Gen 4 first inspection 6mm Brake pad thickness?????

what thickness are new pads?

 

There is a long term test drive of a gen3 in km77.com were the pads lasted 100.000 miles, thanks to regenerative braking. So I think scare tactics.

SM-N900W8 ?

 

"6mm or greater, inspect brakes at next service"

I would presume that at 6mm or less when they advise replacing them. Your brake pads are fine. The service writer is trying to make money.

See page 733 of the owners manual, Brake pad wear limit: 0.04 in. (1.0 mm)

 

Going from memory, third gen was 10 mm for front and 9.5 for rear?

Yes, the "6 mm or greater" is just strange. Regarding 1mm replacement limit, I would start stressing around 3 mm, I mean: if I opened them up and saw 3, I wouldn't have any qualms about replacing. The wear can be uneven, and I'd suspect stopping power is partially diminished before that 1 mm limit.

 

In addition to the games they play during the "free" service...
Are you positive they rotated your tires? And it would be wise to check your tire pressure.

 

Keen, NH, took the 11 gen 3 (37,000) in for oil, the service writer insisted it get a rear brake job, my daughter had driven it while it was wintering in Florida and "thought" she had left the emergency brake on, I didn't object to the brake job...(MUCH). Took the gen3 for service at 42,000 left it when I picked up a new gen4, on the way home the same service writer called (I had intentionally avoided HER, how did she get her hands on my car) and said it needed new front brakes, I was glowing with the new car and didn't think, didn't say I'd get a second opinion, if there were a Toyota service writers trade magazine, I bet she sets records for selling brake jobs, why would a car that regenerates electricity when using the brakes need brakes front and rear below 50,000?
Or you can fool all the people some of the time.
Rant over

 

reading that print out, it looks like they have inspection parameters, which are fine if they are really inspecting.
it's probably an eyeball test, and when it looks like 5mm or less, they do an actual measurement.

the problem arises when the service writer interprets a 6mm, and tries to sell you new pads.

 

Correct, for the Gen III. Don't know if Gen IV is different (probably not.)

I am approaching the 100K mark and since I know I'll be doing quite a bit of driving this summer/fall, I plan on having all of the pads replaced in July, just as a prophylactic measure.

 

My 10 year old Gen 2 has 200K on it, and I haven't done brakes.(or anything else) I drive normally. If I see a traffic light changing I'll let up and coast, but that about my limits on treating the car gently . A good indicator of brake wear is the brake master cylinder reservoir. In 10 years mine is down about a 1/4 inch.

I'm picking up a new 2016 this week, hopefully nothing has changed anything with the regen braking and the transfer to main brakes at 3 MPH. In the gen 2 it's very noticeable. During the 2016 test ride the overall smoothness of gas to electric and brakes was much better. necessary

So 6MM, = 1/4, maybe 3/8 inch, sounds about right, for each pad when there new. They can only see a corner of the pad and it's a guess. The Pads better not be shot in 5K. IMO it sounds like they work on commission, trying to sell anything they can get away with. I to have gotten this landry list of things to do, when none of it was necessary.

 

You can see the pads edge-on pretty good, without taking the caliper off. The outer pads viewable on the right angle, and both outer and inner edge-on view is available through the opening in the caliper's shoulder.

There is more to "doing" the brakes than pad replacement. You really should get the caliper off, caliper pins lubed, and pads/shims cleaned/lubed, every 3 years, 2 in the snow belt.

 

Is it just me that is not, or is everyone assuming that the tech was trying to sell the OP new pads ?
Maybe the OP mis-heard or the tech only mumbled the word "over" before "6mm" and the tech was just re-assuring him that they were ok ?

 

Which is a DIY job, as the dealers won't bother unless you specifically ask (and pay extra) for it.

 

the print out shows the dealers checklist. 6mm or greater.

 

Around here that's a common service offered by the pros. What doesn't constitute a DIY job then, a complete caliper swap or rebuild?

 

I've rebuilt calipers. Does that make me a "pro"?

I vaguely recall that new pads are 10-12mm????

 

Well, I just wouldn't put pulling off the calipers for pad/pin relube on par with changing an air filter. It seems a neglected service. I do take it on, but it doesn't seem a common DIY for the average car owner. There seems to be a perception that the only time caliper pull-off is warranted is when the pads need replacement.

Maybe it's because I'm coming from Honda ownership, not sure. They advocate an extensive brake inspection more-or-less bi-yearly. Some owners may take it on, but the majority go through the dealerships.

 

up until the advent of rear discs on the prius, it wasn't really an issue. now it seems and important task on a regular basis.

 

If you DIY then you know it's done right, I wouldn't trust the dealers to do it as well as you would yourself.