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How many miles do you have on your brakes?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by PriusInCA, Aug 27, 2013.

  1. PriusInCA

    PriusInCA Junior Member

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    I have heard that the brakes last many many miles.....because of the regeneration creates less stress on the brakes.

    How many miles is the average...and who has the most miles on a set of brakes?
     
  2. jnet

    jnet Member

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    My friend's 2004 Prius has 130k and he is still using the factory pads. He think the car will die before he needs new pads. I only have 20k on my Prius.
     
  3. ewxlt66

    ewxlt66 Active Member

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    115k on my GenII brakes. 5mm left on fronts.
     
  4. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    I'm past 73K miles on my 06 Prius and still on the original brakes.

    Hybrids prove very reliable | CTV British Columbia News says

    250K km is ~ 155K miles. When I last checked at Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity - Hybrid Electric Vehicles, the Gen 2 and 3 Priuses there didn't need new brakes within the 160K miles of testing they did.
     
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  5. PriusInCA

    PriusInCA Junior Member

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    What are factors leading to the longevity for the Prius?

    Is it because of the type of commute? Such as a lot of highway miles? How the speeds are lower ? The more gradual deceleration before a stop?

    Just for comparison kicks. My Mini goes through brakes about 30,000. Requires not only pads but rotors. Looking at $1,500 each time. A little different from a prius.
     
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  6. jnet

    jnet Member

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    Basically, if you take it easy on the car, it'll last longer. If you brake slowly, your mechanical brake will not be used until the car is under 7 mph. By then, it doesn't take a lot of effort to stop the car.
     
  7. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    I have 65,000 miles on my car and the brakes are showing very little if any wear. I checked them at 50,000 miles and still had 9 mm of pad.
     
  8. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    I have 151,000 mi. on my original brakes.
     
  9. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Prius (work car) 54k. Well over 50-percent of pads left despite the fact that I drive it like I don't own it. :D
    06 Envoy....137k....and I thought I started to hear the chirpers, so I took it into a trusted tire/brake wrench. I told him to thoroughly inspect all 4 corners and go ahead and put pads on since (at that time) they were well over 125K.
    He refused...saying that the brakes needed only cleaning. The "chirper" squeak was FOD in one of the calipers.
    Both of my other POVs are going to go well over 100k based on current wear.

    Take Away: If you drive like a moron, or you have a USPS placard on your car? You'll probably have to swing wrenches on your brakes before you get to 100K. Some city dwellers or people who drive humbly engineered cars might also have to get their brakes re-lined before they go into six figures, but I've always been suspicious of that since I've put well over 100,000 miles on some VERY low end cars (i.e. 1992 Geo Metro) and I've lived in some urban areas (SEA-TAC for a year, Charleston for several, Louisville, etc...)
    Mostly?
    People drive like morons, which is OK I guess since mechanics have boat payments to make. :D

    YMMV.... ;)
     
  10. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    I personally measured 5mm on my front pads at the 70k mark.


    iPhone ? - now Free
     
  11. PriusInCA

    PriusInCA Junior Member

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    I believe it is more than how hard you drive it.

    Although my Mini gets 30,000 miles on a set of brakes, I got 100,000 miles on my acura tl. Same driver. Same commute. The variable is that the Mini has high performance high friction brakes. Also the braking dynamics are different. And the Mini is a German engineered car where the parent company is BMW.

    So I am trying to identify what is different in a Prius which creates such longevity.
     
  12. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    jnet mentioned it above. With regen braking, the Prius does not use the friction brakes until below 7 mph. At 7 mph it takes very little friction braking to stop car and hold in place. Whereas a non-hybrid car is using the friction brakes every time you hit the brake pedal.
     
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  13. PriusInCA

    PriusInCA Junior Member

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    Got it now. 7mph before the brakes engage. That explains it
     
  14. ksstathead

    ksstathead Active Member

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    Plus when your braking exceeds the regen threshold or reaches the emergency stop threshold. Basically, drive like you have no brakes, and you never need to change brake pads.
     
  15. pillowsplat1

    pillowsplat1 Junior Member

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    I had 198000 miles on my 2007. Dealer said they look like 40% left. Original rotors. No pulsing. I was astounded. I purchased a 2013. Typical other cars I would get 70-to - 100 x000 miles
     
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  16. teamsc10190

    teamsc10190 Stereo Prii (2011 and 2006)

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    My '06 Gen II has 220+K on the original pads.
     
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  17. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I sold my GenII last year with 158,000 miles and they had over 50% of the pads left. A co-worker bought the car and she said her mechanic told her likely wouldn't need new pads until well over 200k.