RXGS

iTrader: (2)

anyone else here have a problem with there breaks feeling loose? like you still break fine, but you need to press the brake pedal a lot harder? if you could help thatnks a lot

V8_Fan

If your brake calipers were really loose, I think you'd feel them shudder when slowing down. What you describe sounds more like the electronic brake booster pump failing. Instead of a conventional vacuum booster, most of the new toyota/lexus trucks use the electronic booster design...applies more booster while using less engine room space. The bad news: a new one is like $1300, part alone. You may was well replace the entire master cylinder/booster assembly for a couple of hundred more.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

o god, i mean do we have to? it still has the same stopping power, but you just have to push it down a little more. this car just had so much stuff go wrong with it, i mean is there a cheaper option and could it be something else? i mean anything a loose wire, need more brake fluid? anything

V8_Fan

Of course you should flush your brake fluid (make sure you bleed it at least every other year, as brake fluid absorbs water, lowering the boiling point and compromising braking performance. This is even if you don't drive the car). If your fluid has boiled, you should replace it regardless of the interval. That's the first thing I'd do, as it's the cheapest thing to try. Dot 4 has a higher boiling point than dot 3, but absorbs more water. If you're in the Southwest like AZ, it's not an issue, but anywhere humid, you should change every year if you use dot4.

Regardless if you own a LX470, landcruiser, GX, or 4runner, they all use the electronic brake booster now. If your brake fluid level is low, the pads should adjust accordingly and drop the fluid level in the brake resevoir (note that this happens as the pads wear thinner). It's not like on a bicycle where you have to squeeze the level farther as the pads wear.

davidsong

actually there is an alternative way. drive your car into the river and tell your insurance to pay for it??? LOL!

other than that, dont know what to tell you.... follow jim's advice???

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

ya im going to, as in bring it to the dealer and tell them to do, my dad and i are afraid to touch it and break it anymore, noww thaT may sound dumb to some of you, but nnot everyone is that mechaniclly inclined, but i can put washer fluid in without messing up lol

V8_Fan

Hey, I've heard stories of people taking their LX's to places like Jiffy Lube only to figure out much later that the tech there put washer/brake/hydraulic fluid in the AHC resevoir. It takes weeks for the bad fluid to make its way down the system, but it dissolves the membranes in the accumulator globes go flat, cost $2K+ to replace them. And since it happened so long after the service, there's no way to blame the tech.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

yea, only the lexus dealership for our lx lol

Max707

Jim you have some miles on your rig now, what kind of miles did you get from your front and rear pads before they needed changing? How were the rotors?

V8_Fan

The dealer changed the front pads when I bought the car w/ 49K mi. At 60.5K, I changed all the rotors and pads. Most driving was highway. The front pads had worn from 10mm (new) to 8mm. I can't remember what the wear on the rears were other than the original CPO report said they were at 50%. In reality, they were at least 80%. Anyways, changing the pads only w/o properly bedding them wasn't a good thing. The front rotors developed a subtle grab which progressively got worse. It was still tolerable, but me being a perfectionist and having done the brakes on my 4runner w/ slotted brembo rotors and carbon/kevlar pads (and the rotors still being true after 80K mi of driving w/ some hard braking), I wasn't satisfied. The A.R.T. rotors are substantially heavier than the OEM rotors, which I deem as a good thing. Braking is about the same when cold, but warm, the Porterfield pads are far superior.

PS: the 98-02 LX/LC's had smaller pistons on the front calipers, so the rear brake pads would wear out much faster. On the 03+, the fronts wear a little faster than the rears, what I'd expect.

Max707

So at 49.5K miles since it was CPO'ed it had to have more then 50%, so they had some where between 50% - ? at almost 50K miles. That is not bad. Thanks for the info.

V8_Fan

I'm guessing the front pads would have gone 60K and rears a little more, but I should mention I bought this '03 in Jan '06 and it had 49K mi, high for such a new vehicle. Since I found a mini ritz cracker under the mount for one of the 3rd row jump seats, it was evident to me this was a family car used on the highways a lot (17K mi/yr average).

Max707

mine had high 30's and the tires are only 1/3 worn, michelin pilot ltx's. this LX i bought is the most unused used car i've seen. I paid around $36K for my 2004 and next door at the lexus dealership they had a 2007 with low 30K miles for $58K that was used as a taxi at a upscale resort in pebble beach Ca. and it had rust on the bottom from the ocean. feel like i got a better LX for at least $10K less.