Brakes Done At Lexus- Squeel

[daffy]

Hi

I had my brakes done professionally, new rotors and pads and are now squeeling when I come to a slow stop. I could take it back, but I feel I can maybe use a little brake lube stuff, that would cure the problem. Anyone have the same problem? Am I on the right track? Thanks, Daffy

[SW03ES]

If you paid Lexus all that money for a brake job they definately should not squeal. Take em back.

[UCF3]

Hi

  I had my brakes done professionally, new rotors and pads and are now squeeling when I come to a slow stop. I could take it back, but I feel I can maybe use a little brake lube stuff,  that would cure the problem. Anyone have the same problem? Am I on the right track? Thanks, Daffy

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Any rust visible on the new rotors and pads? If there is taking it back to Lexus will be a waist of time. It will burn off after a while.

[ArmyofOne]

If you paid Lexus all that money for a brake job they definately should not squeal. Take em back.

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SW03ES, new brakes usually squeal for a little while, sometimes up to 1500 miles. drive gently on them for at least 500 to avoid glazing the rotors, until they are good and worn in. ;)

if in 500 miles, the sqeal is still there, then use the stop squeak. B)

[UCF3]

It's also likely that the Pads and Rotors weren't properly broken in. A lot of the Infinitis' make that kind of a sound, and in most cases the technicians aren't breaking them in properly.

Do this.

First feel your rotors for bumps. Since they're new, it shouldn't have any. if there are, take it back to Lexus and tell them the brakes are squeeking. I'm hoping they'll replace the rotors under warrantly.

If they do,

-Drive your car at 20mph for 1 minute, and depress the brakes to a complete stop.

-put it in Park for a 2 minutes (cool down)

--Drive your car at 50mph for 3minutes, and depress the brakes...

-Put it in Park for 15 minutes (cool down).

---Drive your car at 75 mph for 15 minutes, depress the brakes...

-Put it in park for 20 minutes.

This should break the pads and rotors in correctly.

[SW03ES]

I've never had a brake job done to a car that squealed and then miraculously stopped squealing, including on Lexuses...

[ArmyofOne]

I've never had a brake job done to a car that squealed and then miraculously stopped squealing, including on Lexuses...

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every car i have had has at least for a few days. but i have always driven low end cars. i havent put brakes on the concorde yet.

not saying that it happens all the time, but its not unusual

[TexasLexus94]

If they squeal, they'll keep squealing. Follow this scenario:

Front brakes-

Bought the 94LS with squealing brakes a year ago. 99K miles.

Took it to an Indie-he refaced the rotor-exising pads still looked like new.

Still squealed. So I installed new pads. "PG silencers" Still squealed.

So I installed new rotors. Still squealed.

Replaced the new pads with the old ones. For the hell of it.

No squeals to date. 2 weeks.

Go figure. It's not the way you drive, it's not the installation, not the "silencer" type chemicals they sell at auto parts stores. It's the fit of the pads to the rotors. Whatever that is.... Don't waste too much money on cheap solutions...

Best of luck.

[SW03ES]

But Lexus uses top (and very soft) pads and brand new rotors, they don't even turn rotors. I've had brakes put on Lexuses several times including my ES and have never had them squeal from Lexus.

[TexasLexus94]

I agree. Lexus uses the best and the smoothest. And then rams it to the customer.

My question is-When we buy replacement parts at the auto parts store, is it possible that the the parts, such as brake pads, are truly not oem compatible, and we are being foolish replacing parts for our old, used Lexus if we don't go to the bandit dealer's parts department? I'm thinking, in the area of brakes, that this may be true. Sad.....

[ArmyofOne]

I agree.  Lexus uses the best and the smoothest.  And then rams it to the customer. 

My question is-When we buy replacement parts at the auto parts store, is it possible that the the parts, such as brake pads, are truly not oem compatible, and we are being foolish replacing parts for our old, used Lexus if we don't go to the bandit dealer's parts department?  I'm thinking, in the area of brakes, that this may be true.  Sad.....

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my wagners dont sqeal, but they did for the first 500 miles or so.

ever car I have ever had the breaks replace don has squealed a little for a few hundred miles. i agree lexus is different from any other car maker. they dont skimp on anything. so maybe ther is something wrong, try the lube, it couldnt hurt. but if you take apart their brake job to lube them they arent going to fix it.

[SW03ES]

I just know if I spent $1000 on brakes (well, it was at least $500 for the fronts I'm sure) and they squealed I'd be back there already.

[ArmyofOne]

I just know if I spent $1000 on brakes (well, it was at least $500 for the fronts I'm sure) and they squealed I'd be back there already.

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you are probably right, i would too most likely. mine were 339.57...but they arent lex OEM. but i figured i would go back in a week if they didnt quiet down.

[bicol-ini]

hello, ive replaced mine with ceramic pads all front and rear, alittle bit more than OEM, but heres the benefits of the ceramics, no SQUEEL, less to no dust at all on your rims, and lasts more, and breaking is much more improved, now if you it your self you save a bundle, its been two years since then :D

[SW03ES]

Only problem with ceramic pads is they're harder on the rotors.

[silvermate]

i tell ya, a brake job on the LS is so simple to do, at the most it will take you an hour or so to it, takes me probably 30-45 mins for front pad replacment (but i've done it a couple of times.......

you could really save some money DIY, but i guess it doesn't matter now since you already paid for it <_< ,,,,,but just for future reference we have tutorial on it, as well as Lexls has a really good one on his website as well, and you'll find you will never pay labor to have it done again.....its just soooo expensive for such a simple job......

but i understand with most people we are just so busy these days its hard to fit something like that in.......

and as far as the pads are concerend, i personally don't even bother with those expensive OE pads, there is no need for it......i buy 30 dollar carbon metalic pads from autzone/pepboys, whatever,,,,they work perfect, i have never had ANY squeking whats so ever from those pads, NONE, no un-even wear, and they aren't any worse for your rotors, my rotors are perfectly straight, and in perfect condition, and i've always used those cheap pads, on all my cars........so its just a suggestion....i know most prefer OE pads, but in my experience they make no diference to me, work just the same, and they are a heck of a lot cheaper.....

but in all seriousness, if you paid the Lexus Stealer for a brake job, and it squeeks you need to march back up there and tell them to redo your brake job......they shouldn't squeel at all...especailly after paying that much for a brake job

[daffy]

Hi, everyone

Thanks for your input! I will from now on do my own brakes. I looked at the tutorials and it looks very easy. I have done a few drum brakes, but these disk brakes look so much easier to work with. I may try a little of this stop brake squeal stuff, as I really don't have much to lose. I am basically done with taking my car back to Lexus. Too bad there's only one dealer here. They aren't as good as I thought they'd be. I had a few other things happen that I wasn't happy with, so I have decided that they will never see my car again. But I am happy to have found this forum and really appreciate everyone's opinion, know how's and tips. Makes owning a Lexus more enjoyable. :D

Thanks, Daffy

[silvermate]

I have done a few drum brakes, but these disk brakes look so much easier to work with.

if you have done drum brakes you will have NO problem at all with disks, it looks easy and it is.... :D

good luck with the squeel

[grassypond]

You need to bed those puppies in. Being gentle is not the solution. Here is a great site that has instructions on bedding in new pads and rotors. I did this on my 2001 X5 4.4. I plan to do Zimmerman rotors and Axxiss Deluxe pads on my LS430 when the rotors need replacing.

www.zeckhausen.com

Have fun....but do it safely

[r3dlin3]

Hey guys,

I know this post is a little late but I think this will help with the brake issue:

I had a datsun 280z that I took in to this hole in the wall shop for a brake job. The shop had to check the brakes 3-4 times because they would just squeal louder a public transit bus (Bus drivers would have to cover their ears when I stoped next to them).

The shop guy eventually told me that it was a suspension issue, meaning that the suspension was not "helping" the brakes by absorbing the weight transfer as the car stopped and go. The brakes were thus exceeding their capacity.

I don't know if the guy was bs-ing or not but that's about all he could do about it he said.

Enter the lexus ls400..

I could not afford the lexus dealership price for discs, pads, etc so I got all my stuff off of Ebay from a company called Trinet in the LA area. I told the guy that I was concerned about brake squealing. He said that they'd installed the set on one of their employee's lexus' and it had no probs.

I installed mine. They do squeal, and did so pretty much after a week or so, especially after city driving for about an hour. My suspension is ridiculously in need of replacement (180k miles) so again I'm assuming I'm in the same position once again with the squealing.

Again, it is the pitching of the car up and down, especially on hills.

Not having OEM (dealership) parts may have some effect on the quality of the brakes (f I had OEM parts maybe the brakes would squeak after 2 hours instead of 1 as I said above) but overall they should be decent enough.

My neighbor just happens to have a 1991 ls400 (I have a 1990) and we installed the same set on his. Now the difference being between our cars:

1) His suspension has been changed (springs/struts - acutally, whatever lexus determined to be worn out because he serviced his suspension at the dealer)

2) He has the dual piston front brakes, I have the single

His car has not squealed at all.

So I read all these squeally posts on ls400 websites and trash talking about aftermarket parts and wonder if my reasoning stands to make sense.

My hands on experience says it does (I think).

Can anyone verify this? If you have "squeally" new brakes, whether OEM or not, are you:

pushing over 150k on your suspension?

if not pushing 150k on suspension do you drive your ls400 mad crazy over speed bumps?

Are your new brakes really cheapo?

Try changing your suspension and see if that helps. If you have to change your suspension to fix the squealing then the suspension was overdue anyways.

BTW be careful out there. My neighbor didn't tighten a bolt down and I think he had the caliper/pad unbolt and drag along the disc while doing 70mph - not a situation that I want to be in.

Double check your install - the dealer won't be liable.

[95LS400Bob]

"I don't know if the guy was bs-ing or not but that's about all he could do about it he said."

I say he was.

[daffy]

Hi,

I took my winter tires off and decided to clean up the front pads and add anti-squeal brake stuff. The pads were quite dirty. They are very easy to work on. I reinstalled the pads and summer tires and now the brakes are quiet! Thanks for your input.

Daffy

[monarch]

I agree with SWO3ES. Genuine Toyota / Lexus pads and rotors are specifically engineered NOT to squeak / squeal even in humid weather and even when brand new. The right way to break in new brakes is to simply brake GENTLY with light pressure for the first few hundred miles as if there was an egg between your foot and the brake pedal. I brake gently all the time and get up to 200,000 miles on a set of Toyota pads.

I would try to verify whether or not the Lexus dealer used Genuine Toyota / Lexus pads and rotors or used more profitable aftermarket imitations. Another possibility is the tech who changed the pads / rotors did a rushed job and neglected to follow factory manual procedures like using a special grease on the anti-squeal shim (if required) or installed the pad support plate incorrectly, did not bleed the brake correctly or made some other goof along those lines.

[Wilfred]

This happened to me too and this is my case

Had 5000km left on the front pads (not a lot of life) so i changed it. Before changing it it had no squeal. After indie changed the pads, it squeals coming to a stop. Its not much but its still annoying on a lexus. So what are my remedies.

a) Will this do harm to the car in anyway

B) Is it possible that its just new pads so they squeal or will they do it for their life?

I guess if it doesn't actually harm the car then its ok. Next time use OEM parts i guess.