Just picked up my RWD Model 3 in Littleton last night. Everything seems fine so far, except for the brakes. They almost feel "hard". They require more effort to push than any ICE car I've used, and seem to not be slowing the car as fast as I would like. Is this normally how they feel? Do they require a "break-in" period? Or should I contact the dealership for them to take a look at it?
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Brakes feel hard
- Thread starter gshep86
- Start date
Daniel in SD
(supervised)
They are definitely firm. Though brakes that don't slow you down as much as you would like sounds terrifying. I assume you mean they don't have as much power assist or travel as you would like. If you're worried about the functionality of the brakes, I would find a safe spot to test them to reassure yourself that they work.
I think that's just how they feel, especially until the rotors have had the chance to get coated with some pad material. That may take some miles if you use a lot of regen. Beyond the initial bedding, they do retain some of this feel, especially when cold.
I have the same opinion of the brake feel and I think it's a combination of the pads not being that grabby and the hydraulics being tuned for more pedal pressure than say a VW. The car does stop fine, but a lower-force modulation would probably allow for a more pleasant slowdown.
First, stay off of the brakes until the last moment, let the regen braking do all that it can.
Next, the brakes are fly-by-wire. You aren't pushing a hydraulic brake, it is just a pedal with its position being monitored. (AFAIK)
Try using the brakes only when the speed drops to about 10-20 mph and emergencies. You brakes will love you and may never need replacing.
Do you have any source for this? I couldn't find any info on this subject.
I thought all vehicles must have a mechanical braking system for safety.
Daniel in SD
(supervised)
Thanks everyone. I guess the consensus is that the brakes are just firm.
I emailed [email protected] to see if they will look at it just to be safe, but have not heard anything back (not surprising).
I emailed [email protected] to see if they will look at it just to be safe, but have not heard anything back (not surprising).
nah bro
You may want to check your brakes once in a while in case of aforementioned emergencies.
When I first got my car I felt like the brakes took a little longer to stop than I expected. I have either got used to the difference or they have broken in. The car is heavier than most other cars it’s size so it may be true that it takes slightly more to stop it.
As others have said, using regenerative braking is amazing. Just let off the accelerator gradually or completely to nearly stop at different speeds.
As others have said, using regenerative braking is amazing. Just let off the accelerator gradually or completely to nearly stop at different speeds.
I think it’s the former. I feel the same way up until I hop into my other car and realize that the brakes are indeed a tad weak on the 3.
The car’s really not all that heavy. My other two cars are heavier and a lot heavier but both feel lighter on their feet (despite being clearly slower). There’s something about the pedal (both accelerator and brake) and steering rack response at low speed that make tesla feel quite lethargic in comparison (again, despite being way quicker and more nimble in reality).
Is this in street driving as well or just with track driving?
The OEMs are Brembo. I’ve had Brembo brakes on lots of cars and always loved the performance and feel on the street. I wonder if they went with a pad formulation that would otherwise be great but is not well matched to the lower temperatures resulting from the use of regenerative braking.
Need moar bite!
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