BRAKE INSPECTION HELP

[Abk911]

Hello everyone - before i ask the question below are my car details:

2007 Yaris sedan, 4 door.
99000 miles.
never changed brakes.


a year ago, the brakes started making a slight squealing noise (still present):frown:
but below are details:


Took to Toyota dealer last summer for a thorough brake inspection.
he said nothings wrong with brakes and while he charged 80 bucks for thorough inspection he did some tightning etc and set me off. the report also said 8 mm and 3 mm left on pads. and said you dont need to change rear brakes unless they are 0.5mm. he also said rear NEW brake pad thickness is 5mm usually. :confused:
then when i gave for servicing / oil change (mineke) - in his inspection report he gave 10 and 10 (very very wierd). not sure he meant mm or what,:iono:
so i waited a few months and then finally took to some local shop for an inspection. i told him to remove tires and check but he said since he is lifting the car up for an oil change he can check through a small "INSPECTION HOLE" BEHIND EACH wheel (i never knew there was an inspection hole behind the wheel) cause for my car its not possible to see the brakes through the wheel from front). he said 70% and 80% life left. and said - easily should last a year. :bow:


now my question:
1) how can there be such drastic difference in measurements for these 3 guys
2) how come the toyota guy says that rear thickness when new is 5mm and if thats so how come mineke one gave 10 and 10 written on his service form.
3) what do i do, shld i hold off a brake change or just get it done.
4) what are the actual original pad thicknesses and what thickness should i replace them.

[Biginjapan13]

As an expert Toyota technician I can say that the rear brake shoes start to 4-5mm in thickness. It is possible that mineke didn't even measure your brakes just looked at them and noticed they weren't at the point to be replaced.

[Biginjapan13]

Rear shoes don't wear out as fast as fronts because of the breaking ratio (80% front brakes and 20% rear brakes ) furthermore a Yaris is such a light vehicle that it doesn't require much brake force to stop the vehicle and thus your brakes will last longer then most other cars. I currently have a 15 Yaris and previously a 10 sedan. My sedan had 67k miles before I sold it and the front brakes were still at 9mm (this vehicle was an automatic)

[Abk911]

just to reconfirm - what you are saying is that the rear break show on the yaris is about 5mm thick (when brand new).... just making sure i understand.

As an expert Toyota technician I can say that the rear brake shoes start to 4-5mm in thickness. It is possible that mineke didn't even measure your brakes just looked at them and noticed they weren't at the point to be replaced.

[Biginjapan13]

just to reconfirm - what you are saying is that the rear break show on the yaris is about 5mm thick (when brand new).... just making sure i understand.



Yes the rear brake shoes start at 4-5mm, not sure the exact measurement but yes

[Abk911]

also - is there really a small inspection hole behind each wheel to inspect the brake wear...

Rear shoes don't wear out as fast as fronts because of the breaking ratio (80% front brakes and 20% rear brakes ) furthermore a Yaris is such a light vehicle that it doesn't require much brake force to stop the vehicle and thus your brakes will last longer then most other cars. I currently have a 15 Yaris and previously a 10 sedan. My sedan had 67k miles before I sold it and the front brakes were still at 9mm (this vehicle was an automatic)

[B.B._07]

The official numbers from Toyota are 12mm standard thickness and 1mm minimum thickness for the front disc pads with the rear shoes being 4mm standard thickness and 1mm minimum thickness. So if you're at 8mm front and 3mm back than you have plenty of brake life remaining.

The front discs can be inspected just by taking the wheel off but for the rear drums you need to take the brake drum off the hub to inspect the shoe thickness.