Question about Brake Usage

[gabaum10]

Morning all. Picked up my TM3 LR AWD on Sunday and love it! Already paint corrected and applied ceramic coating.

I have a question about the brakes. I was thinking last night about brake longevity with the regenerative braking (which is amazing by the way). Obviously, the brakes are going to last forever, but I was wondering if I ever have to worry about brake failure due to lack of usage. To be honest, I don't even remember hitting the brakes since I took delivery. There is zero wear on the rotors/pads. However, for the sake of testing this morning, I hit them pretty hard and they felt extremely slippery. There was almost no bite to them. It may be just because they are totally brand new.

Additionally, we live on the ocean so there is a lot of ambient salt in the air, especially during storms. It is garaged, but I've had issues with caliper seizing in the past.

Does anyone have any suggestions to ensure the brakes don't fail due to lack of usage? Or is that something I even have to worry about? Should I just turn off regen braking once a week or something and force some brake usage? Or is what I'm feeling due to the fact they are new and I just need to break them in?

Looking forward to some thoughts, thanks!

 

[XLR82XS]

I always have a need to use the brakes due to panic stop, not making a traffic light, emergency last second turn, etc... so I'm not worried about lack of use. I end up using the brakes 1-2 times per month. This will help keep the rotors clean from corrosion and the slides working.

Now, I do not live in a climate that sees cold weather and/or salted roads. With road salt I and very little brake use I do suggest an annual brake caliper slide clean and lube to prevent seizing issues.

 

[MasterC17]

Same as above, I would recommend an annual brake clean and lube.

 

[Puddles]

You may not be using the brake often, but autopilot does.

 

[LACALawyer]

I have a Performance 3. I drive fast. No way regen and hold can stop me under 90 percent of driving.

Does anyone else have THIS problem? I use my brakes all the time.

 

[XLR82XS]

I have a Performance 3. I drive fast. No way regen and hold can stop me under 90 percent of driving.

Does anyone else have THIS problem? I use my brakes all the time.

If I'm travelling insanely fast I allow enough time for regen to take speed down to normal and/or stop. This works because I tend to not drive flat out in heavy traffic.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

Turn your regen to low and go out for a 'spirited drive' every so often.

 

[mcbarnet007]

Morning all. Picked up my TM3 LR AWD on Sunday and love it! Already paint corrected and applied ceramic coating.

I have a question about the brakes. I was thinking last night about brake longevity with the regenerative braking (which is amazing by the way). Obviously, the brakes are going to last forever, but I was wondering if I ever have to worry about brake failure due to lack of usage. To be honest, I don't even remember hitting the brakes since I took delivery. There is zero wear on the rotors/pads. However, for the sake of testing this morning, I hit them pretty hard and they felt extremely slippery. There was almost no bite to them. It may be just because they are totally brand new.

Additionally, we live on the ocean so there is a lot of ambient salt in the air, especially during storms. It is garaged, but I've had issues with caliper seizing in the past.

Does anyone have any suggestions to ensure the brakes don't fail due to lack of usage? Or is that something I even have to worry about? Should I just turn off regen braking once a week or something and force some brake usage? Or is what I'm feeling due to the fact they are new and I just need to break them in?

Looking forward to some thoughts, thanks!

Break them in a bit and see if the bite is better. AWD has small front rotor so the brake torque isn't as high plus oem pads don't have the best initial bite. However, if you press the brake pedal hard enough, you should be able to lock the tires and trigger ABS.

 

[JPP]

I get my P3D+ washed once a week. Just after the wash, I find a side road and accelerate and then brake hard like 3 or 4 times (not locking up the brakes) to dry and scrub the rotors. I would do the same after driving in rain or snow. YMMV.

And, yes, in my former Model S, before I caught on, I had a panic stop situation where the glaze on the rotors and pads really impaired braking. No issues now.

 

[gabaum10]

All good suggestions. I'll try to make it a point to break them in a little bit this week to see if that helps. Honestly, with everything shut down I've been searching for any excuse to take a drive.

 

[AlexMasters]

Phantom braking keeps my brakes bedded in nicely. I'm not sure what will happen if they ever fix that

 

[SSedan]

Wait for cooler weather to get here, you will use them plenty.
The battery maximum charge rate slows progressively as the temp falls below 50f. In CT you will see that before long.

Regenerative braking is dramatically reduced when the pack is cold due to this reduction in the batteries ability to receive charge.

 

[gabaum10]

Regenerative braking is dramatically reduced when the pack is cold due to this reduction in the batteries ability to receive charge.

What about if you precondition the battery? That should help, no?

 

[SSedan]

In my experience battery heating doesn't get you full regen.
My work is very windswept and WI is colder, don't have heated parking at home either.

Some people get upset about the ever changing regen level in winter, whatever, easier to just live with it and enjoy the easy preheating and instant heat of an EV.

 

[LACALawyer]

If I'm travelling insanely fast I allow enough time for regen to take speed down to normal and/or stop. This works because I tend to not drive flat out in heavy traffic.

I don't have an accelerator....i have a light switch at my right foot...."off" or "max power"

 

[Gasaraki]

Morning all. Picked up my TM3 LR AWD on Sunday and love it! Already paint corrected and applied ceramic coating.

I have a question about the brakes. I was thinking last night about brake longevity with the regenerative braking (which is amazing by the way). Obviously, the brakes are going to last forever, but I was wondering if I ever have to worry about brake failure due to lack of usage. To be honest, I don't even remember hitting the brakes since I took delivery. There is zero wear on the rotors/pads. However, for the sake of testing this morning, I hit them pretty hard and they felt extremely slippery. There was almost no bite to them. It may be just because they are totally brand new.

Additionally, we live on the ocean so there is a lot of ambient salt in the air, especially during storms. It is garaged, but I've had issues with caliper seizing in the past.

Does anyone have any suggestions to ensure the brakes don't fail due to lack of usage? Or is that something I even have to worry about? Should I just turn off regen braking once a week or something and force some brake usage? Or is what I'm feeling due to the fact they are new and I just need to break them in?

Looking forward to some thoughts, thanks!

Yes. If you don't use your brakes, they will rust and get stuck, especially if you live in places that snows or rains.
Teslabjorn had to replace his pads with special EV ones and get his calipers serviced because they were sticking.