Front brakes wearing abnormally quickly??

Took my Prius to the local dealer for 50,000 mile service and got a call that both of my front brake pads were worn below the limit and needed replacing. This surprised me as I have read here and elsewhere that some go 100,00+ miles before needed replacement. So I had them replaced and when I went to pick it up, asked them how much was left on the front brakes the last time I was in, which was for my 45,000 service. After looking it up, guy told me they measured 8mm in February, meaning I went from 8mm down to needing to be replaced in the span of like 9 months after driving 5,000 miles. Even the guy at the dealership seemed surprised when we looked it up. Has anyone else experienced this? Could there be some underlying issue causing abnormally fast break wear? I vaguely remember getting the brakes adjusted related to some TSB in the spring, could the mechanics at the dealer have messed something up when they did this? Thanks.

 

The guy I was talking to (front desk guy, not a mechanic) noted that both were worn evenly. He then said if there were some underlying cause, it would be unlikely that it would cause even wear to the pads on both wheels.

edit: after reading your post more closely - I didn't ask if the wear on the pads was even, so I'm not sure. Just know that the pads on both wheels were evenly worn. Also, if the caliper pins were seizing, would that have been obvious to them and need to be fixed? They didn't really give me a reason why the pads were worn, or mention anything else relating to the brakes needed to be replaced/adjusted. Thanks.

 

That makes sense that they would try and replace early, but they told me the pads were actually worn below the minimum.

 

Mostly city roads, which range anywhere from smooth to littered with potholes (that I try to avoid) to cobble-stone. Tires are whatever came on it when I bought it, PSI at 40 in the front, a little less in the rear. Avg mpg according to the dash in the summer ~52, ~45 in the winter. I know from reading on here that tends to overstate the true mpg, but the reading on the dash is all I rely on for an estimate. No mention of the tires being abnormally worn out.

haha i don't really know. To be honest the only thing I really know about cars is how to drive one. I just remember last time I took it in there being some service bulletin that had something to do with the brakes.

 

Guess the consensus here is they lied, which I'm now tending to agree with. Though if they were going to lie, it seems pretty bold to claim they went from 8mm to needing to be replaced so quickly. As for asking for the pads back, I thought about it - but if they are type of dealership to lie then I'm not sure I would I trust them to give me my pads back and not some other set that matches their claim.

 

Interesting update: found a Yelp review for the dealer where someone described a very similar situation:

"Took 2008 Prius in for Toyota recall work. Received a call from the service manager that the car badly needed front brakes and replacement of the regular (non-hybrid) water pump. I said my regular mechanic was doing an inspection later in the week so I would pass on the extra items. The $0 invoice however included a quote of close to $900 as their price if they were to do the two "required" repairs. Later that week my reliable and very honest mechanic replaced the water pump for $225. No need for front brakes for at least a year. Inspection, oil change, tire rotation and water pump for $370. What's wrong with this picture? Only use dealerships for free/recall work."

Sloane Toyota of Glenside - Glenside, PA | Yelp