See All 17 Photos Regenerative braking is one of our favorite aspects of EV driving. With brake regen, you simply lift off the accelerator and the vehicle begins to slow, in some cars to a complete stop. AI Quick Summary Tesla owners experiencing squeaky brakes likely don't need to pay for a brake burnishing service. Instead, use the brakes regularly or follow Tesla's DIY burnishing procedure, which involves braking from 50-55 mph. This issue is common in EVs due to regenerative braking. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article. Read Next 0:00 / 0:00 That’s because of how electric motors work, where magnetic resistance within causes a drag effect. Thanks to regen, kinetic energy an EV carries after acceleration becomes deceleration that creates an electric charge sent back into the battery as the motor essentially works in reverse. It’s convenient, efficient, and enjoyable once you get used to it. Of course, your EV still has physical brakes containing pads and rotors—and that’s where some complications arise. EV Regen Is Great, Until ... After 26,000 miles, our 2023 Tesla Model Y long-term review vehicle needed new tires and alignment, so we booked a service appointment through the Tesla app. While waiting at the service center, we overheard other customers telling Tesla’s advisers about their cars’ squeaky, noisy brakes. The advisers’ suggested remedy? A brake burnishing service to the tune of about $250. We’re here to tell you that’s something you almost certainly don’t need, at least not without trying a few super-simple steps yourself first. Literally, just use the brakes. Tesla’s brake regen is strong enough to provide complete deceleration in normal driving. With that, the physical brakes can go unused for long periods, allowing a layer of rust and other contaminants to build up on the friction surfaces. This reduces their efficacy and might cause noises like squeaking or squealing. See All 17 Photos This doesn't often occur on gas-powered cars, because those rely on their friction brakes for deceleration. Accordingly, through normal use frequent contact between pads and rotors scrapes away contaminants and corrosion. Maybe you’re starting to sense a correlation from this to your EV’s brakes. If not, we’ll make it clear again: Use your brakes. In all EVs, regen has a capacity that can be exceeded by some deceleration requirements. When that happens, you press the brake pedal and the physical brakes take over to slow the car; friction brakes have the capacity to provide much more stopping power than regen. With this knowledge, you can attempt to remedy brake noises before you pay Tesla for burnishing. You burnish them yourself by braking beyond the regen capacity and activating the physical brakes. Note that these considerations apply to all EVs that provide deceleration through regen, not only Tesla vehicles. See All 17 Photos