Brakes Going Out

[traps]

02 LX w/ 117k purchased 5 months ago.

I just put on new tires and had it alligned about a month ago. Did a little off roading recently. Nothing too serious.

Twice, recently when the roads were wet, I had to hit the brakes and the anti-locks felt like they kicked in (although I didn't think they necessarily needed to).

The other day my wife was driving and was braking at a red light and there was nothing there as she went screaming through the intersection.

Afterwards, she drove it at about 10 MPH for a few blocks and the brakes barely worked. The emergency brake didn't work at all. She mentioned a clunking noise as well. We had it towed then. Brake fluid was fine.

Any thoughts?

[NicLX470]

02 LX w/ 117k purchased 5 months ago.

I just put on new tires and had it alligned about a month ago. Did a little off roading recently. Nothing too serious.

Twice, recently when the roads were wet, I had to hit the brakes and the anti-locks felt like they kicked in (although I didn't think they necessarily needed to).

The other day my wife was driving and was braking at a red light and there was nothing there as she went screaming through the intersection.

Afterwards, she drove it at about 10 MPH for a few blocks and the brakes barely worked. The emergency brake didn't work at all. She mentioned a clunking noise as well. We had it towed then. Brake fluid was fine.

Any thoughts?

Save up for new rotors and pads all the way around. Get ready to spend almost a grand at a Lexus dealership.

[LXPearl]

The LX has excellent brakes, so something is wrong. Look over the entire system - fluid, pads, calipers, pedal pressure, etc. Is the braking erratic, or consistently poor?

The off roading may have introduced some foreign matter on the pads or rotors... or some brake (ABS) sensors.

Other things to note. The LX tends to wear out the back pads 2x faster than the front. The OEM pads work very well.

If you have a good Toyota dealer nearby they may save you some money on the brakes - the LX uses Toyota parts. The main thing to watch is their use of the AHC. Lock it in N setting. Don't let them top off the fluids - especially the AHC one.

[traps]

Thanks for the help.

Got it back the other day.

Nothing visually appeared wrong until he took it apart and found the rotor had cracked.

I got new rotors, pads and the bearings repacked and it was all for under $500.

A lot less than I was worried I would have to spend.

[Texasoil]

Thanks for the help.

Got it back the other day.

Nothing visually appeared wrong until he took it apart and found the rotor had cracked.

I got new rotors, pads and the bearings repacked and it was all for under $500.

A lot less than I was worried I would have to spend.

You got a GREAT DEAL and fantastic good price on that job. AND you are lucky to still have a wife and the vehicle. HE was with her that day.

Presumably the cracked rotor had lots of runout and pushed the pads way back on that wheel. Then when the pedal was pushed-NADA pedal to the floor--- UNLESS you pumped them to add more fluid in the circuit.

Also lucky the rotor didn't jam against the caliper and rearrange lots of expensive suspension stuff.