"Brake Service" every 2 years/32,000km.

Just to test the grass on the other side of the fence:

We've been Honda customers for about 30 years prior to getting this Prius. Regular brake service is a way of life with Hondas: regular, front-and-center in the scheduled maintenance. For most of those years I did the brake inspection myself.

The 2 things I stay clear of now are drum brakes (apart from loosening them from the backing plate and re-lubing the contact points), and brake fluid change/bleed, both of which I just leave to the pros.

Apart from that, it's no big dealing taking a lower caliper bolt out, swinging up the caliper and pulling out the pads, and check thickness. I also disassemble the shims, clean all faying surfaces, put a thin coat of antisieze compound on all points of contact.

Then clean the caliper clamping faces and the front of the piston, check the boot for leakage. Then apply thin coat of antisieze to those faying surfaces.

Once in a while I'll clamp on a dial indicator and check disk runout, and check disk thickness with a micrometer, both for uniformity, and to verify it's still above minimum thickness.

All of this is really not that hard, and worthwile IMHO:

The argument that taking things apart is inviting disaster is overblown. Maintenance can and should be done, and these things are not rocket science.

The one caveat I hear about the Prius: bleeding fluid may trigger faults, requiring dealership's tools. I'm not sure if pushing in the pistons to accomodate new pads (if ever needed) would also trigger codes.

Ok, all done, LOL.

 

Are other Toyota vehicle's brake services cheaper? (I think that's the unfinished thought in your post.)

All I can think of is 4 wheel disk, vs drums in the back. Drum brake service, as long pad replacment is not involved, can be pretty easy. Other than that I would think it's pretty similar. When I went through the dealership, our Honda's 4 wheel brake inspection was invariably north of $400. Toyota would be similar I think.

It's really not that involved though. If you're for example rotating your own tires, or swapping to snows, it's something you can do yourself in an afternoon: good opportunity while the wheels are off anyways.

 

That's strange for me, coming from Honda. Have you read the USA Prius schedule: pretty much evertime the mechanic catches a breath it's time to check...: the driver's floor mat, LOL.

With Honda brake service was sort of similar, really regular. It seems odd for it to be completely absent for the car's you mention: you would think Toyota's lawyers would be all over that.

Brakes can be the thing that stops you getting killed (or killing), occasionally. It may be a bit excessive, but a fishing expedition, just opening up the caliper occasionally, will spot stuff.

 

"brake inspection" @ 30,000miles for $US100+ is just a major ripoff. I've had my 2006 for over 5yrs, have 46K miles. Never had it in any shop except for inverter pump replacement (mfr recall under warranty). I change my own oil/filter, cabin filter, engine air filter. These are all easy, simple things to do. I have virtually no wear on my brake pads/rotors/shoes, which I "inspect" myself in a couple of minutes. Just had the tires replaced with Michelin energy savers. My lifetime MPG is 49.5. Best car I've ever owned, except for my new Leaf.

 

+1

 

I've watched Honda mechanics at work. They basically get the pads out, all the shims separated, clean all components, fresh anti-sieze at all points of contact: back of pad, to shim, to shim, to caliper (either piston or the caliper "fingers", depending on the side).

They also look at the piston boot, give it a wipe, make sure it's in good condition.

Not sure if they do it every time, kind of doubt it, but check of disk runout and thickness/parallism is sometimes done.

Some shops push disk machining, which in my opinion is rarely warranted: I can't see maching down a disk that is not giving any problems.

That's about it, for disk brakes.

Drum's I've not watched, but I suspect they:

Blow it out with compressed air (healthy...), relube the points of contact between shoe and backing plate, and maybe between the piston and contact point with shoe. I believe they manage this without complete disassemble, but not sure.

That's how I do it, I hate drum brake disassemble. Partially because I don't have the know how and proper tools for dealing with the springs.

 

Rear disk brakes are a mixed blessing: they're complicated by the ongoing need for a parking brake mechanism. And drum brakes, apart from being a royal pain if you're actually swapping shoes (I'll never do that again, just pay the pros), are relatively stable, easy to deal with. And the shoes last a long time.

Just for example: 06 Civic hybrid (Gen II first year) had drum brakes in rear. Then maybe in 2008 they went to disk (same gen). I believe with Gen III coming out (sometime...) they've reverted to drum brakes in rear, go figure.

The bulk of the braking is done by front. Rear brakes contribute, and keep the car stable, but are not that much of a factor.

 

You are right on about the cost issue.
There have been other cars where Europe got disks in the rear and North America got drums.

 

Hi Everyone, just joined your forum. Owned my Prius since new for 5 years. Done 100,00km. Front brake rotors worn out. Need replacing. Still on original set of pads. How can this be? Thought the brakes are meant to last a long time with regenerative braking. Mechanic told me some Toyotas had very hard pads and wear rotors instead. Car driven very softly with lots of open rd driving. Anyone else had this problem? New pads $80 but new rotors $480. Ouch!

 

There are some after market pads and rotors available but I don't know what shipping would cost to New Zealand.

I have used ceramic pads on another car I was very pleased with their performance. Here is an Idea of what is currently available. I don't know if you do your own maintenance or not but pads and rotors are usually pretty easy to replace.

Google

 

I simply forgo ALL of the inspection items / services. Oil change twice a year at 10 to 12,000 km's. Nothing else. (door lubes included in price)

I'll change the air filters myself every 2-3 years.

The inspection itself probably does more harm than leaving it alone. Bolts have to be undone & tightened.

 

A regular Camry will pay a LOT more than 480$ total in brake jobs over 5 years and similar driving. Like 4x more. We've got it cheap with the Prius.

 

US list price for 2006 Gen 2 rotors is $102 and they are available for about $75. In NZ dollars that would be about $125 list per rotor. I realize you aren't in the US but your dealers prices seem out of line.
Part Detail

You might want to get a second opinion on the discs being worn out. At 60k miles that smells fishy.

 

wear rotors instead. Anyone else had this problem?

I've driven my 04 prius 3+ years delivering mail, stop and go, currently has over 220 k of which maybe 90k are route miles , same brake rotors, no evident wear(visual). Changed brake pads, shoes, once.

I checked the rotor near the hub, with my fingernail, wear from the brake pads may have been the width of a thin letter.

 

Just FYI:

new front brake disc thickness: 25mm
service limit for thickness: 22mm
Max runout: .05 (wobble)

new rear brake disc thickness: 9mm (Wow, didn't realize it was that thin. Solid though.)
service limit for thickness: 7.5mm
Max runout: .15

A micrometer is best for checking thickness, about 10mm in from edge, at several points. A caliper would do in a pinch. A dial indicator and bracket (typically magnetic base, with 2 arm sections) is needed for runout). Both these items are pretty cheap nowadays. The micrometer's most important, just to check thickness. They're about $30.

Regarding:

Don't know where to begin on that one. Just hope you're not behind me when I need to do a panic stop, LOL.