View Full Version : Update on rear brake pads for my '01 STS


Intheknow
02-26-06, 02:14 AM
OK, last Saturday I went to local shops to buy the brake pads. The Caddy dealership had them in stock for about $125.00. I went to Autozone, Schucks, Pep boys and another place here in this little dusty Navajo town and no one else had them in stock. The prices were from $25.00 to about $80.00, depending on the rating, but they had to be ordered. So, yesterday I happened to be in Albuquerque for some meetings and on the way out of town I went to Autozone there and they had some in stock for $25.00. I bought them. Rarely do I drive over 80 and when I do go over 100 it is for a very short period of time, so I figured I didn't need high-speed, high-performace pads for the rear brakes.

This afternoon I installed the pads. The process (and the brakes, evidently) was exactly the same as in my old Aurora. I luckily still had the "cube", so I was set. On the left side, when I removed the old pad the wires to the sensor broke, so I cut them shorter so they wouldn't short out and put it back together just fine. The rotors looked fine and I have had no shimmy from the brakes, so I decided not to have them turned. On the right side, I just tucked the sensor out of the way and I did not cut the wires. But I figured I should be able to know when it was time to change pads next time by looking at them. I don't think I need a computer telling me.

So it all went back together fine, but the car is still telling me that the pads need changing. Should I just cut the other wire to get rid of that message? Or is cutting it what is causing the message?

Dadillac
02-26-06, 10:45 AM
If you cut the sensor off of the wires, you need to tie the wires together. This will complete the circuit, and get rid of the warning. Otherwise, replace the bad sensor, that will also work.

Don

Ranger
02-26-06, 11:20 PM
You can get the sensors from gmpartsdirect or rockauto for about $25 I think.

Intheknow
03-10-06, 06:27 PM
Update on the rear brakes:

I tied the wires together and that fixed it. I really don't think I need a sensor to tell me when to replace the rear pads.

I have NO brake shimmy. It stops smooth and silky from any speed.