Yearly brakes cleaning recommended?

Toyota USA sorta* says to do a more in-depth brake inspection, every 30k miles or three years, whichever comes first. No big mystery; it’s spelled out in the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet. If that’s missing, you can download a PDF from Toyota Tech Info, in the Manuals Tab.

* It’s vague as hell, but there; look through the various intervals, note the absence of “visual” inspection and addition of instruction to check rotors, every 30k.

 

First time I did it on my 2007 was at 148,102 miles. Cleaned & relubed the guide pins. None were totally seized but they did work a bit more smoothly after. Pads still had lots of meat on them!

 

How long it takes depends on what you find when you get into the job, and how nit picky you want to be about doing the job. Anywhere from a hour or two on up.

 

Cleaning of brake(s) periodically or otherwise is not needed, but nice to have for some folks more so for DIY's.
Does brake 'cleaning' helps in longevity ? I don't think so for a normal performing brake system.
Does it help in immediate efficacy of brakes, may be it does as I don't practise it.
Had anyone of several 'rare' occasions of 'accidents' I encountered solely caused by lack of so-called brake cleaning? No.

 

It may come down to what a person means by 'cleaning'.

Me, I'm not especially interested in whether my brakes look nice.

I do, on the other hand, flip them up every time I rotate the tires, measure the pad thicknesses, check that the rubber boots are not damaged, and push the calipers in and out on the slide pins to wake up the grease.

I never bother taking the slide pins out or regreasing them unless just waking the grease up doesn't work or their movement feels rough. So far in the history of my 2010 that means actually never. In the time I had my 2001 I may have done that once.

I have replaced 'fitting kits' (the little springy teflon-coated bits the pad ears fit in) a little bit more often than that.

 

Akin to "do you need your teeth periodically cleaned"?

 

I spend more time trying to keep the silly mags clean than I do cleaning the brakes. Love the grovey mags. I do keep a can or 2 of brake cleaner in case of emergencies like when I get my fingerprints on the rotors. Don't want the brake police dusting for prints.

 

With your previous 'nasty' experience with a Kia, I can see where you are coming from.
Whilst a Kia's built quality may be an issue in the old era, I wouldn't rule out poor installation/replacement workmanship either.