Tesla recommends cleaning and lubricating all brake calipers every 12 months or 20,000 km

[brushless3]

Seems like a lot of people confuse the typical caliper guide pins on traditional brakes with the more performance rated brakes used on the tesla which use a brake pad pin retainer style system.

 

[pbcsd]

Nowadays they appear to split the brake service into 3 items

• Clean And Lubricate Brake Calipers (Non-Performance Brakes) (Requires Code 34012501) $61.25 + HST
• Additional Work Required - Corrosion Present - 0.5 $105 + HST

Either

• Wheels - Vehicle - Set (Remove & Install) $42.00 + HST

or

• Seasonal Wheel and Tire Set Swap $84.00 + HST
  
  ​

In 2020 they used to have one item (this is the wheels removed code there is a wheel mount version extra cost)

• Correction: Brake Caliper Pad Slides - Cleaning and Lubrication (With Wheels Removed) $175 +HST
• Tire Rotation $87 + HST or Wheel Remove and Install

“They” being Tesla? I don’t see the brake service at all in the app.

 

[seangoggin]

“They” being Tesla? I don’t see the brake service at all in the app.

They = Tesla Service Centre

Yes not currently explicitly listed in-app, but they do them. This is not complex any mechanic can do this if it is a standard brake service on any car.
You normally do it in the spring when you are done with winter corrosion

 

[pbcsd]

They = Tesla Service Centre

Yes not currently explicitly listed in-app, but they do them. This is not complex any mechanic can do this if it is a standard brake service on any car.
You normally do it in the spring when you are done with winter corrosion

Thought I saw someone mentioning it’s a good idea to do it the first time before winter as they don’t come lubricated from the factory.

 

[M109Rider]

Thought I saw someone mentioning it’s a good idea to do it the first time before winter as they don’t come lubricated from the factory.

Not sure that’s confirmed, but I feel that’s likely very plausible.

 

[akidesir]

Not sure that’s confirmed, but I feel that’s likely very plausible.

Correct, not lubed from factory, do it before the winter, or heck do it right after delivery.

 

[DavidJH]

If salt buildup and rusting are the main reason for the service, I think getting a car wash season ticket and wash the car thoroughly at least once a week should be enough to mitigate the concern and keep your car look good at the same time.

 

[pbcsd]

If salt buildup and rusting are the main reason for the service, I think getting a car wash season ticket and wash the car thoroughly at least once a week should be enough to mitigate the concern and keep your car look good at the same time.

A car wash isn't going to help with caliper pins and salt/corrosion.

 

[M109Rider]

If salt buildup and rusting are the main reason for the service, I think getting a car wash season ticket and wash the car thoroughly at least once a week should be enough to mitigate the concern and keep your car look good at the same time.

Washing it regularly is good, but won’t keep the calliper pins from seizing.
Get them lubed before the first winter, and you’re likely set up well for checks once in a while going forward.

 

[DavidJH]

A car wash isn't going to help with caliper pins and salt/corrosion.

Just wonder why those would be problem since ICE car never need such attention. The only difference I can see is the salt causing rust.

 

[M109Rider]

Just wonder why those would be problem since ICE car never need such attention. The only difference I can see is the salt causing rust.

Ice cars do the same thing under similar circumstances. You just don’t understand the differences between ice and electric.
Ice cars use the brakes far more. They subsequently need to replace the brakes much much sooner than electric cars do.
When the calipers and brake pads are barely used, you get more corrosion.

Have an ice car sit in the driveway, for long periods and only use it once in a while, what happens to the brakes…..?

Ice cars have quirks also. Folks just understand them now, and know how to care for those quirks now, because they’ve been around for 100 years.

 

[DavidJH]

Ice cars do the same thing under similar circumstances. You just don’t understand the differences between ice and electric.
Ice cars use the brakes far more. They subsequently need to replace the brakes much much sooner than electric cars do.
When the calipers and brake pads are barely used, you get more corrosion.

Have an ice car sit in the driveway, for long periods and only use it once in a while, what happens to the brakes…..?

Ice cars have quirks also. Folks just understand them now, and know how to care for those quirks now, because they’ve been around for 100 years.

Don’t patronize me about the difference between EV and ICE car. ICE car does not do the same thing under similar circumstances.

The ICE car I had all these years(20+) never had to do any services specific to winter. Sometimes my car drove for less than 500km in a month in winter, nothing happened to the brakes.

I understand the rotor/pad rust more due to less usage but that’s solely because of the salt. A car parked without salt on the metal part, the rust/corrosion is negligible relative to the life of the car.

By regularly removing the only factor that matters most in the equation, which is salt, I don’t see an EV should be treated any differently than an ICE car.

 

[M109Rider]

Don’t patronize me about the difference between EV and ICE car. ICE car does not do the same thing under similar circumstances.

The ICE car I had all these years(20+) never had to do any services specific to winter. Sometimes my car drove for less than 500km in a month in winter, nothing happened to the brakes.

I understand the rotor/pad rust more due to less usage but that’s solely because of the salt. A car parked without salt on the metal part, the rust/corrosion is negligible relative to the life of the car.

By regularly removing the only factor that matters most in the equation, which is salt, I don’t see an EV should be treated any differently than an ICE car.

Wasn’t patronizing you. I figured you didn’t see the differences, that are present.
I disagree with you, because assuming ice brake maintenance should be the same as EV brake maintenance (regardless of salt or no salt) is not right.

 

[pbcsd]

Don’t patronize me about the difference between EV and ICE car. ICE car does not do the same thing under similar circumstances.

The ICE car I had all these years(20+) never had to do any services specific to winter. Sometimes my car drove for less than 500km in a month in winter, nothing happened to the brakes.

I understand the rotor/pad rust more due to less usage but that’s solely because of the salt. A car parked without salt on the metal part, the rust/corrosion is negligible relative to the life of the car.

By regularly removing the only factor that matters most in the equation, which is salt, I don’t see an EV should be treated any differently than an ICE car.

But that’s the point. If you’re only driving the car 500km then it’s rarely exposed to salt.

If you only drive an EV 500km in the winter, it won’t be an issue for the EV either.

If you drive both 5,000km in the winter and use the brakes 10% or less of the time on the EV vs the ICE car, you could end up with corrosion causing a seizure on the EV whereas the ICE car with constant usage would not have that issue.

 

[djrobinn]

Yeah.. I cancelled my service and will likely get it done in the spring once salt/ brine is no longer used on the roads. My brake pedal use is still a fair bit as I have a bit of a lead foot so approaching traffic lights, I do tend to use the brake pedal

 

[M109Rider]

Yeah.. I cancelled my service and will likely get it done in the spring once salt/ brine is no longer used on the roads. My brake pedal use is still a fair bit as I have a bit of a lead foot so approaching traffic lights, I do tend to use the brake pedal

It’s technically best to lubricate your brakes just prior to winter, as opposed to after. It’s what Tesla told me. Seems to make sense.

 

[Midnightsun]

I have cleaned and lubricated the slide pins and give the brakes a good clean up every time I swap from summer to winter tires and again when I swap back to summer tires for decades on every car I have ever had. Really extends the life considerably not to mention much better braking because everything is working as it should. This is a must if you have real winter and salted roads. Just did both the Y and the S not long ago. Not much to be done on performance brakes with pistons on both sides though, just clean them up a bit and make sure the pads can move freely.

 

[djrobinn]

It’s technically best to lubricate your brakes just prior to winter, as opposed to after. It’s what Tesla told me. Seems to make sense.

Yeah... then I talked to a friend of mine with 3 Teslas and he wasn't even aware of this service so I dunno.

 

[thesmokingman]

Yeah... then I talked to a friend of mine with 3 Teslas and he wasn't even aware of this service so I dunno.

Ah the counter to that is just cuz they've been doing it wrong, doesn't mean it's right.

 

[M109Rider]

Yeah... then I talked to a friend of mine with 3 Teslas and he wasn't even aware of this service so I dunno.

How long has he had them ?