ECE R90: what the test standard means for brake pads and discs
UN/ECE Regulation No. 90 defines the requirements that replacement brake pads, brake shoes, brake discs and brake drums must meet in order to be approved in Europe. Without this type approval, replacement brake parts may not be placed on the market.
What is tested
- Braking performance compared to the original part (tolerance ± 15 %)
- Behaviour in cold, wet and high-temperature conditions (fading)
- Mechanical strength: shear strength of the lining, compressive strength, hardness
- For discs and drums: thermal fatigue, high load, wear
How to recognise an approved part
Approved parts carry the approval number with the E mark in a circle, followed by the code of the approving country and the approval number – on the part itself and on the packaging. With RK-Austria you will find the marking on every pad and every disc.
„ECE R90 is not a marketing seal but an approval. Without it, a brake part is simply not roadworthy in Europe.“