Burnish the brakes?

Burnish

We ran into something very curious while finishing our Tesla updates. It was a suggestion to burnish the brakes after replacing brake pads and/or brake rotors. They go on to say that this might eliminate high-pitched squealing noise while braking, particularly when driving in rain, cold and/or humid climates.

We weren’t familiar with the word, so looked it up. A simple definition for burnishing is to polish something, especially a metal by rubbing. A much more complicated definition is the plastic deformation of a surface due to sliding contact with another object. It smooths the surface and makes it shinier.

So that is what would happen to the brake pads and rotors if you follow Tesla‘s do it yourself instructions.

• Drive the vehicle at approximately 50 mph – 55 mph (80 km/h – 90 km/h) on a straight road.
• Apply moderate, consistent pressure to the brake pedal to slowly decelerate the vehicle, releasing at 10 mph (15 km/h).
• Repeat this procedure 6 times, waiting at least 30 seconds between applications.

What is left out of these instructions is that road had better be uncrowded. If you have noisy brakes or new pads and rotors, you might find yourself out at 4 AM at least trying to get this down.

Worth a shot…

By the way, if noise persists, please find a good service center.

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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

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