Brake Problems

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

I replaced my rear break pads this summer (94 ES) and the right rear is still fine but my left rear just died tonight! This makes no sense. I don't know if there are caliper problems that could lead to this?

My rotor is still in good shape despite this...and a break pad replace would be easy and cheap but I don't want to spend $20 on a break pad and find out that there is some other component of the break that caused my break pad to wear at an abnormal rate.

Also, another unrelated break problem - I took my car in a few weeks ago to get my front CV joints replaced and literally 10 minutes after I drove it off the lot my ABS system went heywire. Now, for the first 10 minutes of driving or so, my anti-lock braking kicks in whenever I stop. After about 10 minutes, my ABS light comes on and the pulsing stops...I took it back to the shop and they couldn't find anything - I took it to a dealer and they said the shop could've broken the sensor, I was leaving for college in 2 days so I have had no time to look into this since. Is this likely a sensor issue, and is there any way I could get restitution from the shop to pay for a new sensor (which I'm assuming is expensive)?

What a headache...this couldn't have happened at a worse time.

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

I thought I'd add - For a couple of months I've heard a metallic rattle coming from the general area of the left rear wheel well of my car when I hit bumps...(no, not the shocks). Also, brake squeeling (at stops and sometimes even during non-braking conditions). I was incredibly busy and the overall driving of the car was not affected so I (perhaps stupidly) ignored this.

My step-father (who is an engineer and very mechanically-able, I trust him with anything to do with mechanics) helped me replace my rear brake pads, and pointed out that one of the heads of the bolts had come off of my left rear caliper. I asked him what effect this would've had on my brake pads wearing so quickly and he seemed pretty baffled.

I'm not sure if this helps with diagnosing the problem or not...I'm going to go ahead and get new brake pads put on tomorrow (since I'll need new pads regardless of the problem). The car should be completely driveable with new pads, but I'd like to figure out what's wrong to avoid costlier repairs down the line.

steviej · September 17, 2004

the ABS problem does sound like a sensor is messed up. It may be the shop damaged the hub during the installation of the CV. You should have gone right back in the shop when the light came on. The longer you wait, the longer the shop that may have done the damage has to say it wasn't them. So move on this if you want them to pay for a new one.

The brakes, (ps, i corrected the spelling in the title).

The squealing can come from aftermarket metalic pads, it can come from lack of "brake quiet" (special lube used on the back of the pads, the shims and the slides during installation), and it can be caused by improper installation. Stick with Toyota OEM pads and they won't squeal.

The uneven brake pad wear could be due to improper caliper pressure. Either the caliper is sticking or seized. Maybe the missing bolt head had the caliper at an angle causing the pad to wear out quicker. What caused the missing bolt head? Was it sheared off by an air wrench? Is the caliper bolt crossthreaded? It didn't just fall off.

steviej

SKperformance · September 17, 2004

First what is the problem with the brakes. you said what side is good but not what is wrong?

Second the shop must have used a blunt force like a hammer on a sensative area( which is the hub) around the sensor to remove the bearing bolt or push it out of the hub bearings.

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

Thanks for the response, and thanks for correcting the misspelling in the thread title.

I replaced my front brake pads with cheap pads from auto zone and haven't heard a squeak yet (this was over a year ago). THey are still in good shape. But I will follow through with Toyota OEM per your advice.

I'm assuming the brake squealing was directly related to the fact that my left rear brake pads wore out extremely fast. I'm still kind of at a loss as to what caused this.

This missing bolt head was caused by the fact that I drove with worn rear brake pads for way too long. I admit, this was my failure to give attention to a problem - but I drove my car for several weeks after my rear brakes had started to squeal. I didn't replace my pads until I heard a horrible scraping from both of the rear wheel wells - and I had destroyed both of the rotors. Now, I have essentially brand new rotors and brake pads in the rear. My step-father pointed out that BOTH rear calipers had a bolt head come off due to extensive wear. I have noticed NO problem whatsoever from the right rear brakes.

I hope I'm making sense here...I may have misinterpreted my stepfather (he's an engineer at a prestigious university and is one of the most intelligent people I know period) so I have no reason to doubt him.

But this is, for all intents and purposes, the best I can accurately describe the situation. I appreciate your help and hope I can figure out what is wrong without spending more money than is necessary. Thank you.

P.S. I've had a bit to drink tonight so if I rambled a bit I apologize.

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

First what is the problem with the brakes. you said what side is good but not what is wrong?
Second the shop must have used a blunt force like a hammer on a sensative area( which is the hub) around the sensor to remove the bearing bolt or push it out of the hub bearings.

First, I don't know exactly what is wrong...I replaced both rear brake pads with my stepfather back in June...I did a lot of driving this summer but not enough to warrant a brake pad going bad. My right rear brake pad is in fine condition as are my front pads (replaced in the summer of 2003).

So, obviously something is wrong with the left rear braking system but i have not been able to diagnose it. I'm sure I can put a new pad on and drive safely...but something is causing abnormal wear of the pad and I am not sure what. After talking to my stepfather I am even more confused because the missing bolt head on the caliper apparently could become an issue after corrosion - but I have not driven a winter without the caliper's bolt head.

Unless the missing bolt head caused the caliper to slide...(according to my stepfather).

Again, I am not mechanically inclined so I don't know what's going on exactly. Thanks for the help though.

SKperformance · September 17, 2004

Are both brake pads wearing evenly or one more than another?

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

No, the left rear is completely blown whereas the right rear brake pad is in fine condition. As are the front pads which were replaced over a year ago (as opposed to the rears which were replaced 3 months ago.)

SKperformance · September 17, 2004

Sorry i meant on the loaded caliper ( means with pads installed) which one of the pads( left or right one) are tehy both wearing out evenly or one more than another in that bad caliper corner.

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

I'm almost positive the front (left) brake pad on the bad caliper wore the quickest.....I'm going to examine the wear before I take the car in tomorrow...I don't have the car with me, it's about 1/2 mile from my house right now, so I can't really go outside and take a look.

I'm going to the shop tomorrow and i'll see what they have to say, and come back here after I know what went wrong...

collegeguy · September 17, 2004

I took it in today and it turned out that the backing plate fell off - nothing else. Very cheap and fast fix and my car is back on the road! I still need to take care of the ABS issue but it won't effect the driveability until winter. Sweet!