Service 07 of 11
Brake service
Pad and disc thickness are measured, not judged by eye. We check calipers, guide pins, hoses and lines, change the brake fluid on water content and interval, and bleed the system through completely.
With pads and discs in original-equipment quality on request — for all common makes, not only Porsche.
Symptoms
How you notice worn brakes
Grinding under braking
A metallic grind usually means the pad is gone and its backing plate is running on the disc. From here the disc is being damaged too.
Judder through the wheel
Steering wheel or pedal vibrates as you slow down. Typical of a disc whose thickness is no longer even all the way round.
The car pulls to one side
A sticking caliper or a seized guide pin brakes one wheel harder than the other — often with a burning smell and a hot wheel.
Soft, long pedal
Air in the system, a leak or the master cylinder. If it only goes soft after a long descent, the fluid has absorbed too much water. Have it checked straight away.
Wear warning light on
The wear sensor has triggered and is renewed with the pads. Every wheel is then measured, not just the one with the sensor.
Pads only, or discs too?
Tell us the model, the mileage and when the brakes were last done — and we'll tell you up front what to expect.
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Scope
What a brake service covers
Every wheel is measured, not just the one making the noise. Parts are replaced axle by axle and to measurement — so both sides brake the same.
- Pad thickness measured at every wheel
- Disc thickness measured against the minimum
- Calipers, pistons and guide pins checked for free movement
- Hoses and lines checked for cracks, chafing and corrosion
- Water content of the brake fluid measured
- Brake fluid changed to manufacturer specification, system bled through
- Pads and discs renewed per axle, in original-equipment quality on request
- Parking brake checked, road test after the work
Method
Four steps
- 01
Measure
Pad and disc thickness at every wheel, water content of the fluid, calipers and lines.
- 02
Approval
What is due and what still has life in it, with the measured figure beside it. No part without your yes.
- 03
Renew
Replace per axle, clean and free the guide pins, every fastener to torque.
- 04
Handover
Road test, a word on bedding in the new pads, the parts fitted set out on the invoice.
Questions about it
What people ask about brake jobs
Do the discs always have to be replaced too?
No. Most discs carry a stamped minimum thickness. If the disc is comfortably above it and runs true, new pads are enough. If it is at the limit, scored or has a pronounced lip, new pads on the old disc are a false economy. We measure and tell you, with the figure.
How often does the brake fluid need changing?
As often as the manufacturer specifies — the interval is in the service schedule. Brake fluid absorbs water over time, and its boiling point drops with it. On a long descent or under hard braking it can then form vapour bubbles, and the pedal goes to the floor. That is why we also measure the water content rather than only looking at the date.
My brakes squeal — is that dangerous?
Not necessarily. A light squeal after rain or at low speed often comes from surface rust or vibration and goes away again. A metallic grind, on the other hand, usually means the pad is worn through and the backing plate is rubbing on the disc. Then come in soon and drive as little as possible until then: braking performance suffers, and a pad change becomes one with new discs.
Brake service
Grinding when you brake?
Then now — before the discs go on the bill too.
Related
Related services
- 11
Diagnostics and fault finding
If the ABS or brake warning light is on, we read the codes before any part is replaced.
- 09
Scheduled servicing
Pads and discs are checked as wearing parts at every service.
- 10
Repairs and maintenance
If it grinds without braking too, a wheel bearing may be behind it.