A week or so ago I heard a slight squealing from the nearside of my car but on tapping the brakes it disappeared (sounded like something like a stone stuck in the disc for want of a better explanation). Did not know whether it was the front or back. Did visual check of discs and all appeared to be OK. Hard to see the pad depth but car imminently due for a service (30K).
Yesterday ,heard the noise again but lasted a bit longer and disappeared again after braking a bit.
Today, after going to petrol garage, as I slowed down, the rear nearside brake felt 'rough' with a grinding noise. Checked disc and could see heavy scoring marks around the centre and the outer edge also seemed heavily scored. Got it home and took the wheel off and to my amazement, the brake lining left on the outermost shoe was pretty well non-existent. Hence, I've achieved the metal on metal effect which I've never had in any other car, and on the rears aswell? Would have expected the front pair to go first on an auto with a heavy engine and heavy car .
Does the FFRR not have a 'low pad' warning light in conjunction with sensors on the pads? (I did think it would be a given on a car of this expense)!).
I know 30K from a set of pads isn't too bad for the size of the thing , but if it had a warning, I wouldn't now also need a new disc (s). The old ones may be worth skimming and keeping as spares I suppose.
Steve Steve

Main car : FFRR L405 Vogue SDV8
Other car : Vauxhall Lotus Carlton
Past cars : FFRR L322 Vogue TD6 SE (Sept 2006 MY07) ; LandCruiser SWB ; 4-Runner ; Supras; XJS V12 LeMans

They do have a wear sensor but only on one pad out of each axle set! I almost got caught the same way. With the cost of discs I wouldn't bother with skimming.
Ivan FF RR S/C (Gone)
TVR Chimaera 500(Gone)
TR7 V8

If you need to replace the discs I would heavily advise stumping up for the cost of genuine ones from your dealer. It may be double the cost of pattern parts but I can assure you, it will save money in the long term.

I speak from experience.

Also, apparently if you DO replace the discs you should replace all the pads at the same time so they bed in together, putting slightly worn pads on new discs doesn't work...apparently? Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Thanks for comments guys. I will be buying the genuine discs as I don't like someone elses version, unless they are a major player in the quality brake market. I'll be putting new pads on all round aswell. After posting the original message I checked around and found the diagram with the wear sensors, but from past experience, these tend to trigger sooner than later, which can only lead me to believe that there is an extreme difference between the wear on the 2 pads or, that the sensor is a duff and I'm running totally 'metal to metal' on that disc! Love my RR but not impressed with this particular problem as I'm always big on servicing at correct mileage/ time period etc etc.
Steve Steve

Main car : FFRR L405 Vogue SDV8
Other car : Vauxhall Lotus Carlton
Past cars : FFRR L322 Vogue TD6 SE (Sept 2006 MY07) ; LandCruiser SWB ; 4-Runner ; Supras; XJS V12 LeMans

When you have it apart, clean the calliper up and check the piston for movement. Also check the guide pins/slide bolts. You may find that the side with the sensor is a bit seized and is only applying 90% force where the other side is 100%.

It's worth cleaning the callipers up every time you change the pads to make sure everything is happy. 

Thanks Guys,
Got them done at the main dealer today. Replaced the back pair of discs - £103+vat and had ferodo pads put on front & back - £103+vat in total. Technician told me the sensors trigger at around 90% wear to give you around 1k miles to get pads changed (depending how you drive). My fronts were about 80% worn hence made sense to change these aswell toprevent the risk of knackering those discs aswell. The labour equalled the parts bill but got them to do me trade on the parts. £500 later it's back on the road!! Mind you, pales into insignificance compared to my other cars ( Lotus Carlton ) brakes/disc which are currently being rebuilt, the RR bill would pay for 1 factory front disc and nothing else!! These cars - they're a lifes work!
Steve Steve

Main car : FFRR L405 Vogue SDV8
Other car : Vauxhall Lotus Carlton
Past cars : FFRR L322 Vogue TD6 SE (Sept 2006 MY07) ; LandCruiser SWB ; 4-Runner ; Supras; XJS V12 LeMans

£500!? Jebus! 

I had the same situation as this i.e. the pad wear monitor not activating on another RR about 15 years ago. Result was a knackered disc (requiring two discs and pads to rebalance the geometry - you cannot replace just one disc). The vehicle was only about 10 months old, and I hadn't anticipated the need for new pads at around 12k ish.


The worst of it though was yet to come...

It took about 3 months and then rust spots started appearing all down the side of the car. Hot metal fragments from the pad and disc had embedded themselves into the paintwork (just like debris from an angle grinder) and this started to rust and stain the paintwork.

The P38 never had pad wear sensors... completely bizarre for such a technologically advanced car, almost as bad as the lack of coolant level sensor in a car with an engine as sensitive to overheating as the Rover V8. I guess it was assumed the dealership would just replace the pads every time it was serviced, and fit a new engine each time too.

I'm glad to see both these things back on the L322, as they were on the Classic. I think from memory the classic had 4 wear sensors though? 

think??? mine was front and back but just on the near side - mind you it was 1993

Vogue wrote:

think??? mine was front and back but just on the near side - mind you it was 1993

My bad, must have been same as yours. My 87 had them once but the plugs were mullered, my 89 didnt have them, my 91 and 93 did have them. Luck of the draw with Land Rover. 

I'll still don't get why such an expensive car doesn't have a sensor per pad like some of my other less expensive ones I've owned . The current system does not allow for uneven pad wear as I reckon occured on mine. I pushed for a warranty claim on the grounds that if the wear had been even then the sensor would have tripped and I would have just had to replace the pads but the dealer has had this in the past and LR still see it as general wear & tear. Steve

Main car : FFRR L405 Vogue SDV8
Other car : Vauxhall Lotus Carlton
Past cars : FFRR L322 Vogue TD6 SE (Sept 2006 MY07) ; LandCruiser SWB ; 4-Runner ; Supras; XJS V12 LeMans

As the sensor is set around 10% you must have at least a 10% imbalance on your braking system. Either the non sensored wheel is breaking harder, or more frequently.

If the next set of pads does the same, then I would look into a calliper overhaul. 

mine was done under warranty - quite simple negotiating it really, I just said I wasn't paying

Thanks Guys.
I'm sure there has to have been a definite imbalance. The fronts were 80% worn and I would normally expect these to be worse than the rears (as in all the cars I have owned). I was given the number for LR and the woman I spoke to gave me the wear 'n' tear scenario, but when I then said what's the point of a sensor if it doesn't do what its suppossed to do etc etc and that LR must have deemed 1 rear sensor as adequate to give a good pad wear indication, then by this token, it is not doing its job properly as one pad had no lining, so maybe they should set it to trigger at 80% for example (not that I'd really want that!). She asked I get the garage to look into it again and call her if more help requried, which it is. I was also thinking down the car safety lines and the risk if say the 3 un-sensored pads were non-existant due to imbalance wear, but the one with the sensor showed all as OK. How many people regularly take each wheel off and check their pad wear between services??? ( Uh oh, knowing you FF boys, I bet you do!). I'm assuming these pads have done the 30k I've got showing on the odometer and , as I bought it with 11k on the clock , I assume they've never been changed before. Steve

Main car : FFRR L405 Vogue SDV8
Other car : Vauxhall Lotus Carlton
Past cars : FFRR L322 Vogue TD6 SE (Sept 2006 MY07) ; LandCruiser SWB ; 4-Runner ; Supras; XJS V12 LeMans