$1,200.00 break fix on an o4 with less than 50,000 miles?

[Colemanfu]

SORRY - $1,200.00 - told you I was shook - can't change the subject.

Got to get this off my chest cause this hurts. Yesterday I parked the 04 Runner and there was an odd smell coming from the front right wheel and there was tons of black dust on it - it was also very hot. It felt like it was pulling to the right as well. Took it in this morning to Daytona Toyota and they said I need to replace the calipers? What the hell - 5 years old, less than 10,ooo miles a year and all that coin? It's been a great truck till this.

I'll call back in a bit to get a better description other than my "calipers locked up".


update - just got off the phone -
DS caliper part #4775035411 Dealer wants $525
PS caliper part # 4775035411 dealer wants $467

thats about $255 difference per caliper than parts.com so $510 more from them?

He also said that he has had over a dozen with this issue and that was just him not all 7 reps. Is Toyata letting me down?

I only go to the beach a few x a year. No other reason other than Toyota for this to happen.

 

[peter78]

What concerns me is the cost. Are you saying it will cost you $12,000? Can that be right? I just bought a used 04 with 41,000 miles and guess what I paid for it, yep, $12,000. That would really suck if I had a $12,000 repair to be done on a $12,000 car.

 

[flashbolt]

they don't call them "stealerships" for nothing.

Maybe he slipped the decimal and meant $1200.00?

 

[RonMAIDEN]

$12k can't be right since a caliper upgrade with carbon fiber brakes on a Porsche GT3 don't cost that much.

Show us a copy of the work order.

 

[Redstone8]

Are you for real? $12,000? Did you mean $1200 instead? If it is indeed $12,000 which is excessive I would simply just trade the truck and buy another.

 

[nc211]

That has got to be a typo. Either on their part, or on your part in the post's title. I can see where they'd try and rip you off at $1,200, but $12,000? If that truly is the quoted amount they're telling you, then I would require it be in writing from the service manager, and IMMEDIATELY call Toyota USA and the Better Business Bureau, and fax a copy of the estimate bill to your local news station. If that were to happen to me, I would simply do everything I could to bury those SOB's in shame and humiliation for trying to scam you, which is so obvious.

By the way, You do not have to replace the caliper unless you hit it with a 2 ton steel rod. The caliper is one heavy duty piece of steel. Look inside your wheel, see the housing unit that goes over the rotor? That is the caliper. What has probably happened, which is quite common on all cars, especially ones subjected to road salt, is you SIMPLY have a seezed caliper PISTON. Not a big deal, not an expensive fix. Your front calipers have 4 pistons in each one. Two on the inside, two on the outside. They're about the diameter of a half-dollar coin, and hollow in the middle, like a "U" shape. The top of the "U" is what pushes against the back of the brake pad which makes you stop. There is a rubber seal that goes around the piston to prevent debrie from getting stuck between the piston and housing inwhich it sits and slides against. Road salt has been known to eat away at those rubber seals, and especially sand! All it takes is a few grains of sand to get in between the piston and housing, and they can get stuck.

For your info: I just replaced my front rotors, front pads, rear pads, with geniune Toyota OEM parts "from parts.com", for a whopping $210. I did it myself, it's easy, nothing major. Infact, once you have the wheel off, it's simply two bolts to remove the caliper to remove the rotor. It's 4 bolts total to remove a calper free from the car and pad housing. My front caliper pistons "my car is from Illinois" will need to be replaced soon too, as they have significant rust on them, and starting to actually flake apart. But, didn't realize this until after I got into the job, and didn't have any new ones handy.

I'm going to try and upload the repair manual on what is needed to free a seezed caliper piston. If I can't do it, post your email and I'll send it to you. Then, take it back to your dealership, and ask "what in the hell about this process costs $12,000?"

By the way, check out www.parts.com for part costs, to see how you're getting hosed in that regard as well! Drill down to your car, and you'll find the caliper part under the "front suspension" link. I am 99.9% sure you do not need to replace the caliper. Worst case scenario, a couple new caliper pistons, and a set of new rubber seals. No biggie, at all amigo!

 

[nc211]

another pdf...

 

[nc211]

And the last one..... Geezzz, is there not a way to add more then just one attachment to a post?

 

[Redstone8]

I agree with nc211 something does'nt seem right here. Chances are the whole caliper might not have to be replaced, but assume the worst case scenario and you had to replace the whole thing there is no way the parts and labor would cost that much. I took apart a whole caliper assembly pistons and eveything and it's a piece of cake. That price can't be right.

 

[peter78]

And the last one..... Geezzz, is there not a way to add more then just one attachment to a post?

I appreciate your diagram and write up. That is one thing I am able to do, replace the front brake pads. Your write up will help when I decide to do it on my 04.

I once bought some brakes for a Honda Civic and they had a life time warranty. I think I replaced the brakes 5 times before I got rid of the car.

Oh yeah, you can only attach one item at a time, sorry about that.

 

[nc211]

I have found, that Toyota creates a design that works, and sticks with it, and employs it across their model lines, for the most part. I say this, because the brake setup on our 05' 4runner, is the exact same set up that was on my 95' LS400. Same bolt patterns, same size bolts, same basic steps. So, imagine those pdf. files could guide the earlier generation 4runners as well. This is why I really prefer Toyota cars. I understand them, and find them quite easy to work on and fix myself, which saves me a ton of money! I can only imagine what it would of cost me at the dealership to have done, what I did last Saturday for $210 bucks.

 

[p nut]

Sometimes, the calipers CAN seize up. If only the right side is doing it, I

 

[jsgreen]

Quick question on replacing brake parts (pads/calipers etc)...

Do you have to bleed the brakes before pushing the pistons back?

If you do, what is the purpose of doing this?

 

[p nut]

Quick question on replacing brake parts (pads/calipers etc)...

Do you have to bleed the brakes before pushing the pistons back?

If you do, what is the purpose of doing this?

No, you don

 

[MrTom]

Do you think driving in saltwater and sand on the ocean beaches of Daytona Florida had any connection with the caliper problem?

 

[NCSCOTT]

Oh, they are ~$78 per side if you have 17" wheels and $123 with 16".

Be Careful with that statement. ALL SR5s & Limiteds require the brake rotors, pads, and calipers for the 16" wheels. It does not matter if your SR5 or Limited came with 17"Optional (SR5) or 17" or 18" standard wheels on the limiteds you have 12.6" front rotors which takes the Brake components for the "16 inch" wheels.

The SEs have 13.3" front rotors and require the Brake Components for "17 inch" wheels.

4WD or 2WD does not matter they are the same based on the model, SR5,SE, Limited ect...

I am not sure about the UrbanRunner and 09 Trail package.

Edit:After a little research the UrbanRunner is based on the Sport Edtion (SE), and the Trail Package is based on the SR5.

I just checked Autozone and they wanted $123 & $75 Core (Which you get back) w/16" wheels ie.. SR5/Limited/Trail and $103 + $72.50 core w/17" wheels ie.... Sport Edition/UrbanRunner

Advance had to many to list. Here is a link.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductList.aspx?PartType=5003&PTSet=A&SearchFor=Caliper

 

[Kmvreter]

Re: $12,00.00 break fix on an o4 with less than 50,000 miles?

... He also said that he has had over a dozen with this issue and that was just him not all 7 reps. Is Toyata letting me down?

Are you planning to repair this yourself?

I know the search function here is next to useless but there are prior threads on the dreaded siezed lower inside piston on the front calipers. I did a write-up with pics when I replaced mine.

I like the 4 floating pistons for even braking forces and not worrying about sliding calipers but yes, I feel Toyota has dropped the ball and let me down with this brake design, specifically the pistons. I now know better and watch my pad wear more carefully at tire rotations. I keep the pad pins free and compress the pistons more often.

 

[boston_kevin]

Be Careful with that statement. ALL SR5s & Limiteds require the brake rotors, pads, and calipers for the 16" wheels. It does not matter if your SR5 or Limited came with 17"Optional (SR5) or 17" or 18" standard wheels on the limiteds you have 12.6" front rotors which takes the Brake components for the "16 inch" wheels.

The SEs have 13.3" front rotors and require the Brake Components for "17 inch" wheels.

Don't be so sure... My '04 SR5 came with 17" wheels and the 13.3 inch front rotors. I parked next to my buddy's SR5 with 16" wheels and he notice the rotors looked bigger. We took off the wheel and measured and sure enough, I had 13.3" rotors up front with 12.6" in back.

 

[NCSCOTT]

Don't be so sure... My '04 SR5 came with 17" wheels and the 13.3 inch front rotors. I parked next to my buddy's SR5 with 16" wheels and he notice the rotors looked bigger. We took off the wheel and measured and sure enough, I had 13.3" rotors up front with 12.6" in back.

Yours is a 1 off and or a production line mistake. My 04 came with 17" wheels and has 12.6" rotors. Have you done the brakes yet? 12.6" and 13.3" use different brake pads. You can call the dealership parts Dept with your Vin and they can tell you what size rotors are on it.

I would also think the rotors would "look" bigger behind the 16" wheel since the wheel is 1" smaller. It would give the allusion of a larger rotor. As far as the measurement goes it would be hard to accurately measure the rotors while still attached to the vehicle.

The norm is as I list in the previous post.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

For the hardcore DIY guys it looks like you can buy rebuild parts to reseal the pistons for under $45/side. That's assuming you can get the old pistons out and they're serviceable. You can also buy individual pistons for under $25 each.

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_2005_TOYOTA_4RUNNER_UZN215L-GKAGKA_4705.html

It's probably worth it to go to NAPA and get new ones but somebody out there may want to do a preemptive overhaul...

:cheers: