New Owner

I just purchased my 96 LS400 from the widow of a long time friend. They had 'his & her" Lexus' and she didn't want to keep his. I jumped at the chance to buy it. The car is in magnificient condx and only 43k miles.

Tho only 43k miles his widow already had taken the car in for its 45k service just before I bought it. The dealer reported bad rear brake pads and replaced them (just the rears) and resurfaced the rotors. That work was done back in March at 42,700 miles. The problem now is the brake pedal feels really low to me and goes almost all the way to the floor when stopping.

It feels like perhaps there's air in the line, but my bet is if I take it back in they're going to want to sell ME a brake job on the front wheels. If the fronts are bad, why wasn't this detected during the 45k service when they reported the rears bad?

I'm not opposed to paying for a brake job, just that I feel if there's a problem like this 600 miles after the brakes were just serviced, why wasn't it detected? If the fronts are bad, wouldn't they have been "bad" 600 miles ago too?

Thoughts appreciated...

RealMarty

OK. Let's start with the simple stuff.

Have you had the brake system bled? If it's air in the lines this will solve it.

Also, have you checked the master cylinder for brake fluid? Perhaps the fluid is low. If so, fill it with Lexus fluid and start looking for a leak. After a week or so check the fluid. If it's low again you have a leak. Now all you have to do is locate it. Could be the master cylinder, one of the cylinders or a loose connector.

VQT

After the bleeding and master cylinder fluid level check; if the brake still feel soft check the free play of the top pins of the front brake calipers. Sometime these pins got rusted up and can move freely...
take it out, if the pin is still in good shape, replace the sliding brushing, grease it up. Your brake will be firm again

New Owner

Thanks for the replies. I was actually aware of what the possible causes were. I was something of a shadetree mechanic myself in my younger years. What I was more curious about is why this wasn't detected 600 miles ago when the service was performed and the rear brakes were replaced. I find it hard to believe the system could have sucked air into it without also leaking.... and nothing's leaking. And if the front pads are that worn, the last 600 miles didn't wear them. To me it just smacks of a shoddy repair at expensive labor rates and what I would consider somewhat out of character for a Lexus dealership.

I live in Houston where we're fortunate to have many Lexus dealerships. Unfortunately the shop that did the original brake work (Westside Lexus) is one that is most difficult (traffic-wise) for me to get to. But get there I shall. I know that I really have no standing for any entitlement to complimentary rework, as the repair was performed for the prior owner. However, the ink is barely dry on that receipt so I figure it sure can't hurt to try.

VQT

They din't replace the front the last time, there were no way they could of known. So check the front pins to see if it stuck or not. I had a hard time taking it out, eventually it were out and I had to replace both of the pins. With the amount of work I did myself, at the dealer would cost me more than 10 hours of labor charge. The dealer will tell you to replace the whole bracket (the one hold the rotor and the caliper together), because it is a lot less time consuming to do it.

How much would a pair of bracket cost as compare to 10 hrs x $67?
You said that you were a shadetree mechanic yourself! you can do this with a cost of about $50. Just my opinion

New Owner

When I bought the car (May 31) I took it straight in to NTW for some new Michelins. While they had the tires off the car I inspected the pads and was satisfied that they were in good condition.

Unusual however, that according to the complete maintenance records I see no indication that the front pads have ever been replaced.

Why would the rears wear out first and why after 43k miles are the fronts still in good condx? Might it be that the rears are binding harder?

The previous owner was festidious about maintenance and would never have let some generic brake shop touch his car. Short of putting gas in it, everything else was done at the Lexus dealer. They even had the Lexus shop wash it.

Something else, what does this group think about the practice of arbitrarily resurfacing the rotors when the pads have never worn down enough to scar them? Every brake shop I've ever been to seems to *insist* on grinding half the useful life off the surface of your rotors when there's no apparent reason to do so. New pads would quickly lap themselves in anyway, no?

And finally, I know Honda cars require a special organic PS fluid. Are there any Lexus-specific fluids I should use?

lextek

New owner I can/will answer your questions no matter how many you have. The questions you have would even be better answered over the phone. I do not work at Westside Lexus, however I do live in Houston. Please e-mail me, I will give you honest and reliable information. kyle371_2000@yahoo.com

Lextek