Lexus cars and trucks

July 29, 2010

Clicking Noise from Brakes on 97 es300

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 12:09 pm

The rotors seem to be warped (going by driving experience rather than
measurement)  During the removal process I noticed there were no
screws holding the rotor to the hub.  In my experience I have always
seen a couple of set screws holding the rotor in place.  These have
two tapped holes with nothing in them.  My guess at this point is it
is a slight press fit and the tapped holes are used for removal.
Sound right?

It also helped to formulate a theory as to why the brakes make noise
whenever the car switches directions (forward to reverse and vice
versa).  Toyota states this loud clicking noise is a normal noise for
many of there models.  The holes in the rotor where the studs off of
the hub come through are a bit bigger than the studs, leaving room for
movement.  Looking at the rotor, you see the rotor laying against the
studs in one direction.  Put the car in reverse, hit the brakes and it
hits the studs on the other side.  Looks like very poor engineering.
I have never seen a setup like this, although I mostly work on Hondas.
 But I hate hearing dealerships say a noise like this is normal.  It’s
not normal, just deemed acceptable by the manufacturer and it
shouldn’t be on a 35K car or any car for that matter.

Anyone know more about this.  I have met others with avalons and
camry’s and es300′s which make the exact same noise.  Search on the
web for other models and it looks like half of toyota’s/lexus’s line
suffers from this problem.

5 Comments »

  1. There is a service bulletin that deals with this issue. The problem is brake
    pads, and pad shims shifting when you change direction. Toyota makes a
    grease thats put on the pad shims that clears up the problem  for awhile.
    Frank
    "john" <theschwabs…@excite.com> wrote in message

    news:7c57d73e.0208191013.4fa9ce47@posting.google.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > The rotors seem to be warped (going by driving experience rather than
    > measurement)  During the removal process I noticed there were no
    > screws holding the rotor to the hub.  In my experience I have always
    > seen a couple of set screws holding the rotor in place.  These have
    > two tapped holes with nothing in them.  My guess at this point is it
    > is a slight press fit and the tapped holes are used for removal.
    > Sound right?

    > It also helped to formulate a theory as to why the brakes make noise
    > whenever the car switches directions (forward to reverse and vice
    > versa).  Toyota states this loud clicking noise is a normal noise for
    > many of there models.  The holes in the rotor where the studs off of
    > the hub come through are a bit bigger than the studs, leaving room for
    > movement.  Looking at the rotor, you see the rotor laying against the
    > studs in one direction.  Put the car in reverse, hit the brakes and it
    > hits the studs on the other side.  Looks like very poor engineering.
    > I have never seen a setup like this, although I mostly work on Hondas.
    >  But I hate hearing dealerships say a noise like this is normal.  It’s
    > not normal, just deemed acceptable by the manufacturer and it
    > shouldn’t be on a 35K car or any car for that matter.

    > Anyone know more about this.  I have met others with avalons and
    > camry’s and es300′s which make the exact same noise.  Search on the
    > web for other models and it looks like half of toyota’s/lexus’s line
    > suffers from this problem.

    Comment by admin — July 29, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

  2. Frank, other than the noise, is this a problem? Will any part wear out
    sooner without applying this grease?
    Thanks,
    Mischa.

    Comment by admin — July 29, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

  3. Mischa, I dont think the grease, or lack of it, affects the wear of other
    parts that much. It’s mostly a noise issue.  Frank
    "Mischa Uppelschoten" <mup…@hotmail.nozpam.com> wrote in message

    news:ak6an9$icd$1@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Frank, other than the noise, is this a problem? Will any part wear out
    > sooner without applying this grease?
    > Thanks,
    > Mischa.

    Comment by admin — July 29, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

  4. I didn’t see the TSB for the Lexus, although I heard that other
    Toyotas had them issued.  I don’t like the idea of grease in that area
    though.

    Am I correct about the removal of the rotors.  Do they tend to get
    ‘stuck’, or is there a slight press fit.  I am going to run two bolts
    into the existing (empty) threaded holes and see if that will pull it
    out.

    Any ideas?

    Comment by admin — July 29, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

  5. John, there’s no press fit. Use the bolts to loosen the discs.   Frank
    "john" <theschwabs…@excite.com> wrote in message

    news:7c57d73e.0208271034.691acd04@posting.google.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > I didn’t see the TSB for the Lexus, although I heard that other
    > Toyotas had them issued.  I don’t like the idea of grease in that area
    > though.

    > Am I correct about the removal of the rotors.  Do they tend to get
    > ‘stuck’, or is there a slight press fit.  I am going to run two bolts
    > into the existing (empty) threaded holes and see if that will pull it
    > out.

    > Any ideas?

    Comment by admin — July 29, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

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