What! New car I can't change rear brakes w/o scanner w brake servicing?

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My 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Plus is 5-6 weeks "old".

Sitting with a former neighbor who is now a young automotive mechanic past 5+ years, says I won't be able to replace my rear brakes without a brake scan tool or a scan tool with brake servicing. At age 67, when the rear brakes need replacing, I may not want to do it. Or I may? This "news" is new to me trading in a 2005 RAV.

Will I be able to bleed the brakes without the tool? I've always bled the brakes every 30,000 miles.

What am I looking to spend for one, $130?
 
My 05 prius needs the dealer scan tool to bleed the rear brakes, important in a world where salt corrodes their lines.

Tried it without the scan tool, upon booting the car turned on the red warning triangle and refused to move out of park. It noticed a lack of pressure during power-on self-check.

The front brakes bleed if someone does something with relays under the hood.

By the time your car needs servicing, the scanner will cost less.
 
You may be able to access a service menu and try through there, Mercedes has you hold a few buttons to get into the Asyst menu and you can retract through there.
 
Good to know Audios. I did an X3 last week and that was a first for me with an electronic parking brake. Apparently I need a scanner again because there's a brake system warning message appearing now.
 
Yep. My buddy has some Audi and he just told me last weekend he did his brakes and could only do the front ones because the rears needed to be released electronically. Over the last week he found some guy selling some sort of thing he operates with his i Phone and he was able to do it yesterday.

Great. The beginning of Skynet.
 
Originally Posted by KrisZ
Yes, if your car has an electronic parking brake where the parking brake is engage/disengaged by an electric motor, instead of a mechanical lever connected via cable, you will need a scan tool capable of retracting the motor all the way so the brakes can be serviced.

Good to know.
My '18 Santa Fe has the electric parking brake. I have been looking at Hyundai scan tools for a bit and this may be what tips me over into buying one.
 
Am I to understand that the emergency brake is actuated only by an electric motor? What if the motor doesn't work or the power goes out when the emergency brake is needed?

I have more faith in a cable than in an electric motor for an emergency situation.
 
Thankfully GM made it easy - my SRX's electronic parking brake does not interfere with me bleeding, changing pads or rotors. Needing to use a scan tool could be a deal breaker just like not being able to easily change ATF via a drain 'n' fill.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Kestas
Am I to understand that the emergency brake is actuated only by an electric motor? What if the motor doesn't work or the power goes out when the emergency brake is needed?

I have more faith in a cable than in an electric motor for an emergency situation.

Mercedes did the same thing when they had electric SBC brakes which was brake by wire. They had a backup aux battery. Of course one of the reasons they got rid of it was partly due to costs and the other reason was that if the pump failed, you basically lost 90% of your braking.

Needing a scan tool is pretty common now. Sometimes new tools are required with new models.
 
Year ago got a letter from Mercedes stating that they have enhanced the warranty for my 06 E320 CDI for 25 years & unlimited miles for SBC system. I was dreading $2500 sword hanging over my head. That was a great gesture from Mercedes.
 
Originally Posted by PPWarrior
I am glad I have a econobox manual transmission Nissan Versa.

FermeLaPorte, I knew it was you!
 
Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta
Originally Posted by PPWarrior
I am glad I have a econobox manual transmission Nissan Versa.

FermeLaPorte, I knew it was you!


LOL! I long forgot about this guy.
 
My wifes Audi has a manual transmission and an electric parking rake. So being a stick, the parking brake is used.

I've never had to deal with it yet, but I've researched it.

You can pop the motor off on some calipers and forgo needing a scan tool.

Skip to 5:15 in the video. This might work on other manufactures vehicles, too.
 
Not all vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake requires special tools. The Fusion has a special maintenance mode that can be activated in a 3 or 4 step process from inside the vehicle. I would make sure that this is true before getting it done as I was also told I would need special tools for a rear brake job on my car, like a special wrench to screw the piston back.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
Am I to understand that the emergency brake is actuated only by an electric motor? What if the motor doesn't work or the power goes out when the emergency brake is needed?

I have more faith in a cable than in an electric motor for an emergency situation.

Really? You have more faith in a stretched out cable which hasn't been adjusted in 10 yrs? The reality is that this "worry" is a non-issue.
 
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