Brake Failure - Pad is Gone

W

WRM1

New member
I have a 2010 TE with KDSS. I took it into the dealer about 10 days ago for service before going on a trip to Scout camp. I thought the brakes were spongy, and asked to have them checked, figuring that 73k miles is good brake life.

The service was done, and I was told that the brakes were fine, with 1/3 life left. When I went to pick up the Scout trailer, I heard a little grinding noise from the brakes, took a look but didn't see anything.

The noise got worse on the trip, but not excessively so, and we made the 450 mile drive back yesterday.

This morning, I went to move the trailer, and the ABS and brake lights came on with the piercing alarm. I had no brakes at all, but was able to get the car and trailer stopped in front of my house.

I looked at the right rear, and there is no brake pad there at all, it's completely gone. There are brake fluid stains on the driveway, presumably the fluid all pumped out due to the pistons moving too far.
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Of course, it's a holiday weekend, so no one is available at the dealer. I am wondering just how far I should push the dealer on repairs. I was willing to do a routine brake job when I took it in. I do not want to pay for any additional parts that have to be replaced because of this failure, plus I want to be reimbursed for the towing charge, since I can't drive the car to the dealer.

Any suggestions?
 
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I'd say since you were pulling a trailer all bets are off. It's up for the user's responsibility to ensure their vehicle is safe for towing. It sounds like with the added strain of the trailer, you were using up the brakes faster than the dealer would have expected.
 
Is it just that one wheel that has the problem; or are all the other pads worn that badly? If just one wheel - looks like that brake locked up as was driven that way for quite some time. Take your paperwork from your last visit and work with them to figure it out. It may be something else failed and is not the dealer's fault.
 
Cheers! said:
I'd say since you were pulling a trailer all bets are off. It's up for the user's responsibility to ensure their vehicle is safe for towing. It sounds like with the added strain of the trailer, you were using up the brakes faster than the dealer would have expected.
Click to expand...

I specifically told the dealer I was ready to do a brake job, and the service writer talked me out of it, saying the brakes were fine, with a third of their life left. What else should I have done to ensure the vehicle was safe for towing?
 
I had a similar issue once, but for u-joints. I claimed there was an issue with the differential end and it needed repaired, but the repair place stated it did not. Sure enough, a few thousand miles later my u-joint went out again, I went back, and they gave me a free labor charge on swapping out the differential end. (it was an f350)

I think if there was any damage, like a rotor, that needs replaced due to this, it would be fair if they gave a free one to you along with a discount on the labor cost on that specific part.

But really, they are not predictors of items breaking. Maybe they were negligent, maybe they were not and really thought you were just fine; it is not like they were trying to get money out of you, they basically stated you did not need their brake service right now; one heck of a great shop.
 
so wait,

you asked the dealer to do a inspection of your brakes, and then you went on a 450 mile journey immediately following to at which point you had no rear brake pad?

sounds to me like the dealer is 100% at fault
 
WRM1 said:
I specifically told the dealer I was ready to do a brake job, and the service writer talked me out of it, saying the brakes were fine, with a third of their life left. What else should I have done to ensure the vehicle was safe for towing?
Click to expand...

What's your service report say?
 
They own this one and should be glad its only going to cost them parts and labor. Remind them how much they would be paying out if you lost your brakes on the freeway...... They told you they were safe and they were not.... They own the liability.....
 
Fu** no charge the dealer. I'd say based on your 1/3 that they were at 4mm. "If" they were at that. Most definitely have recommended them. If not they're fault. No trailer will eat up brakes that quick. Master certified Lexus tech here. Just my experience.


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I agree with some of the previous posters. I think you may wind up eating this one. But I would go back to the dealership and ask some pointed questions.

1. Who did the inspection on my vehicle brakes?
2. How much experience does this tech have?

So on and so forth.

If you had adequate brakes for 7X,xxx miles and now all of a sudden the brake pad is missing shortly after a dealership inspects your brakes, I would be thinking that perhaps the tech may not have reinstalled the brake pads properly when he was putting your calipers back together.
I've not done a brake job on my runner but I've done several Fords, Dodges, GMs, Hondas and a few miscellaneous others. The brake pads are designed to be held captive, but sometimes they can be installed incorrectly so that they may be able to come out.
 
1/3 brakes is no where the pad limit. He irony is that most people who get advice from the dealer than they need new brake and if told they have 1/3 left they would complain that the dealer is trying to upsell.

At 1/3 I would have said it was fine. To me it sounds like your trailering was what are everything left.
 
If it was a visual inspection of remaining brake pad life the shop probably won't accept responsibility. If they removed the wheels and ACTUALLY physically checked the mechanical soundness of the the calipers, clips, pistons etc. you might have a case but then again a lot can happen 450 miles later....towing a trailer.

Keep us updated.
 
From a technician's/shop's perspective, if you told me to inspect your brakes, I would have done it visually. And they were probably fine visually. There's no way I'm going to pull pads, inspect calipers and slides, and make sure they were lubed and had good movement. Now if you paid for that particular service, then they would be more likely to be at fault.

On the other hand, if they in fact visually inspected them and lied about the 30% pad lining (which is unlikely because I'm sure they would have rather sold you a brake service), then it is absolutely their fault.
 
Take a look at your multi point inspection form. If you didn't pay for a brake inspection which is .5 in labor then they just did a visual through the rim and never pulled the wheel in which case you will eat the brake job. If you paid for a inspection and wheels were pulled then the dealer would be held liable since they would be able to tell the caliper is sticking.
At my dealership I have a lot of people asking me to look at their brakes until I tell them it's $70 for a brake inspect which goes towards labor if you decide to do brakes. About 80% of the time I hear "no thanks" at which point I'll grab a tech to peek through the wheels for free
 
So let’s look at this from a slightly different view.

You come in to my Emergency Room complaining of abdominal pain. I do a "Visual" inspection of your abdomen and send you home saying your abdomen is a little worn out (you are 50 years old so there is 1/3 left). You go home and after a week you wake up and your appendix has ruptured.........


You get the drift......
 
Be happy you are a live and get new brakes.

the minute you drove off the lot you ACCEPTED the vehicle. If you had brakes done and then this happened different story.

My son is a scout and our scout trailer is heavy as hell! We tow it with an F250 not my 4runner.....
 
Heard Back From the Dealer

The dealer towed the car to their shop and did another inspection. Service writer called full of apologies, and said they had been wrong, and that I had actually needed a brake job. They will do the job and discount the regular 4 wheel brake job price, and eat the cost of the tow, the new caliper, rotor, bracket, and any other parts that failed on the right rear.
 
Woohoo!

It sounds like everyone was torn 50/50 on this one!

I'm glad you got hooked up- despite what they did - it sounds like a solid shop.

(not upselling, eating the peripheral costs, no arguments or blame, fixed and done)
 
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