Van and motorhome brakes: wear, loads and the APK (MOT)

The brakes of a van or motorhome wear faster because they have to slow more mass. Brakes convert movement into heat. The heavier the vehicle, the more heat the brake pads and discs have to absorb. A Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter weighs up to 3,500 kg when loaded. Every stop in city traffic therefore asks more of the brakes.

The load makes the difference bigger. A tradesman’s van drives fully loaded with tools and materials almost every day. A motorhome carries the weight of the body, water, gas and luggage. If you tow a trailer, that weight is added on top. With a Dutch category B driving licence you may tow a trailer up to 750 kg, according to the ANWB (the Dutch motoring organisation), and a heavier one as long as vehicle and trailer together weigh no more than 3,500 kg.

For an average passenger car, the ANWB states that brake pads last at least 4 years or 60,000 km and that you should allow for replacement from 40,000 km. For brake discs the ANWB gives an average of 100,000 km. For a heavily loaded van in the city those distances are lower. That is why we prefer to measure rather than go by the mileage. Read more in our article on replacing brake pads and discs.

You notice worn brakes by the sound, by the pedal and by how the vehicle behaves when you brake. On a van the consequences are bigger than on a passenger car, because there is more weight behind it.

Decision rule of our workshop. Not sure? Call us and we will schedule a short brake check. If nothing needs doing, we tell you that too.

A motorhome that stands in storage for months is more likely to have problems with rust than with wear. Brake discs are made of cast iron and rust as soon as they get damp. On a car that drives every day, the brake pads scrape that surface rust off at the first stop. The ANWB writes that on a car that is used little, the discs can be attacked too much by rust, and advises using the brakes firmly a few times in a safe place. If the rust does not come off with braking, the disc is pitted and we measure whether it has to be replaced.

The second problem is a seized brake caliper. The guide pins and the piston of the caliper must be able to move freely. Moisture and rust lock them up. The brake then does not release properly, the wheel gets hot and you smell something burning. We assess whether the caliper can be freed up again or has to be replaced. We tell you the cost in advance. Read more in our article on a seized brake caliper.

The third point is the handbrake. If the motorhome stands for months with the handbrake applied, the brake shoes or pads can rust onto the drum or disc. So park a motorhome in storage in gear or in park, with wheel chocks, and release the handbrake if the manufacturer allows it. A handbrake cable with a broken inner cable fails the APK, even if only one strand is broken. When you set off again after the winter, brake firmly a few times on a quiet road to clean the discs. Read more in our article on a handbrake that is stuck or not working.

On a long descent you brake a heavy vehicle briefly and firmly, and then let the engine do the work. The ANWB writes that driving downhill asks a lot of the brakes: the temperature can rise sharply and damage the brakes. If you keep the pedal lightly pressed all the way down, the brakes do not cool and the braking power can decrease. This is called brake fade. The Netherlands is flat, but this matters on a holiday drive through the Alps or the Pyrenees.

1. Brake firmly first, for example before a bend. That is the ANWB’s tip.
2. Change down to a low gear so the engine slows the vehicle and the brakes can cool. With an automatic gearbox, select a low range.
3. Keep your distance, so you do not have to keep braking.
4. If you smell burning or the pedal goes soft, stop in a safe place and let the brakes cool down.
5. Have the brakes and the brake fluid checked before you leave. The ANWB lists that as a tip before setting off with a caravan or motorhome.

Brake fluid absorbs moisture over the years, which lowers its boiling point. During long braking downhill with a heavy motorhome, old brake fluid can start to boil. Vapour bubbles form, the pedal sinks and the motorhome brakes less. We check the brake fluid and change it according to the manufacturer’s schedule, usually every two years. Read more in our article on changing brake fluid.

At the APK the inspector tests the braking force on the brake tester and looks at the lines, hoses, discs and the brake fluid level. For a commercial vehicle up to 3,500 kg first registered after 31 December 2011, the RDW APK manual (article 5.3.38 of the Dutch vehicle regulations) requires a service brake deceleration of at least 5.0 m/s² at a pedal force of no more than 700 N. The RDW is the Dutch vehicle authority. Lower values apply to older vans. The difference in braking force between left and right on one axle may not be more than 30 percent of the highest measured force.

Source: RDW APK manual for light commercial vehicles, article 5.3.38, consulted 6 November 2026.

For a motorhome, the requirement depends on the vehicle category on the registration certificate: a motorhome can be registered as a passenger car or as a commercial vehicle, each with its own values. We look up which requirements apply to your motorhome by its registration number. Beyond that, the inspector checks the same points as on any car: at least 50 percent effective braking surface per side of the disc, no pitting corrosion on brake lines, no brake hoses chafing or showing their reinforcement, and a brake fluid level above the minimum mark. The inspector does not measure the thickness of the brake pads and does not fail old brake fluid.

As an RDW-approved APK station we inspect vans with a commercial vehicle registration (often called a grey plate, or grijs kenteken in Dutch), see our page on the APK for vans in Rotterdam. We also inspect motorhomes up to 3,500 kg, but not heavier ones. Read more on our page about the APK for motorhomes. If your van or motorhome fails on the brakes, we repair the items that failed and arrange the retest. We tell you the cost in advance.

We first measure what is worn, replace only that and show you the old parts. The mechanic measures the thickness of the pads and discs and compares it with the manufacturer’s minimum. We replace a disc only if it is below the minimum thickness, has too much run-out or is pitted with rust. The mechanic also checks the brake calipers and guide pins, the hoses and lines, the handbrake and the fluid level. After the work we test on the brake tester and take a short test drive.

Our workshop has five heavy-duty lifts, including lifts for motorhomes and vans up to 3,500 kg. Call us beforehand with your registration number and the height of your motorhome, and we tell you whether it fits and what the brakes will cost. We replace brake pads and discs per axle, left and right together, and we fit new pads with new discs. We do not skim brake discs. A disc that is too thin, warped or pitted, we replace. With modern discs that is usually better value than skimming, and you know for certain that the thickness and braking performance are right again.

If you use your van for work, tell us when you book. Read more on our pages about van repair in Rotterdam, motorhome repair in Rotterdam and brake replacement in Rotterdam.

That depends on weight, load and route. The ANWB gives at least 4 years or 60,000 km for an average passenger car. A loaded van in city traffic often does not reach that. We check the brakes at every service and APK, so you know where you stand.

No, usually not. After standing still there is surface rust on the brake discs. A few firm stops on a quiet road wear that off. If the squeal continues, the motorhome shudders when braking or you smell burning at a wheel, have the brakes checked.

A commercial vehicle up to 3,500 kg first registered after 31 December 2011 must reach a deceleration of at least 5.0 m/s² at a pedal force of no more than 700 N, according to the RDW APK manual. The difference between left and right on one axle may not be more than 30 percent. Lower values apply to older vans.

That depends on what we measure. If the discs are still thick enough, not warped and not pitted, they stay on and we replace only the pads. If they are worn, we replace discs and pads together per axle. We tell you in advance what it will be, and you can see the old parts.

Yes, usually. Motorhomes and vans up to 3,500 kg fit on our heavy-duty lifts. Call us with your registration number and the height of your motorhome, and we tell you whether it fits and what the work on the brakes will cost.

No, the interval is the same: according to the manufacturer’s schedule, usually every two years. Brake fluid ages with time, not with mileage, so a motorhome that drives little is also due after two years.

Yes. We are an RDW-approved APK station for cars, vans with a commercial vehicle registration and motorhomes up to 3,500 kg. If the vehicle fails on the brakes, we repair the items that failed and arrange the retest. We tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance.

• RDW: APK manual for light commercial vehicles: service brake deceleration, article 5.3.38 (in Dutch)
• RDW: APK manual passenger cars: parts and operation of the braking system, article 5.2.31 (in Dutch)
• ANWB Wegenwacht: 6 tips before setting off with your caravan or motorhome (in Dutch)
• ANWB: Brake discs: rust, lifespan and replacement (in Dutch)
• ANWB: Brake pads: lifespan and replacement (in Dutch)
• ANWB: Towing a trailer: which driving licence do you need? (in Dutch)