rx300mm

Is there an easy way of knowing if the brakes pad (front and back) are low, does the RX300 (2001) have any dash lights that warn ?
Well, sometimes I hear squealing noise when I brake but not all the time... I done about 30k (KM) on all the pads and rotors are original with 93k (KM) on them.

JAB

On my 1999 RX300, the answer is essentially 'no.' If they get thin enough the level of the brake fluid may go low enough that the idiot light comes on, but to my knowledge thats it. Inexcusable, in my opinion.

Lexmex

I could have sworn there is a low pad sensor on the dash, but I have been down to practically nothing (no OEM brake pads in Mexico) and when my uncle removes the pads, sometimes the inner pads have nothing on them. Yeah, the squealing is a giveaway.

Now, my uncle made me some great emergency pads using some old dead pads with Frerodo brake material compound. Squeals like crazy, but they stop better than anything I ever used for pads, but the squealing literally sounds like screeching nails across a blackboard.

Funny, the Mexicans just cover there ears when I go by.

Will see if I can take some photos of some of the contraptions he has used in a pinch on my RX.

Tammy

You'll need to have the wheel removed. Then observe both pads through the caliper, looking down the rotor towards the bearings. Your looking for even wear on both sides. Pads wear towards their steel mounting plates. New ones are about 7/16 (10mm) pad thickness.

salimshah

Lexus has low fluid level indicator. There are two big assumptions, in fluid level low indicator to kick in just when the pads are worn down .... during maintainance no one filled the resorvoir and the amount of fluid displaced to get to low matches the slave cylender displacement on account to pad wear.

Neither is gauranteed. So don't count on it.


Squeeling: Depending on whihc pads you have ('99 RX had noisy pads), one can not say with certainity that, noise is a sure way to tell the pads are worn. Also the discs get rust spots on contact with water and the brakes squeel after rain or car wash. But one should not ignore persistant squeeling.

Squelch: Only the front pads have metal squelchers on them and they eminate grinding noise when the pads are worn. [Note: no such squelchers on the rears].

Caution: Replacement pads do not have the squelchers on them. Mechanic has to move them form the old to the new pads and sometimes they forget or don't know.

Surest way: Peek through the holes in the wheel or remove the wheel. There is an inspection window to tell you how much pad is left. One should not wait till they are down to the backing as there are rivets inbetween the pad and the backing.

May be a kind soul can publish the min limits set by Lexus.

Finally: When you take the RX for service, ask them to tell you how much pads are left. Depending on how you drive (terrain that you drive in + load you carry) the pads can last you from 30k-60k miles. Pretty wide range and I have heard of 15k to 75K as well.

Salim

TunedRX300

Front pad min limit is 1mm, one can also eyeball pad thickness by looking between the caliper and bracket.
The proper way is to take off the wheel and check through the exam hole in the caliper.

Lexmex

My front pads always go faster than my rears.

TunedRX300

Lexmex, I think upgrading your rear pad and rotors may help your braking. It is common sense that front brake does 80% of braking, but not until I read the article by StopTech and saw this graphic.
I believe RX is front brake biased just like other cars, and one of the indicator is front pads wear out faster than rear ones.
Rotora is a good rotor, you can hear slightly slots scrape and grind pads at the end of braking in the rear. You can always try out the rear axel first before upgrading to front ones, if you don't like it, go with Brembo blank or Rotora BBK.

mikey00

Are you sure about no squelchers on rear? On my 01 RX both original and oem replacement pads had them on the rear. Front ones I had to move from old to new.
And to answer the original question of this thread, yes your 01 original pads have wear indicators both front and rear that will squeel when pads are down to about 2/32". New oem pads are 7/32".

rx300mm

I managed to look at the pads using light (have not taken the tires off), there is 50% left front and 60% rear. Does not explain the intermittent squealing noise, I guess it must be the rotors. So much for brake warning system "light" if it is connected with brake fluid.

salimshah

Come to think of it, I have not replaced the rears and cant say for certain. Since you have replaced yours on 01, it should be applicable to 99. I stand corrected.

Salim

salimshah

The brake warning has other functions too and is not merely a fluid level warning.

Noisy brakes has been discussed at length. If your squeeling is limited to burn off of rust related to exposure to water ... it is nothing to worry about. There are just too many reasons for noisy brakes. As long as emergency braking is not compromised and after verifying the braking system is sound (pun not intended), lots of folks ignore it.

Salim

Lexmex

I forgot to take my camera with me on Friday down to the place where do my tire work. Decided to get my front rotors machined and it took them 3 passes before they got the warped part of one of the rotors smoothed out (looked like an absolute silver island on my rotors as they got warped at warp speed). Cannot wait to get the Rotora slotted rotors.