I have about 45,000 miles on a set of Akebono ceramic pads and "new" rotors. The rotors were new at the time of the pad installation.

About a year ago had to remove the pad's, deglaze them (with a bit of sand paper) and have the rotors turned due to a binding feeling/noise when I come to a stop. After I did that, the feeling and noise went away.

I don't stop hard. If anything, perhaps a little too easily. I live in Colorado and do some mountain driving and off-roading, but I know how to drive in the mountains without burning up a set of pads.

Now, it's back and seems to be worse than before.

I've never had an issue like this before. The parts are well out of warranty and the brake shop that did the job before just want's to replace the pads even though there's a little more than half left. Needless to say, they won't be touching the brakes again... I just took it into get their thoughts. Their thoughts were to the tune of $150.00. (NOT!)

I can do a new brake job myself (now that I've learned how), I'm just not sure how to solve this issue.

 

I would say pads or cheap rotors don’t believe all the hype on brake pads some pads will just eat your rotors up ASAP.

You need a good ratio of pad to rotor for long life some pads just eat your rotor you may stop faster but is it worth the cost.

You really don’t need the expensive crap unless you like spending money

My opinion just saying

Pads are cheap if you do it yourself just buy new pads every three years and forget it I think Autozone has for life brake pads buy one set of pads get the rest free for life.

 

Are you sure your brakes are not binding on you this could be the problem get new pins clean out the gide pin holes and re lube them up check your knuckle for groves or strange ware my knuckles had groves that I had to file out that was causing hang up on the pads.

I was told to replace my flex brake lines they can cause binding when they get old.

 

My Ceramics are fine but then again my rotor are getting kinda bad. I haven't driven it in a while though. If I remember hearing right from somewhere it is that ceramic pads eat up rotors like no tomorrow, so maybe that could be a problem?

^^
I like the way this guy types , I can read it clearly!

 

Hm. All good suggestions and things I didn't know to check for. Thanks!

I'll check it out this weekend. May just end up replacing the pads. They've been such a pain.

..and who knew a brake job was so easy to do?! Makes me feel like I've been getting ripped off my whole life for brake service. Oh wait, I have...

 

Well, Ceramic pads are harder than steel rotors, so they would wear a bit faster. Anyway, Yes, very easy to do...at least discs!!! Drums are another story...haha..more painful than hard.
I would do a rotor/pad swap. My friend did EBC on his 02, and is very happy. I thikn he used 'yellow'. It will make sense if you check the site out. I might look into mine soon, but with almost 65K, I still have stock rotors, and my pads were replaced, but not needed.