highway or coming to a stop.
Pads are cheap until you get ripped off by the mechanic changing them. You are due a pair in my view. Your rotors and calipers should be in good shape, unless you are hearing a grinding noises while stopping (from the front).
Long term, be aware that while rear disk brakes are a good thing, often rear disks don’t do enough work to keep the calipers working enough to prevent them from ultimately freezing up. In this case the front brakes end up doing much or all of the braking, which is unstable and dangerous, especially in wet conditions.
They last until they’re worn out. That varies greatly. Rather than go by mileage, you should be periodically inspecting the brakes. Usually this is done anytime new tires are installed or the car is lifted onto the rack for undercarriage maintenance. In NH it’s done at least once yearly during an annual required safety inspection.
Brakes are too important to ignore. If you’re in doubt, have them inspected.
I replace my front brake pads when the remaining friction material is the same thickness as the steel backing. To view this, you might need to remove a wheel. Check both sides of the vehicle and check both pads at each wheel if you can.
It all depends on your driving style. Do you start and stop casually or are you a demon driver?
Do you haul heavy loads (Look in manual for the weight your vehicle is rated. You will be greatly surprised how easy it is to overload a minivan. Often you cannot put two adults in each row of seats.). The page I looked at ( http://www.allpar.com/model/m/cargo-van.html ) stated that the heavy duty Caravan had a GVW as 6050 lbs. It also said that you can put 1500 lbs in the vehicle. But that is starting with an empty gas tank and only the front row seats. This model had a heavy duty suspension. It may or may not include beefier brakes.
If the combined weight of the two rear seats is 225 lbs. you are down to 1275. Four adults (175 lbs ave.) comes to another 700 lbs. That leaves room for another 575 for cargo. If your typical driving included four people and the seats, and you drove conservatively, you should fall within the middle of the brake life the manufacturer reccommends.
If you can change a tire, you can check the condition of your brakes. Is the rotor smooth or full of deep ridges? Are the pads wearing evenly? How often does the manufacturer reccommend to change the brakes? OEM manuals are often available on line. Most of all, if it does not stop properly, fix it.