New Model 3 performance Brakes feel weak. Issue?

[ElectroFish]

Hey all I just picked up my model 3 last week it currently has 360 miles on it. The brakes are feeling very weak to me compared to my last car f80 m3. With the new hold feature I rarely ever use the brakes but at high speed when I need them 100+ mph it feels like they don't stop at all. The pedal is very hard and it just doesn't feel like they are making much friction. The loaner I test drove before my purchase also felt exactly the same way and I chalked it up to it only having 250 miles on it.

Its a little unnerving coming into corners at high speed.

Do yours feel like this or do they need more time to bed in do the fact that they arent use very much?

 

[kbecks13]

Do yours feel like this or do they need more time to bed in do the fact that they arent use very much?

Bedding is part of it, but its mostly that the stock brakes aren't designed to be used very much and are mostly aimed at being quiet with low dust. The initial bite really isn't that great, you might want to consider getting some aftermarket brake pads to get sportier feel (they definitely help).

Unplugged Performance makes some replacements but the track versions can be fairly dusty and harsh on your rotors if you're doing track days. I've heard great things about Endless brake pads as well.

 

[ElectroFish]

Guess I figured the performance would have some better brakes especially with the calipers it has. Ill turn off regen for a little and see if it helps bed in but as it sits it feels pretty dangerous to drive at high speed.

I do plan on tracking it so maybe ill buy some upgraded pads in the very near future.

 

[raptor5244]

Guess I figured the performance would have some better brakes especially with the calipers it has. Ill turn off regen for a little and see if it helps bed in but as it sits it feels pretty dangerous to drive at high speed.

I do plan on tracking it so maybe ill buy some upgraded pads in the very near future.

The rotors and calipers are fine, as mentioned they don't include track duty pads, probably to keep the noise down and dust level low so customers don't complain. On my Corvette Grand Sport it had tremendous bite when you hit the brakes but I would also have black wheels in less than 20 miles of driving. They would also squeal when coming to a stop. Trade offs.

 

[kbecks13]

On my Corvette Grand Sport it had tremendous bite when you hit the brakes but I would also have black wheels in less than 20 miles of driving. They would also squeal when coming to a stop. Trade offs.

That's basically what i have now, my pads are much more aggressive and make a bit more dust plus have a tiny squeak every now and then (Unplugged track pads, email them they have two compounds)

Guess I figured the performance would have some better brakes especially with the calipers it has.

For sure, there are rumors that Tesla is working on better brake pads for the performance but we haven't seen anything just yet. Luckily if that happens we can easily upgrade our current ones.

 

[ewoodrick]

Brakes? Who uses them?

AFAIK, the brakes are fly by wire. You don't get completely accurate feedback

 

[FlyNavy01]

Brakes? Who uses them?

AFAIK, the brakes are fly by wire. You don't get completely accurate feedback

No, the brakes are hydraulic and use conventional brake fluid like any other car.

 

[gcmak]

Can you lock up your tires? My brake pedal was also very firm but after a day at autocross it has gotten noticeably softer - but not like I boiled fluid - and I can still easily lock up the tires. Just keep in mind the car is some 4100 pounds without you and any other gear in the car...it's a bit more than that M3 you had. Plus all of the other things that members had mentioned.

 

[ElectroFish]

I'm not tracking it just taking off raps and some too end runs for draggy results .

I took it out tonight and did some hard braking . It got a little better . I'm very surprised how well this car behaves with heavy braking at 130mph . It's a really good car and I've had top of the line BMWs for the last 13 years .

 

[Scrannel]

Have a performance and mine feel great -- and I had a C6 until a couple years ago. Porsche before that. I have heard that the Performance brakes need to be 'used', so for simple around town stuff I turn regen down so I can rely more on brakes.

 

[holmgang]

Brakes? Who uses them?

AFAIK, the brakes are fly by wire. You don't get completely accurate feedback

Is it April 1st yet?

 

[destructure00]

I do plan on tracking it so maybe ill buy some upgraded pads in the very near future

You'll definitely want upgraded pads for tracking. Here's what mine looked like after my first track day. 2000 miles on the car at this point. I had SRF fluid and stainless lines, pedal went soft halfway through the first 20 min session.

 

[jmaddr]

Here's what money looked like after my first track day. 2000 miles on the car at this point.

Dang, I would have liked to see what they looked like before that track day. I assume those are stock pads? I remember when I would go through a set of track pads over a two day HPDE weekend in my BMW M3.

 

[destructure00]

Dang, I would have liked to see what they looked like before that track day. I assume those are stock pads? I remember when I would go through a set of track pads over a two day HPDE weekend in my BMW M3.

Stock pads yes. They were pretty much new prior to the track day.

 

[DrtyJrze]

Hey all I just picked up my model 3 last week it currently has 360 miles on it. The brakes are feeling very weak to me compared to my last car f80 m3. With the new hold feature I rarely ever use the brakes but at high speed when I need them 100+ mph it feels like they don't stop at all. The pedal is very hard and it just doesn't feel like they are making much friction. The loaner I test drove before my purchase also felt exactly the same way and I chalked it up to it only having 250 miles on it.

Its a little unnerving coming into corners at high speed.

Do yours feel like this or do they need more time to bed in do the fact that they arent use very much?

Coming from an F80 as well and the P3+ brakes are definitely not as confidence inspiring as the F80 at higher speeds. I think it’s mostly because it’s a heavier car, and you’re also still in the adjustment period of learning a new vehicles driving dynamics.

I could get my F80 stock brakes to fade on track as well, so track time brake upgrades are a requirement on just about every car.

 

[ElectroFish]

They look very similar to the brembos that came with my m3. It does have another 600 lbs over my f80 so maybe thats it. The more I use them the better they are getting but still not great.

I warped my brakes within 30 min on the track with my f80 I replaced them with pagid yellows.

 

[ElectroFish]

You'll definitely want upgraded pads for tracking. Here's what mine looked like after my first track day. 2000 miles on the car at this point. I had SRF fluid and stainless lines, pedal went soft halfway through the first 20 min session.

View attachment 492924

View attachment 492923

Is that pad wear an indication that one of your pistons is not pushing the same as the other?

 

[destructure00]

Is that pad wear an indication that one of your pistons is not pushing the same as the other?

That's inherent in all caliper designs with identical sized pistons like this. Super soft stock pad material exacerbates the problem. Some calipers have different size leading and trailing pistons to compensate.


https://www.quora.com/Why-do-BMW-br...-that-are-different-sizes-in-the-same-caliper

 

[mpbruin108]

Hey all I just picked up my model 3 last week it currently has 360 miles on it. The brakes are feeling very weak to me compared to my last car f80 m3. With the new hold feature I rarely ever use the brakes but at high speed when I need them 100+ mph it feels like they don't stop at all. The pedal is very hard and it just doesn't feel like they are making much friction. The loaner I test drove before my purchase also felt exactly the same way and I chalked it up to it only having 250 miles on it.

Its a little unnerving coming into corners at high speed.

Do yours feel like this or do they need more time to bed in do the fact that they arent use very much?

I had a F80 M3 and model 3 performance and the brakes in a M3 was better than the Model 3 performance. However, I quickly upgraded to the Unplugged performance sport brakes with steel lines and it's like night and day. I use to feel a bit nervous with braking with model 3 but not anymore. The brakes were one of the weak points of my model 3 and now I love them.

 

[ElectroFish]

I had a F80 M3 and model 3 performance and the brakes in a M3 was better than the Model 3 performance. However, I quickly upgraded to the Unplugged performance sport brakes with steel lines and it's like night and day. I use to feel a bit nervous with braking with model 3 but not anymore. The brakes were one of the weak points of my model 3 and now I love them.

Great news . I assume you using them on the street mostly ?