On my cayenne v6 08' about two weeks ago an indicator popped up telling me to change my break pads since then i have only driven the car about 200 miles and this thursday im going to palm springs do you think it will be okay do drive all the way there and back from Los Angeles with out changing the break pads?
Thanks

 

Surely your life is worth more than a set of pads!

 

I want to order Hawk Ceramic Brake Pads should i order the 330mm one or 350mm?

 

You risk damaging your rotors if you keep driving. I heard you have a few hundred miles once the indicator light comes on to change the pads before damage occurs.

On the other hand, not much braking needed between LA and Palm Springs during off peak hours.

 

I think that you will be fine in terms of being safe, as to the rotors...that's a different story. I had the same issue and was advised to change the rotors/pads/sensors...ymmv.

 

You will need to change the Rotors anyway as they do not recommend having them turned. No big deal, it is just money.

 

I drove mine 400 miles after the warning. When I finally changed the pads and rotors, the pads still had 10-15% material and the rotors wouldn't have dropped below spec for quite a while. The OEM pads destroy the rotors, rapidly. I now have NEW front OEM rotors with Hawk HPS pads and I have had them for 40,000 miles after the first ones went 20,000 and I barely have a ridge on the rotors. When my sensors go off again I'll just swap out pads. And I'm STILL on OEM REAR rotors with 60,000 miles on them and they're still not below spec for thickness running Hawk HPS.

 

Great information to have...wish that I had read it a week or so ago when I bought all OEM stuff...

 

The sensors are very conservative when they go off. My Q7 (which has very similar if not the same brakes) I drove 5,000 miles with the light on and never went into the rotors.

 

Although I'm sure you already went and came back, the answer is yes you will be fine and no you won't die (contrary to some opinions).

Most likely you will need to change pads and rotors on the fronts, the rears should be fine.

It's an easy DIY.