Hi fellow Lexus owners,

My wife's 99 RX 300 has only 31,000 KM ( 19,000 miles ) yet the front brakes have started to make a grinding noise (not a squeal).

I looked at the pads and they look thin.

Could the front pads need replacing at this low mileage?

What is the guideline mileage for pad replacement?

Many thanks

 

That's interesting. I have owned a FWD and AWD RX300 and there were significant differnces how they wore. My first RX which was a FWD had about 1/3 of its pads left at 60K miles at both front and rear. My second RX which is a AWD had its Rear pads wore down to the wear indicators at 63K while the front pads had about 20% of life left. I can't figure out why in the world the rears would wear out first but one thing is for certain.

Lexus didn't make any rotor size adjustment for the AWD drive vehicles which weighs about 250 lbs more, thus causing its brake pads to wear out more quickly. As for my replacement, I have the EBC pads with stock rotors. the additional distance needed with AWD is gone and the car stops just as quickly as the FWD.

 

With brakes anything is possible depending on usage. If your wife brakes all the time, they can go. U can go to a dealer or an mechanic, they can tell u how much life on the pads u have left.
I must say that 19k miles is early

 

Here are some reasons for brake noise. I hope they will help you get to the root cause.

1. Squeel due to rust on discs (other lexus have this). This rust happens right after you wash the car or drive through rain. This rust burns/scrapes off after a few times you apply brakes.

2. Early model RX (99 for sure) has pads which make grinding noise (louder than other cars).

3. Squeel due to wear limiter.

4. Road debrie (sic) stuck in the brake assembly.

There are too many reasons and no one can predict at what milage the brake pads would need replacement, Yur service writer should inform you about %life left at service time.

Salim