Hey everyone, I live in upstate NY and was told I need to clean and lube the brakes of my Model Y yearly because of the harsh winters. I see alot of youtube videos of this being done on a Model 3 but none for a Y. It looks like the rears are standard brakes but was wondering how i would clean and lube the fronts if they're even needed at all.
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Yearly brake service
- Thread starter Aznvietboy725
- Start date
Yearly brake service is excessive. Visual check should be just fine. All they do (if you take it to the shop or service center), they will take a look at it and will say it's okay. Even if they do take out the pads and inspect, they will say the same thing.
As long as you do not see any crack, hot spots, severe discoloration on the rotor surface, your brakes are just fine.
As long as you do not see any crack, hot spots, severe discoloration on the rotor surface, your brakes are just fine.
I can tell you that in a harsh environment like here with winters, road salt and grime, it's not excessive. I do mine myself. The pins in the front are always jammed and require quite a lot of hammering to get out. The pins themselves are corroded and require a little sanding by hand. The pads are not stuck but are a bit hard to slide out. There is no lubricant left after a year and rust has started to form. The rear is easier since you remove part of the caliper to access the pads.
If I waited two years, I probably couldn't do them myself and would be forced to go in a garage to get them unjammed.
If I waited two years, I probably couldn't do them myself and would be forced to go in a garage to get them unjammed.
ATPMSD
Active Member
To start with, assuming you are taking advantage of regenerative braking you are hardly using the brakes. The only concern would be if you live in an area that uses road salt, but in that case you should be washing your car, including the brakes, regularly.
If you are concerned take your car to a local brake shop you trust and discuss it with them. But there is no harm in a DIY, so long as you are comfortable doing so.
If you are concerned take your car to a local brake shop you trust and discuss it with them. But there is no harm in a DIY, so long as you are comfortable doing so.
Zhe Wiz
I’m Done Here
I just have the magic Tesla repairman in his non-Tesla Tesla van come to my house in the fall and lube the sliders on the pads. I usually have something else that needs to be done at the same time.
Zhe Wiz in Ithaca with lots of salt
Zhe Wiz in Ithaca with lots of salt
Tha_Ape
Active Member
I was going to do it when I swapped my wheels, but seeing those screws (2 on each pad!!) on my LR dissuaded me enough. Thats madness.
That said, I may do it soon though. I'm coming up on 1yr. I just need to block off more time for it.
That said, I may do it soon though. I'm coming up on 1yr. I just need to block off more time for it.
greatauror28
Member
I read a post on Reddit about this as well and he reported that the brakes are almost seized causing more friction and thus needing more power to move the wheels.
Guys that don’t see tons of snow unlike us probably won’t need to but I already made a mental note to have this done yearly.
I don't know anything about brakes.
For EVs, does it help if I turn off re-gen brake once in awhile (say once a month?), to not let rust build up?
I lived in Montreal and Toronto for more than 30 years combined so I had my share of road salt. Never had this kind of issues on ICE cars before...
For EVs, does it help if I turn off re-gen brake once in awhile (say once a month?), to not let rust build up?
I lived in Montreal and Toronto for more than 30 years combined so I had my share of road salt. Never had this kind of issues on ICE cars before...
Your Model Y does not provide the ability to lower the regen so you can't do that. You can do some hard stops from time to time to "uncrust" the brake discs a bit, in a safe location. In winter when the battery is cold, under freezing, you will get no regen at all so you'll use the brakes somewhat.
I strongly recommend you clean and lubricate your brakes once a year in your conditions. ICE cars also benefit from yearly cleaning and lubricating, we just don't do it as much and don't realize. They just won't last as long if you don't do it whereas on an EV, especially when there are pins involved like the front of my model 3, the pins jam and it's a nightmare.
I strongly recommend you clean and lubricate your brakes once a year in your conditions. ICE cars also benefit from yearly cleaning and lubricating, we just don't do it as much and don't realize. They just won't last as long if you don't do it whereas on an EV, especially when there are pins involved like the front of my model 3, the pins jam and it's a nightmare.
The Tesla Model Y Owner's Manual states that if you live where the roads are salted in winter then the brakes should be inspected, serviced annually.
There is no option to turn off regenerative braking in the Tesla Model Y. When the battery is cold or when the battery state of charge is at or above 90% regenerative braking is greatly reduced.
To prevent corrosion build up on the brake rotors apply the brakes periodically as you drive as if there was no regenerative braking. In daily use, backing out of a driveway and other low speed driving, braking should clean off the rotors.
Tha_Ape
Active Member
I want to know too.
I got lazy as I was changing my tires.... when I saw that there were 4 bolts (and probably 1 on the caliper) for each corner I decided not to do the lube (I'm still <1yr on the car). You can check the size with the wheel still on.
Mine is MYP which has different brake caliper. If yours is LR, you have a traditional floating type one piston caliper. Caliper has two caliper pin bolts that you remove to get to the brake pads, and there are two bolts actually securing the caliper onto the knuckle. You don't remove them unless you need to remove the rotors or knuckle assembly.
Tha_Ape
Active Member
yea, I wish I had those... My CTS-V was like that (with knock out pins). made working on the brakes a breeze!
