Brendan Hughes

Not a scoob, not even a performance car. But my brakes are a bit soft now (particularly after the official service :suspiciou ) and if I get an upgrade chip to give me 30% extra power, I feel I risk having an accident. Problem is lack of feel, lack of bite. Car is a Toyota Rav4, 2.5 yrs old - heavy(ish) and high centre of gravity.

Without buying a new set of callipers, what are the simple things that make all the difference? Pads I guess, but also braided hoses? I'm wary of the latter as I suspect they make plenty of difference on the track but f-all on the road. Similarly, fluid.

If you buy non-OEM pads, does this void the warranty?

Where can I get info on different types of pads; wear speed, wear of discs (!), deposits, wet weather, etc etc?

Thanks

Cupramax

If the cars 2.5 years old is it still running on the original brake fluid? If so thats probably 90% of the problem. Brake fluid is hygroscopic i.e. it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and degrades with time. Most manufacturer service intervals recommend it to be changed every 2 years.

Brendan Hughes

Thanks, no idea, I'll dig out the checklist/receipts. I say receipts, I have 3 yrs free servicing, so I'm not sure what they tell me has been changed, I think I just get a stamp in the logbook without any details!