Front brake replacement at 45K klm (28K miles)

What exactly has to be replaced? Brake pads? Discs? 45kkm looks to be quite low odo. My car has almost 60kkm and pads and disc are as new ones (50/50 city/highway usage), but it depends on your braking technique. If you brake hard frequently, the regen braking is minimal and standard hydraulic system is deployed.
Try to measure the pads and discs and post the result. You will need a micrometer to measure the brake disc. The pad lining thickness should be between 10-1mm and disc thickness between 25mm-22mm. When the thickness is less than minimum, parts have to replaced.

 

Try another brake guy and see what he says.

 

Lots of Prius drivers go 100,000 miles or more, but very hilly, heavy braking Maybe? I would check with another brake shop for a second opinion!

 

Are you using "B" going down long hills?

 

I simply think he got a dishonest mechanic.

 

Why? B mode slows your car down, charges the HV battery, and you don't have to ride the brake pedal/modulate the brake pedal to stay in the regen braking zone as much.

 

I only use B mode when on steep grades and regular charging will not slow down the car enough, then B mode to help save brakes.

 

+1 on dishonest mechanic.

I live on a mountain and have a 1200ft+ vertical drop every time I leave the house. 98K miles later, the brakes are barely worn. Living on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, "flat ground" is rarer than a unicorn.

 

Agree with 2k1Toaster !

 

It's been a while since I've read the Owner's Manual regarding this, but I think Toyota's partially to blame, causing confusion with their brief descriptions. As far as I know, the only time B mode is beneficial is when you're on an extremely long down grade, where the battery has already charged as much as possible.

Setting B mode reduces charging and increases engine braking.

As a rule of thumb, I just resolve to never use it, has worked so far.

 

^^^ This is accurate. You only want to use B when you have filled up your pack and are willing to throw energy away. (that's the very short explanation anyway)

 

How can we tell for sure when we've reached this point? When the battery display on the dashboard appears full, or is there a better way? I typically get the full battery display after about a 500' gradual descent on a drive I take frequently. I rarely use B on this.

 

Yep, it's not going to fill past that point. I'm sure the scanguage guys can speak more to exact number.

 

I've used B mode in a few instances, and mostly to slow the car on a long downhill (mountain) stretch. I also use it going down a bridge that I need to exit at the bottom.

- Mountain is in central PA, known to most as 7 Mountains. I believe it's about a 2-3 mile downhill (maybe more?) and parts are 8% grades. The HV battery gets filled up pretty quickly when you use regen at that point. B mode helps keep the car slow without having to use as much braking force.

- The bridge is just as a means to slow the vehicle without using as much friction braking. I don't worry about the regen, because it's on the highway and won't make much difference during that 50+ mile drive.

 

Also when your battery is full the regen will stop and if still going down hill it will really pick-up speed fast with out regen thats when you will want to use B mode to help slow you up. I only use B mode when I am in the Rocky Mts. Or Glacier National Park something like that where you have 10-15 miles of down hill.