Uneven Brake Pad Wear

[IS250_rookie]

I have an 08 IS 250AWD and I'm getting ridiculously uneven brake pad wear on my car. The front wheels are darker than gun metal right now and the rear look almost like new. It seems like my rear pads are not working....maybe not as hard as they should be. I have ~2500 miles on the car and I don't want to have any issues with it down the road.

I searched on this forum for the same issue and the only good thread I found says that supposedly the brake pads are faulty and make a lot of brake dust and that 06 and 07 models are covered for this and that it's only a matter of swapping to different brake pads. I only read the first page because the rest went completely off-topic so I'm sorry if I missed the answer. But I was a bit unsure if that was the problem with my car since my brake pads are only excessive in the front and not the rear.

Here is a link to that thread. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...hl=brake%20pads

I never did my 1000 mile service. Can I still go and ask for it, or I am too late?

Thanks a lot in advance... this is the only reason I found this forum. :)

[IS_Willie]

I have an 08 IS 250AWD and I'm getting ridiculously uneven brake pad wear on my car. The front wheels are darker than gun metal right now and the rear look almost like new. It seems like my rear pads are not working....maybe not as hard as they should be. I have ~2500 miles on the car and I don't want to have any issues with it down the road.

I searched on this forum for the same issue and the only good thread I found says that supposedly the brake pads are faulty and make a lot of brake dust and that 06 and 07 models are covered for this and that it's only a matter of swapping to different brake pads. I only read the first page because the rest went completely off-topic so I'm sorry if I missed the answer. But I was a bit unsure if that was the problem with my car since my brake pads are only excessive in the front and not the rear.

Here is a link to that thread. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...hl=brake%20pads

I never did my 1000 mile service. Can I still go and ask for it, or I am too late?

Thanks a lot in advance... this is the only reason I found this forum. :)

First, wassup rookie! Welcome.

Ok, now to your question. It is totally normal for front brakes to wear quicker than rear brakes. It is simple physics. In the act of braking, the weight of the vehicle is pushed forward, causing the front brakes to do the majority of the work. I would guess that most people have their front brakes serviced about twice as much as the rear as a rule. Likewise, since the front does the most work, the pads wear quicker, causing more dust to be created. The front pads are not faulty, our cars simply come stock with a softer compound, allowing for quicker braking. What they were talking about in the other post is that there is, I believe, a TSIB allowing you to go to the dealer, tell them that you don't like the amount of dust being created, and they will, under warranty, free of charge, change your pads on the front to a harder compound that will not result in so much dust being created. If what I read in the post to which you refer is correct, it doesn't include the '08 MY, but ask anyway! The worst they can do is say 'no'. Keep in mind that you will sacrifice a little bit of braking performance if they make the swap to the harder compound.

Your rear pads, I would guess, are working just as hard as they were designed to work. If you compare the front and rear rotors on most cars, you will see that the front are usually a bit thicker, and larger in circumfrence because of the increased demand placed on them normally.

Hope this puts your mind at ease!

[IS250_rookie]

Yeah I understand the difference between front and rear but I guess I need a picture to show what it looks like. I'll post it up once I find a phone or a camera to use.

[IS_Willie]

Yeah I understand the difference between front and rear but I guess I need a picture to show what it looks like. I'll post it up once I find a phone or a camera to use.

No worries rookie... I didn't want to assume that you did, or didn't know the dynamics of the brakes. Looking forward to seeing some pics!

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[c.word]

I have an 08 IS 250AWD and I'm getting ridiculously uneven brake pad wear on my car. The front wheels are darker than gun metal right now and the rear look almost like new. It seems like my rear pads are not working....maybe not as hard as they should be. I have ~2500 miles on the car and I don't want to have any issues with it down the road.

I searched on this forum for the same issue and the only good thread I found says that supposedly the brake pads are faulty and make a lot of brake dust and that 06 and 07 models are covered for this and that it's only a matter of swapping to different brake pads. I only read the first page because the rest went completely off-topic so I'm sorry if I missed the answer. But I was a bit unsure if that was the problem with my car since my brake pads are only excessive in the front and not the rear.

Here is a link to that thread. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...hl=brake%20pads

I never did my 1000 mile service. Can I still go and ask for it, or I am too late?

Thanks a lot in advance... this is the only reason I found this forum. :)

Front brake pads provide up to 70% of vehicle stopping power. In general, front brake pads wear out twice as fast as rear brake pads, 2 to 1. This is all normal.

Lexus is using the cheapest pads possible in the IS 250. Almost designed to dissolve.

You and I have the same issue and I am going to go in and ask for it to be resolved as you should. Reference this from Lexus on 06 and 07 IS models and ask them to fix the issue.

http://www.lexustsb.com/attachments/93/BR002-06.pdf

Applicable Warranty*:

This repair is covered under the Lexus Comprehensive Warranty. This warranty is in

effect for 48 months or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle’s

in-service date.

* Warranty application is limited to correction of a problem based upon a customer’s specific complaint

SO GO COMPLAIN!!!!

I don't want to absolutely say that excessive dust = excessive wear, but it makes some sense, right?

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[IS250_rookie]

cool thanks for the help... i still need to post those pictures to make sure though

[IS250_rookie]

Okay here is the picture update. You can see how I cleaned a little part of the wheel to show the difference. This was at night so the lighting isn't the best.

Front wheel in bad lighting

Same front wheel, better lighting

Back Wheel

Front

Back

[Tango]

Okay here is the picture update. You can see how I cleaned a little part of the wheel to show the difference. This was at night so the lighting isn't the best.

Yes, that looks about normal for the original OEM brakepads. Get the TSIB actioned by your dealer for the low dust pads and your perceived problem will go away.

[IS250_rookie]

K thanks a lot :)

[SW03ES]

Yep, that looks totally normal.

[konac0ffee]

Greetings,

Thanks for the info and pics. I am surprised about the amount of brake dust. I have just 700 miles on my IS350 and have noticed some dust. I'll bring it up at the 1000 mile maintenance check.

Kona

[bartkat]

I only notice bad dusting after driving in the rain. Then is smears all over the wheels.

[IS250_rookie]

Greetings,

Thanks for the info and pics. I am surprised about the amount of brake dust. I have just 700 miles on my IS350 and have noticed some dust. I'll bring it up at the 1000 mile maintenance check.

Kona

Oh I just want to point out that this wasn't after 2500 miles, I washed the car at ~1000, so that's after 1500. Washed it today(second time).

[SW03ES]

I don't think that looks bad for 1500 miles. I consider normal washing once a week, maybe once every two weeks.

If I didn't wash my ES for 1500 miles, the front wheels would look similar.

[IS250_rookie]

I don't think that looks bad for 1500 miles. I consider normal washing once a week, maybe once every two weeks.

If I didn't wash my ES for 1500 miles, the front wheels would look similar.

Yeah but my dad didn't wash his car for 6K and his RX wheels barely got any brake dust on em. I actually washed it for him today, it was probably the easiest thing I've ever done when cleaning the rims. Just sprayed on the rim cleaning thing and wiped away just like on the bottle. But with my rims you gotta work harder, probably cuz it's more spokes. I'm still gonna call them and schedule an appointment... I'll ask for the free oil change(1K service) as well. Btw, does the 1K service include the oil change? Or is just the alignment and other check ups? Cuz I always thought the latter but my dad convinced me otherwise even though he never did it, and I did the oil change for him(first time doing an oil change, nice to know and plus I can do that myself now)

[SW03ES]

The 1k is just a checkup, no oil change. The free oil change is at 5k.

Your dad may not drive his RX as hard as you drive your IS though...

[IS250_rookie]

The 1k is just a checkup, no oil change. The free oil change is at 5k.

Your dad may not drive his RX as hard as you drive your IS though...

Funny you say that because it's probably completely opposite. Although he is a much better driver when it comes to braking less, I would give him that :D But still for the way I drive, I don't use the brakes that much.

Btw, somebody jacked the stem caps off my dad's car... for some reason only on the right side.