Replacing brake pad

[hc167]

battery is almost always full green at the end of the mountain. So I guess I will use "B" next time.

Well, I understand how brake work. It is just I have never worked on brake since my brother always did it for me in the old day. I did not even bother. but now, I am on my own. I just check the internet and found that I have to make sure the pad is at least 1/8" thick. Otherwise, it is time to replace it. I will check it out in the next few days. for the time being, is it good idea to use ceramic pads on prius? any idea?

[hc167]

good information. thanks a lot

Originally Posted by jayman

As far as "brake work" I have to advise any Prius owner to use EXTREME CAUTION especially if they take their car to an independent who does not understand how the braking works

I've attached a couple of photos of the Prius brake schematic under normal and a failure mode. I've also attached the brake bleed procedure

If any "mechanic" tells you he "bled" the brakes on your Prius, punch him, call for a flat bed towtruck, and have your Prius taken to a Toyota dealership. The only way to safely and properly bleed the brakes on a Prius is to use the dealership scantool

[qbee42]

I would use the OEM pads. They normally last over 100,000 miles, so there isn't much to gain by buying anything else. The OEM pads may be ceramic, but I'm not sure. I've heard mixed reports.

Tom

[SageBrush]

I suggest waiting for the battery icon to fill up completely with green before using B mode. If you don't, you are just losing out on some regen. 20 kw of regen power is enough to keep the car from speeding up on a pretty good decline, so thoughts of using B mode to save brake pads is not needed in my opinion until the battery is full.

I don't have an opinion on ceramic pads other than to say the OEM brakes on my Prius are just fine for my driving.

Check out this page from the most excellent Wayne Brown: http://privatenrg.com/#100kBrakePads

[hc167]

Well, usually it won't reach full green until the end of the hill or 200-300 feet before the end of the hill. That mean I keep using "D"? Because every time I went back home, my car need to climb up the hill, which, usually make the battery having only 4-5 bars left once I reached my house. So going down hill can usually recharge the battery for about 3-4 bar.

Originally Posted by SageBrush

I suggest waiting for the battery icon to fill up completely with green before using B mode. If you don't, you are just losing out on some regen. 20 kw of regen power is enough to keep the car from speeding up on a pretty good decline, so thoughts of using B mode to save brake pads is not needed in my opinion until the battery is full.

I don't have an opinion on ceramic pads other than to say the OEM brakes on my Prius are just fine for my driving.

[hc167]

I guess I take your opinion for pads selection

Originally Posted by qbee42

I would use the OEM pads. They normally last over 100,000 miles, so there isn't much to gain by buying anything else. The OEM pads may be ceramic, but I'm not sure. I've heard mixed reports.

Tom

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by hc167

Well, usually it won't reach full green until the end of the hill or 200-300 feet before the end of the hill. That mean I keep using "D"? Because every time I went back home, my car need to climb up the hill, which, usually make the battery having only 4-5 bars left once I reached my house. So going down hill can usually recharge the battery for about 3-4 bar.

If you are nearly at the end of the hill before it hits full green, then leave the transmission in D. Otherwise you are wasting some energy that could otherwise be used to charge the battery.

Tom

[hc167]

That is what I have been doing. but since it is about a mile downhill. that mean I have to use the brake almost all time within that one mile. Otherwise, my car will be about 80-90 mph (maybe more or less, just guess) at the end of the hill. So I guess it make sense to think that my brake pad is gone faster than other.

Originally Posted by qbee42

If you are nearly at the end of the hill before it hits full green, then leave the transmission in D. Otherwise you are wasting some energy that could otherwise be used to charge the battery.

Tom

[SageBrush]

Originally Posted by hc167

That is what I have been doing. but since it is about a mile downhill. that mean I have to use the brake almost all time within that one mile. Otherwise, my car will be about 80-90 mph (maybe more or less, just guess) at the end of the hill. So I guess it make sense to think that my brake pad is gone faster than other.

The brake pads will only be used if more than a 20 kW drain off kinetic energy is desired, or the battery is full. Time I stopped repeating myself ...

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by hc167

That is what I have been doing. but since it is about a mile downhill. that mean I have to use the brake almost all time within that one mile. Otherwise, my car will be about 80-90 mph (maybe more or less, just guess) at the end of the hill. So I guess it make sense to think that my brake pad is gone faster than other.

You aren't quite getting a handle on the whole regenerative braking issue. Pressing the brake pedal does not engage the friction brakes except for the following:

1) Panic stop.
2) Loss of traction, such as hitting a bump.
3) Traction battery at or near the high limit.
4) Heavy braking in excess of regenerative limits.
5) Speeds at or lower than about 8 mph.

You can ride your brakes all the way down that hill and never use the friction brakes at all.

Tom