Routine Maintenance - "Brake Cleaning & Lubrication?"

[Jager]

Tesla's list of recommended maintenance items is not long. One of them is:

• Clean and lubricate brake calipers every year or 12,500 miles (20,000 km) if in an area where roads are salted during winter.

I just got a quote from Tesla for this particular item in the amount of $374.40. That seems quite excessive for what I envisaged as ten minutes with a can of brake cleaner and a grease gun. Anyone have any idea what they're doing to justify that kind of charge?

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[devdrone6]

Never knew about this, but based on your post I did find the following, it is not just a quick spray 10 minute job:

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-A4A29329-FA8A-4866-830B-04D727D98184.html

 

[scjmc]

Never knew about this, but based on your post I did find the following, it is not just a quick spray 10 minute job:

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-A4A29329-FA8A-4866-830B-04D727D98184.html

Wow, that is quite the process.

 

[UberNoob]

Interesting, that hasn’t popped up on my recommended service. The wiper and hepa is in the list. Delivered 9/11/24.

 

[HaulingAss]

Wow, that is quite the process.

That is exactly the same process a knowledgeable mechanic would use on any disc brake calipers for top performance. The thing is, brakes that are used regularly tend to not benefit from this as much.

I understand Tesla has programmed the brakes on the Cybertruck to replace a certain amount of regen braking at slow speeds so the calipers regularly get a little workout. This is specifically to reduce the chances that you will need to clean/lubricate your brakes (but it's still a good idea if you drive under particularly corrosive conditions). It can increase the efficiency of your vehicle by removing the slight amount of brake drag that can happen if your calipers are not moving freely.

 

[Jager]

Never knew about this, but based on your post I did find the following, it is not just a quick spray 10 minute job:

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-A4A29329-FA8A-4866-830B-04D727D98184.html

Thanks for posting that service procedure. Definitely not the simple kind of thing I imagined! Almost makes $340.40 sound like a bargain.

Anyway, I deleted it from my service request. I make sure my hydraulic brakes get a quick touch or two during every ride to sweep the rotors and pads. But mostly those brakes don't get much use. Regenerative braking and the one-pedal driving it allows might be my favorite thing about Tesla's!

 

[scjmc]

Ah dang they charge $80 to clean the windshield camera area? On my M3 they always did it for free.

 

[nubbin77]

Use Hurry / Mad Max with FSD... It will use the breaks every now and then

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