Brake work

etyler88 · 12-23-2005, 09:48 AM

From looking at Wayne's (mwbueno) website (link with pictures below). I am optomistic that I will never need to do any brake work on my Prius. Over the life of the car that could be as much a savings as the fuel. I expect to get at least 200,000 miles out of my Prius with no batttery or brake work. Wayne took a picture of his brake pads at 8,000 and 100,000 miles and it showed negligible wear. Man this car is awesome. Are there any other high mileage 2nd generation Prius owners who can testify?

http://privatenrg.com/#100kBrakePads

DanMan32 · 12-23-2005, 09:55 AM

That really depends on your driving style and environment. If you do frequent stop and go, and your stops tend to be abrupt, you will wear the brakes faster. The friction brakes are used under 8 MPH or so, panic stops, and situations requiring ABS or VSC.

Granted, even under the worst driving style, you will find much less brake wear than on a conventional car without regen braking.

By the way, the classic does use some friction braking along with regen.

**Tideland Prius** · 12-24-2005, 03:34 AM

Yeah, there's the guy with the pikachu avatar over at PriusOnline. He has an 01 with 75% brake pad life left.

I had my checked at 16,000kms and I had 90% front left, and 95% left in the rear.

tochatihu · 12-31-2005, 11:50 AM

I understand that Prius brake maint is rare, other than if road salt corrosion pits the discs or damages the front calipers. In Andrew Grant's original Prius taxi the rears were done once and the fronts twice IIRC. But taxi service is more taxing? Also he had several hydraulic fluid flushes, which might have been needed, or just a bit of profit for the shop.

My 2001 Prius has passed 83k miles and has those young-looking friction parts.

DAS

jeromep · 01-05-2006, 02:02 PM

It is probably a bit premature for those of us with varied driving styles to be planting in our brains the thought that brake jobs will never be done on the Prius. Folks who commute 40+ miles each way on freeways with little braking below 7mph will probably have the longest brake pad life. On the other hand, my driving is pretty much urban and short distances. I suspect that I will be having a brake job done in the future. The question is when?

Jerry P · 01-08-2006, 06:00 AM

Had to have my rotors replaced at 42,000 mi. - not because of wear but rather salt corrosion. Stainless rotors would be a great option for the Prius, since they would have probably gone another 40,000 mi. if not for the corrosion problem, according to my trusted mechanic. SS rotors are available for some vehicles, just not the Prius -yet.

**Tideland Prius** · 01-08-2006, 12:17 PM

I do 100% city driving and at the 16,000km service mark, I was told I had 90% wear left in the front pads and 95% wear left in the rear so still fairly new considering my friend with a normal car is already down to 80% front, 75% rear.

seasalsa · 01-08-2006, 08:36 PM

Have you noticed that the wheels on the Prius stay much cleaner due to the lack of brake usage. The front wheels on my previous car were black within a couple of days after it was washed.

Florida Prius · 01-08-2006, 08:40 PM

Hey..... Now that you mention it.....

**Tideland Prius** · 01-09-2006, 01:50 AM

Don't forget to clean behind the plastic covers

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12-23-2005, 09:48 AM	#1
etyler88 etyler88 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dover, DE Posts: 448 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	From looking at Wayne's (mwbueno) website (link with pictures below). I am optomistic that I will never need to do any brake work on my Prius. Over the life of the car that could be as much a savings as the fuel. I expect to get at least 200,000 miles out of my Prius with no batttery or brake work. Wayne took a picture of his brake pads at 8,000 and 100,000 miles and it showed negligible wear. Man this car is awesome. Are there any other high mileage 2nd generation Prius owners who can testify? http://privatenrg.com/#100kBrakePads

12-23-2005, 09:55 AM	#2
DanMan32 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 3,775 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	That really depends on your driving style and environment. If you do frequent stop and go, and your stops tend to be abrupt, you will wear the brakes faster. The friction brakes are used under 8 MPH or so, panic stops, and situations requiring ABS or VSC. Granted, even under the worst driving style, you will find much less brake wear than on a conventional car without regen braking. By the way, the classic does use some friction braking along with regen.

12-24-2005, 03:34 AM	#3
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,755 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Yeah, there's the guy with the pikachu avatar over at PriusOnline. He has an 01 with 75% brake pad life left. I had my checked at 16,000kms and I had 90% front left, and 95% left in the rear.

12-31-2005, 11:50 AM	#4
tochatihu Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kunming Yunnan China Posts: 1,797 My Car: 2001 Prius Package: Pioneer #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	I understand that Prius brake maint is rare, other than if road salt corrosion pits the discs or damages the front calipers. In Andrew Grant's original Prius taxi the rears were done once and the fronts twice IIRC. But taxi service is more taxing? Also he had several hydraulic fluid flushes, which might have been needed, or just a bit of profit for the shop. My 2001 Prius has passed 83k miles and has those young-looking friction parts. DAS

01-05-2006, 02:02 PM	#5
jeromep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Eastern Washington State Posts: 821 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	It is probably a bit premature for those of us with varied driving styles to be planting in our brains the thought that brake jobs will never be done on the Prius. Folks who commute 40+ miles each way on freeways with little braking below 7mph will probably have the longest brake pad life. On the other hand, my driving is pretty much urban and short distances. I suspect that I will be having a brake job done in the future. The question is when?

01-08-2006, 06:00 AM	#6
Jerry P Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Waterford, PA Posts: 291 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Had to have my rotors replaced at 42,000 mi. - not because of wear but rather salt corrosion. Stainless rotors would be a great option for the Prius, since they would have probably gone another 40,000 mi. if not for the corrosion problem, according to my trusted mechanic. SS rotors are available for some vehicles, just not the Prius -yet.

01-08-2006, 12:17 PM	#7
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,755 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	I do 100% city driving and at the 16,000km service mark, I was told I had 90% wear left in the front pads and 95% wear left in the rear so still fairly new considering my friend with a normal car is already down to 80% front, 75% rear.

01-08-2006, 08:36 PM	#8
seasalsa Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 1,199 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Have you noticed that the wheels on the Prius stay much cleaner due to the lack of brake usage. The front wheels on my previous car were black within a couple of days after it was washed.

01-08-2006, 08:40 PM	#9
Florida Prius Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lake City, FL Posts: 190 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Hey..... Now that you mention it.....

01-09-2006, 01:50 AM	#10
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,755 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Don't forget to clean behind the plastic covers