Ubering with a Prius C and poor braking, including fade

I think that is highly likely.

BUT......adding a passenger to a motorcycle DOES make a significant change in braking characteristics.
Of course, an extra 200 LBS on a bike is a much larger percentage increase in the total weight.
Some of that dynamic applies to a C too.

 

$300??? These dealer guys don't even do $25 worth of work!!

Brake inspection is included in the 5,000 mile service, for $70. (Oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, etc.) But I think all they do is measure the rotor wear.

 

Well there you go then, what do I know...

 

Maybe you were referring to the brake service where they turn the rotors? Replace the pads?
No Toyota service dept has ever tried to sell me a $300 "inspection." Do they have such a service in Canada?

 

That's this:



And then at every 30K (or tri-yearly, whichever comes first, there's this:



And footnote #3:



Basically, and this applies to all Toyota models, 30K or tri-yearly, you're supposed to:

1. Pull off the calipers.
2. Check pad thickness. Clean and relubricate the pads and their shims, and lube all points of contact between pads and caliper.
3. Remove, clean, relubricate and reinstall caliper slide pins.
4. Check rotor thickness and runout against spec's. (Personally I don't bother with this at every brake inspection, just if the car's getting on, and/or there's pulsing when the brake pedal's applied.

I believe the c has rear drum brakes? There the drums are pulled, the shoe hold-down springs removed, the shoes pried away from the backer plate and contact points relubed. Drum ID and pad thickness checked against spec.

$300 is reasonable for all of the above. But a lot owners don't want to hear about it, want the "visual brake inspection" at oil change and tire rotation, which is basically nothing, just a glance in the direction of the brakes. I think the "full" brake maintenance is widely neglected because it's purely a service, there's not much visibly different, before and after. And it's more expensive. So the customers dig in their heels, and the dealerships oblige them. And brakes "fade".

I don't have a Prius c brake maintenance document, but I'd think it's similar to the (attached) 3rd gen, at least for the front brake description.

Toyota Canada also recommends a brake fluid change, tri-yearly or 48K kms (30K miles), fwiw.

 

Yep, I'm familiar with all that. But it would be a miracle if the mechanics actually do all that stuff! On the Gen4 they just "eyeball it" and measure the thickness of the rotor. No pins to lube? And again, in 30 years, I've never had a Toyota service dept try to sell me, or even recommend an in-depth brake inspection like that.

And I don't see any brake fluid change in my manual. Did I miss it? Or is this another case of everything being different in Europe, Canada, Asia....... (including which oil to use.)