I was driving around last night looking at Christmas lights and since my windows were down I could hear the breaks squealing every time I'd slow down to look at houses. It was obnoxiously loud. I usually drive with the windows up so I wouldn't hear anything but noticed yesterday cruising around. Has anyone had experience with this? I have a 350H with 34K miles. It seems too soon for the brakes to be needing replacement but then again this is my first hybrid so don't know if the regen braking makes pads wear faster? Would it be okay to spray some brake cleaner on there? Maybe some dirt or debris got in there. Not sure, just throwing thoughts out there. I'll be taking it in for the 35K service soon so I could just have it checked out then.

 

Probably not your issue, but just in case… Mine are very noisy after I wash my 22 NX turbo for the few minutes of driving, even if I don’t drive until the next day. I got into the habit of driving it around the block after washing. It’s fine after that.

 

You're right, that does happen after the car wash or using it after the last time it rains but I had already been driving around for a while.

 

Brakes can squeal for a number of reasons. Sometimes it can be a tiny bit of embedded debris on the pads. A bit of a cleaning or even a pad swap can address this (some places might actually suggest a full brake replacement which I think is a bit excessive but sometimes you do what you gotta do). Sometimes the pads vibrate at high frequency during braking, this can often be helped by adding some extra brake lube between the contact points on the back of the pads and the caliper. You mentioned slowing down to view houses. If the slowing was gentle enough, you may be hearing the whine of regenerative braking. No, regen braking does not cause pads to wear faster, the opposite, they tend to last much longer, often over 100,000 miles (but that does not negate the need for regular servicing to keep the moving parts clean, lubed, and still properly moving). However, electric motors do tend to make a high pitched whine and on hybrids this tends to be more noticeable during regen braking as the noise is masked by engine and road noise during acceleration. For some people, the whine is so high pitched they can't even hear it at all. For those that do hear it, some find it completely unobtrusive while for others it drives them crazy. In any case, it would be normal. If you're taking your car in for service, if you mention it, they'll probably hit you up for a brake service to clean and lube and if your issue is mechanical, that might help. But if your issue is the regen braking, not really much can change that.

 

Update on this issue. I’m still having this issue. Brakes squeal when braking mostly at low speeds. I took it in for service last time I had posted and they told me everything looked fine and that they couldn’t recreate the problem. I just had another service done and so brought it up again and they are telling me that the rotors look glazed and that could be causing the issue. They wanted to charge me $300 plus to resurface pads and rotors. For that price I imagine I can get all new pads and rotors.

Has anyone else had squealing issues yet? Has anyone replaced pads and rotors to ones that are less likely to glaze? Any recommendations on pads or rotors?

 

Because the hybrids use regen braking, the brakes themselves can become dirty or a bit rusted, which can cause this. They really don't get used much at all unless you do lots of hard braking. This might be why they think they're glazed, because they haven't been used much.

Try this... get up to a decent speed on a quiet road somewhere, then while driving, take your foot off the gas/accelerator pedal, put the car in Neutral... you'll feel the regen disappear and the car will 'coast' further. Now brake reasonably hard, but not to the point of locking up the wheels. Do that all the way to a stop. Then with your foot on the brake, put the car back in Drive and carry on.

See if that fixes your brake noise issue.

Why do the Neutral thing? It forces the electric motors to fully disengage, which forces the car to apply the actual brakes to slow/stop the car, rather than use regen. That's why you'll feel the regen disappear when you shift to Neutral.

I usually do this about once a month, or after I've just washed the car, when I'm coming to the stop at a set of traffic lights... Foot off the brake, hold gear **** into Neutral till it engages Neutral. Then let the car coast a bit, and brake hard-ish to a stop at the lights. Then with foot on the brake, put it back in Drive and wait for the lights to go green.

NEVER LEAVE IT IN NEUTRAL... it disengages the drive train and prevents the electric motors from running as well as them spinning the petrol motor to maintain power. Always immediately return to Drive once you've stopped.

 

It’s when braking at low speeds not when my foot is off the gas. It’s not the regen braking. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Pads have more than enough life left but I drive a lot with a lot of stop and go traffic and have had my fair share of hard braking that can cause glazing. It’s definitely something with either the pads, rotors, or both.

Are there any pads or rotors that are less likely to glaze?

 

Might be worth giving it a shot anyway, it won't do any further harm, it just forces the car to use the brakes more. Rather than just at the end of the braking process (or under extreme braking).

 

It's not the regen braking. Thank you.

 

I never said it was the regen braking.

 

clmk’s suggestion gets around the regen to allow the brakes to, effectively, grind trough the glazing.
I’d probably try it without going to neutral first, but you’ll really have to stomp on the brakes.

As for $300, I doubt very much you’ll get new pads and rotors for that.

 

If it were me, i'd tear down the brake components, clean, re-lube where needed and reinstall.

 

I've seen that this is not recommended for e-CVTs. Also, do you need to come to a COMPLETE stop before shifting back to drive?
Would it be better to just brake really hard to a stop light or stop sign when no one it behind you?

 

FIRST become familiar with your shifter going into and out of neutral. On NX you simply tap towards left and you switch to neutral, see lit display readout for shifter.

I would take the cautionary approach and perform this manoeuvre without other cars around.

I just posted this video on another thread. Start at 3:12 to hear his advice on how to check your hydraulic brakes out while driving.



ThisToyota Master Mechanic in his other videos concerning brakes will explain that you do not need to over lube the caliper sliders or the pad backing plate surfaces.

 

I actually saw that video. I trust that he knows what he's talking about and that shifting into neutral while moving is fine.
Also, it not just a click to the left. It's a click and short hold to get to neutral.

One thing I would like to know. Must you come to a COMPLETE stop before shifting back into Drive or can this be done safely at a slow speed?