Multi-regional Brake Pad Quality Inspections Conducted 3 Batches Exposed For Failing Safety Standards
As core components of a vehicle's braking system, brake pads are directly related to the life safety of drivers and passengers. Recently, market supervision and administration departments in Beijing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and other regions have successively released the results of the 2025 supervision and random inspection on the quality of automotive brake pad products. A total of 187 batches of products were sampled, among which 3 batches were exposed due to issues such as unqualified friction coefficient and excessive heavy metal content, with an unqualified rate of approximately 1.6%. The results of this random inspection not only sound a quality alarm for consumers but also provide important guidance for the standardized development of the industry.
Two Core Issues Exposed in Sampling; Safety Hazards Require Vigilance
From the sampling reports released by various regions, unqualified brake pads mainly have two core problems: one is that the friction coefficient fails to meet standard requirements, and the other is that some products have excessive heavy metal content.
"The friction coefficient is a key indicator for measuring the braking performance of brake pads. Both excessively high and low values will affect the braking effect," said a person in charge of the Product Quality and Safety Supervision Department of the Beijing Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau. Among the 50 batches of brake pad products sampled in Beijing this time, one batch of semi-metallic brake pads produced by an enterprise in Hebei had a friction coefficient of only 0.28 under high-temperature conditions of 200°C and 300°C, which is far below the national standard range of 0.35-0.45. "Such products are prone to risks such as longer braking distances and brake failure during high-speed braking or continuous braking. Especially in rainy days or high-temperature environments, the safety hazards are even greater."
The market supervision department in Guangdong found in the sampling inspection that one batch of ceramic-based brake pads labeled as "produced by a certain auto parts company in Guangzhou" had a lead content of 150mg/kg, exceeding the national standard limit (100mg/kg) by 50%. "Excessive heavy metals not only pollute the environment but also, during long-term use, the dust generated by the wear of brake pads may harm respiratory health if inhaled by the human body," said Chen Xi, an engineer at the Automobile Parts Testing Center of the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Product Quality Supervision and Inspection. Vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly are more significantly affected by such dust.
In addition, one batch of unqualified products exposed by the market supervision department in Jiangsu had the problem of excessive thermal expansion rate. "An excessively high thermal expansion rate will cause brake pads to deform during high-temperature braking, resulting in poor contact with the brake disc and thus affecting braking stability," Chen Xi added. Such problems are more common in old vehicles or vehicles whose brake pads have not been replaced for a long time, and car owners need to pay special attention.
Investigation into Circulation Channels of Inferior Products: Online Shopping Platforms and Auto Parts Markets Are Hard-Hit Areas
To further understand the circulation of inferior brake pads, the reporter visited auto parts markets and major online shopping platforms in Beijing, Guangzhou and other places. In a large auto parts market in Guangzhou, some merchants openly sold "three-no" brake pads (without brand logos, production certificates and quality inspection certificates) to attract customers, with prices only one-third of those of regular products. "These brake pads are cost-effective. Many repair shops come to purchase them, and they can be used in family cars for 1-2 years without any problem," a merchant said while promoting the products. When asked whether they meet national standards, the merchant was evasive and reluctant to elaborate.
When searching for the keyword "brake pads" on a certain online shopping platform, a large number of products priced between 50-100 yuan per pair appeared on the page. Some products advertised "suitable for all vehicle models" and "lifetime warranty," but key information such as the manufacturer and implementation standards was not marked on the product detail pages. The reporter consulted the customer service of a store as a consumer and asked whether the product had passed quality inspection. The customer service only replied, "The quality is guaranteed, please buy with confidence," and did not provide any inspection reports or qualification certificates.
"Unregulated merchants on online shopping platforms and offline auto parts markets are the main channels for the circulation of inferior brake pads," analyzed Zhao Ligang, a member of the Expert Committee of the China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trades Association. Some consumers choose low-priced products to save costs but ignore quality and safety; some small repair shops also purchase low-priced and inferior brake pads to pursue profits, leaving potential safety hazards for vehicles. "The production cost of regular brand brake pads is relatively fixed. The unit price of semi-metallic brake pads is usually 150-200 yuan per pair, and that of ceramic-based brake pads is more than 300 yuan. Products with prices lower than this range are likely to have quality problems."
Regulatory Authorities Strengthen Rectification; Experts Teach How to Distinguish Authenticity
In response to the problems found in this sampling inspection, market supervision departments in various regions have launched special rectification actions. The Beijing Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau filed a case for investigation against the manufacturers of unqualified products in accordance with the law, ordering them to stop production and recall the problematic products; the market supervision department in Guangdong, in conjunction with online shopping platforms, removed the stores selling the exposed inferior brake pads from the shelves and conducted a full-network inspection to prevent the problematic products from flowing into the market again.
"Next, we will increase supervision over the production, sales and maintenance links of brake pads, and establish a full-chain quality traceability system covering 'production enterprises - circulation channels - maintenance terminals' to curb the circulation of inferior products from the source," said a relevant person in charge of the State Market Supervision and Administration Administration. At the same time, it will promote the upgrading of industry standards to further raise the access threshold for brake pad products.
Regarding how consumers can distinguish the authenticity of brake pads, Zhao Ligang put forward practical suggestions: First, check the product logo. Regular brake pads should be marked with information such as the manufacturer, production date, implementation standards and friction coefficient grade. Products with no logos or unclear logos should be purchased with caution. Second, observe the appearance quality. High-quality brake pads have a smooth surface, no cracks and no impurities, while inferior products may have problems such as rough surfaces and burrs on the edges. Finally, judge by weight. For brake pads of the same specification, high-quality products are usually heavier due to high material density. If the weight is too light, there may be cases of cutting corners.
"It is recommended that consumers choose regular 4S stores or brand-authorized repair shops to replace brake pads. After replacement, keep the purchase vouchers and inspection reports for rights protection in case of problems," Zhao Ligang emphasized. The replacement cycle of brake pads is usually 30,000-50,000 kilometers or 2-3 years of use. Car owners should regularly check the wear of brake pads and must not ignore safety due to "making do with them."
