Breaks went out!

I

Inkoosikas

New member
So the breaks went out on my wife’s 4Runner, she got it to the shop using the
E-Break. When the shop looked at it, they said she is basically going to have to replace the entire break system including the master cylinder. They quoted her $8000 for a repair on a car with 250000 miles on it.

What I am wondering is if this might be something I can do on my own? I am fairly mechanically inclined, I just haven’t done anything like this before. If I could get the parts on my own and install them, it might be doable financially.

Any input is very welcome!!!
 
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Agreed with the above. $8000 is insane even if using all OEM parts. If the entire system was that bad, you would have had big issues before the failure. Sounds like the shop saw your wife and is trying to take advantage of a woman. Sad but it happens all the time.
 
Yes, there are MANY threads on here to assist you as well as YouTube videos. Brake issues are quite common on 4th gens for some reason, which is why there is a multitude of information about the various problems. First, you really need to have it towed to your house, or a shop you can trust to find out EXACTLY what component failed. It is very likely that you may not need the very expensive brake master/accumulator unit, but you won’t know until the source is found. For example, if a rear line blows out due to corrosion, ALL fluid gets emptied from the master within seconds, and results in the situation you described, along with a loud alarm and lights on the dash. I had this happen due to a failed piston in the right rear caliper, which emptied all the fluid as I described. No matter what, get it out of that shop because the truck isn’t worth an $8k repair, as I’m sure you know, and in the worst case, where EVERYTHING including master needs to be replaced, you can do it for under $2500 total. Depending on the distance for the tow, it may be worth getting a AAA membership if you don’t already have one. The AAA+ card will get you a 100 mile radius of free towing, which is great if you drive an older vehicle as the risk for break downs increases. Usually just one tow justifies the whole annual membership, plus you get discounts on travel, insurance, theme parks, and other travel related stuff. Good luck!
 
I agree 100%, and I am arranging to get a second opinion (I’m out of town for a few weeks), I am just wondering if worse comes to worse and the other shop I take it too says the same, is this something I could try to repair on my own? I mean for 8000 I could get another T4R with lower miles and in better condition...
 
Inkoosikas said:
I agree 100%, and I am arranging to get a second opinion (I’m out of town for a few weeks), I am just wondering if worse comes to worse and the other shop I take it too says the same, is this something I could try to repair on my own? I mean for 8000 I could get another T4R with lower miles and in better condition...
Click to expand...

Yes, reread what I wrote. EVERYTHING you need to know has been well documented in threads on here, as well as some videos on YouTube. Only basic tools are required as well.
 
Terminator03 said:
Yes, there are MANY threads on here to assist you as well as YouTube videos. Brake issues are quite common on 4th gens for some reason, which is why there is a multitude of information about the various problems. First, you really need to have it towed to your house, or a shop you can trust to find out EXACTLY what component failed. It is very likely that you may not need the very expensive brake master/accumulator unit, but you won’t know until the source is found. For example, if a rear line blows out due to corrosion, ALL fluid gets emptied from the master within seconds, and results in the situation you described, along with a loud alarm and lights on the dash. I had this happen due to a failed piston in the right rear caliper, which emptied all the fluid as I described. No matter what, get it out of that shop because the truck isn’t worth an $8k repair, as I’m sure you know, and in the worst case, where EVERYTHING including master needs to be replaced, you can do it for under $2500 total. Depending on the distance for the tow, it may be worth getting a AAA membership if you don’t already have one. The AAA+ card will get you a 100 mile radius of free towing, which is great if you drive an older vehicle as the risk for break downs increases. Usually just one tow justifies the whole annual membership, plus you get discounts on travel, insurance, theme parks, and other travel related stuff. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you! This is what I was looking for. I am getting a second opinion, I just wanted to know if it’s worth it and doable to do it on my own if I need.
 
Having a 2nd person when it comes time to bleed the system will be a big help. If you end up replacing everything, the system is going to require quite a bit of fluid and quite a bit of bleeding to get all the air out of the lines and whatnot. Other than that, it's really not a difficult job especially considering you would not be worried about damaged lines or fittings since it's all coming out anyway. If you go with all new hard lines, the easiest way to do it is OEM pre bent lines. You can always buy sections of line and bend them as you go but that depends on your skill level and how much time you want to spend on the job.
 
2016 4Runner SR5 said:
Having a 2nd person when it comes time to bleed the system will be a big help. If you end up replacing everything, the system is going to require quite a bit of fluid and quite a bit of bleeding to get all the air out of the lines and whatnot. Other than that, it's really not a difficult job especially considering you would not be worried about damaged lines or fittings since it's all coming out anyway. If you go with all new hard lines, the easiest way to do it is OEM pre bent lines. You can always buy sections of line and bend them as you go but that depends on your skill level and how much time you want to spend on the job.
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Some excellent points here. For bleeding it’s necessary to have some else pump up the brake pedal and hold while bleeding at each corner, unless you invest in a pressure bleeder, or as I did, add Speed Bleeders to the new calipers. With those, you can do it by yourself. Replacing brake lines can be tricky compared to just replacing calipers, rotors, pads, etc. if you’re not mechanically inclined, with the correct flaring and bending tools, that may be best left for someone that knows how to do it. Not saying you can’t do it, just that it’s a bit more difficult to do correctly than just changing the bolt on components.
 
You don't need special tools to replace lines. What I have always done is just measure the OEM lines and buy pre flared straight section of line that are as close to that measurement as possible. You can bend the lines by hand, just go slow and don't try and make any sharp bends. The bends may not match the OEM bends exactly but that really doesn't matter as long as the lines fit where you need them to fit.
 
2016 4Runner SR5 said:
You don't need special tools to replace lines. What I have always done is just measure the OEM lines and buy pre flared straight section of line that are as close to that measurement as possible. You can bend the lines by hand, just go slow and don't try and make any sharp bends. The bends may not match the OEM bends exactly but that really doesn't matter as long as the lines fit where you need them to fit.
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What I was referring to was situations where it may not be feasible to replace the entire line, such as in the case where the line runs through an area of the frame, or over the gas tank, requiring removal of the tank, etc. in those cases, being able to splice in a section, rather than replace the whole thing is often the easiest path, especially for someone without a lot of tools, knowledge, or good work space. In that situation being able to properly flare is necessary. On my own truck, I have the tools and knowledge, but was not able to change my flex lines due to badly corroded fittings that would strip out before loosening. Because I needed the truck operational for my job ASAP, I didn’t want to risk making it a bigger project at the time, so when I go back as a separate job, I know going in that I will need to replace sections of hardline so I can install the new stainless flex hoses, and will plan accordingly. If someone who has never done it before shears of a fitting, or breaks the line, it can be a huge can of worms. You are correct though, that lines can be carefully bent in most cases with your fingers for all but the tightest of bends, and pre-flared sections can be used in most cases if properly measured and routed.
 
My guess is a caliper failed and you lost all your brake fluid. Tow it home and look for where it leaked out. Then report back. $8000! They are trying to take advantage of her because she is a woman and they figure she will have no other alternative.
 
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Fern said:
My guess is a caliper failed and you lost all your brake fluid. Tow it home and look for where it leaked out. Then report back. $8000! They are trying to take advantage of her because she is a woman and they figure she will have no other alternative.
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I would hightly doubt that is the case here, even the most incompetent garage would have easily seen that was the issue, them taking advantaged of a woman who is unaware of a mechanical issue I agree most definitely, but I would think it's the booster motor and or acumulator.
 
AuSeeker said:
I would hightly doubt that is the case here, even the most incompetent garage would have easily seen that was the issue, them taking advantaged of a woman who is unaware of a mechanical issue I agree most definitely, but I would think it's the booster motor and or acumulator.
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You'd be surprised. My brother used to work for a shop. Vehicle came in not running. Left with an $8K bill and had to be towed out of the shop because they replaced a bunch of parts and still couldn't get it running. You are probably right though, but I would look for a simple solution first.
 
Thank you all for the replies and info! Hopefully we will get it into a shop tomorrow for a second option and I will report back. Yeah I was kinda shocked at the price they quoted and kinda wondered if they were trying to pull a fast one because she is a woman.

Worse comes to worse I will just take a look at it myself when I get home. Until then, she gets to have fun in my Tundra, so there’s something...
 
Labor Rates

[MENTION=92765]Inkoosikas[/MENTION]
Get another opinion but I don’t know you may be paying very high labor rates at the North Pole.
 
More typical in the rust belt would be blowing a brake line. Yeah the one that goes to the back axle goes over the gas tank but still can be fished over the top. Replacing the lines are tedious and time consuming. I did 90% of mine recently as they were in bad shape, touch them and they leaked from rust. At this point it's best to replace anything that looked corroded. Copper nickel brake line like below is super easy to work with and doesn't rust or kink easily. You can borrow flaring tools from Autozone. Would still need a tubing cutter but they may have that too, not sure.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015YGQYW2/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used these for the ends.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DAQ0MV2/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
So I had my wife take it to a different shop for a second opinion, they had it fixed the next day for $550 just had to replace the rear rotors, calipers and pads...

That is a load of my mind, and the last time we go to the shop that gave us an $8000 quote for breaks...
 
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