Brakes: checks, wear, ABS
What to check on the brakes, when pads are due and since when ABS has been available.
In short: Check pads, discs, calipers, hoses and the handbrake regularly. ABS arrived for model year 1987 and is standard on the Turbo.
Checks
What to check:
- Pads: measure the lining; wear indicators exist but are not always reliable because they can be damaged.
- Calipers, hoses, fittings: check for leaks and cracks.
- Handbrake: it should hold the car in neutral on a steep hill; otherwise adjust it or check the handbrake shoes.
Also: vibration under braking points to warped discs, a soft pedal to air in the system or a faulty master cylinder.
ABS
ABS arrived for the 1987 model year and became standard on the Turbo. With ABS the wheel offset changed. On the S2 and Turbo S, check that the ABS works.
Brake fluid
We have no reliable change interval. The manufacturer’s maintenance schedule is authoritative.
Brakes are safety-relevant – work to the workshop manual or at a specialist.
Technical values
Only work with the workshop manual and the correct tools. Do not use unverified values without checking them – wrong tension values can destroy the engine.
| Value | Figure | Condition | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replace brake pads at lining thickness | 2 mm | – | unverified | [1] |
| General Porsche recommendation | replace below 2.5 mm | – | unverified | [1] |
| Check brake system | at least every 15,000 miles | – | unverified | [1] |
| Brake fluid change interval | — pending | See maintenance schedule | pending | [] |
Sources
- Secondary source Checking the Brake System
Checks and brake pad wear limits.
- Secondary source Porsche 944 (Abschnitt «Production»)
Secondary source. Production tables per model year, no book citation; totals are partly inconsistent.
- Secondary source Porsche 944 buying checklist (PDF)
Buying checklist ordered by area.