HELP - Major RX450h Issue
01-11-15, 04:30 PM
#31
No, I don't play soccer!
rayaans, maybe it was a combo of the cleaner, cold weather and sitting for a few weeks though I've had the rear wheels lock up in warm temps. There's a tire cleaner I use every few months to remove old tire dressing. I'm not spraying it on the rims but it gets in there. I spend a few minutes rinsing off each tire and rim thoroughly, then again when I do a final rinse on the 450h. But sometimes it just happens.
06-14-15, 02:59 PM
#32
No, I don't play soccer!
Well rayaans, I was stuck this morning. The 450h had been sitting a week. It's definitely well above freezing right now. More like sizzling. I came home Friday and drove the RXh for a few miles. No problems. I washed it yesterday and let it sit. Sure enough this morning it wouldn't move. And I didn't use anything beyond pH neutral car wash on the wheels. I finally got it free after putting it in drive, then reverse and also engaging/releasing the parking brake a few times. It's so strange.
06-15-15, 05:55 PM
#33
Lead Lap
How widespread is the use of the parking brake?
I never use any of mine - but for when parking on such an incline that I fear breaking the shift lever when returning from "Park".
In an earlier life, I ran emergency wreckers for AAA in DetRiot Michigan; and the common "fix" for stuck parking brakes was to merely heavily APPLY them - as at that time, the usual cause of stuck parking brakes was a rusty/iced cable.
By applying the brake even more, it simply stretched the cable and/or broke the ice.
Now, if the brake itself is frozen/stuck...
I never use any of mine - but for when parking on such an incline that I fear breaking the shift lever when returning from "Park".
In an earlier life, I ran emergency wreckers for AAA in DetRiot Michigan; and the common "fix" for stuck parking brakes was to merely heavily APPLY them - as at that time, the usual cause of stuck parking brakes was a rusty/iced cable.
By applying the brake even more, it simply stretched the cable and/or broke the ice.
Now, if the brake itself is frozen/stuck...
06-16-15, 07:15 AM
#34
Lexus Champion
In the 3 years of owning our RX, I can't recall a time it was really stuck. There might have been once when it required a bit of gas to get it unstuck. I frequently use the parking brake, especially on inclines. The RX is garaged, if that helps.
06-16-15, 08:13 AM
#35
No, I don't play soccer!
Nate, I had the parking brake on like I normally do while it was sitting for a week. Carryover from my days driving stick shift. Nothing happened when I drove the 450h Friday. It was only after a wash on Saturday. And I didn't drive the RXh that day. It took more than giving it 'a little more gas' to get it free. Maybe weather related too 
It was sunny and in the 80s with humidity. Unfortunately I didn't check the condition of the rotors. The rear passenger side tire seemed to stick the worst. I'm just glad I didn't have to call a tow truck.
It was sunny and in the 80s with humidity. Unfortunately I didn't check the condition of the rotors. The rear passenger side tire seemed to stick the worst. I'm just glad I didn't have to call a tow truck.
06-17-15, 05:41 AM
#37
Moderator
Here in California, I've never had to wash any vehicle in freezing weather (thank goodness it gets to freezing maybe only an early morning or two each year.) I also back my RX out less than 15' on my flat driveway to wash, then when I'm done, it gets pulled back into the garage for interior detail. I've used Griot's Garage Wheel Cleaner for years -- liberally spray on before first vehicle rinse (with overspray reaching the discs); let it sit a couple of minutes; agitate on the rims themselves; then high-power spray each rim and wheel well with my garden hose (that floods the discs and calipers), followed by a hand touch-up of the wheels (not the discs) after the rest of the RX has been washed and dried. A light layer of rust does remain on all the discs after the very short pull-in to my garage and the quick touch of the brakes that requires.
Sometimes it can then be a couple days (or more, I suppose) before my RX is driven, but I've never had an issue where any of my vehicles have been stuck and I had to do the rocking or other sort of foward/reverse gunnning to "unlock" it. The light layer of rust on the discs comes off quickly with the first couple taps on the brakes as I pull the RX back out and take off.
i remain puzzled on this one. Anita, your latest situation in the early summer makes me scratch my head even more. Sometimes it can then be a couple days (or more, I suppose) before my RX is driven, but I've never had an issue where any of my vehicles have been stuck and I had to do the rocking or other sort of foward/reverse gunnning to "unlock" it. The light layer of rust on the discs comes off quickly with the first couple taps on the brakes as I pull the RX back out and take off.
06-17-15, 08:37 AM
#38
No, I don't play soccer!
I know Bert. I can't understand why it happened either especially during warm weather. The 450h was only driven two out of the last four weeks. Saturday was the first time I was able to wash it since I detailed a month ago. My only guess, the rims may have had some wheel cleaner on them despite thorough rinsing. The water from the wash reactivated the cleaner. Note, in the past it's caused the wheels to lock up. Add in heat and not being driven after. Maybe it was just enough to cause the problem. On the positive side, everything's been fine since.
06-17-15, 12:44 PM
#39
Racer
Rusting can speed up in the presence of other chemicals that may be present in strong cleaners. Also, rusting is faster when it's warm. Winter is associated with rusting mainly because of the presence of road salt, not because of the temperature.
One thing to realize is that the volume of rust is greater than the volume of the original metal before it was oxidized. So if the clearance between pad and rotor is small, and it rusts, there is no more clearance and in fact, it won't necessarily just fill the gap, but also exert a strong force between the two.
If your brakes get subjected to high pressure water especially with cleaners, I'd suggest going for a quick drive to make sure the pads are dry before parking for any length of time.
One thing to realize is that the volume of rust is greater than the volume of the original metal before it was oxidized. So if the clearance between pad and rotor is small, and it rusts, there is no more clearance and in fact, it won't necessarily just fill the gap, but also exert a strong force between the two.
If your brakes get subjected to high pressure water especially with cleaners, I'd suggest going for a quick drive to make sure the pads are dry before parking for any length of time.
06-18-15, 06:03 AM
#40
I think this is the reason I've never encountered the 'stuck brake' issue. I always drive the car after washing the wheels & tires. When washing the car, I normally do the wheels last, then drive the car.
06-18-15, 08:30 AM
#41
No, I don't play soccer!
Thanks Andy. I do drive up and down the driveway a few times after a winter wash. I might need to add after any wash when the 450h sits. And maybe keep the parking brake off. BTW, I meant to say tire cleaner instead of wheel cleaner. The latter causes some rotor rust which goes away after driving for a while. I'm still not 100% sure either one may have caused the problem. The 450h was driven without a problem initially. It's just the only explanation I can think of. But I'm not going to worry about it too much since all is well. Hey Jim, you're supposed to wash the wheels first 
06-18-15, 08:57 AM
#42
Moderator
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06-18-15, 09:07 AM
#43
Yes Mother 
, but since my feet (wheels) get the dirtiest, I don't wish to wash the body in the same water with grit and the corrosive elements from the brake dust. Just an old habit formed decades ago of doing the wheels last (even after drying the car but I'm careful).
, but since my feet (wheels) get the dirtiest, I don't wish to wash the body in the same water with grit and the corrosive elements from the brake dust. Just an old habit formed decades ago of doing the wheels last (even after drying the car but I'm careful).
06-18-15, 09:48 AM
#45
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Never had this issue again glad to say.
What I do now is keep the parking brake off when washing the car and go back and forth in my drive to remove the layer of rust on the rotors. Never had a problem since
What I do now is keep the parking brake off when washing the car and go back and forth in my drive to remove the layer of rust on the rotors. Never had a problem since