Rear Brakes Locked Up

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Apr 1, 2020 | 06:43 AM

#16

Clutchless

CL Community Team

Joined: May 2005

Posts: 7,179

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From: VA

Welcome to CL. Was the parking brake on during the 2-week storage? If so I suspect it has rusted itself in the on position. You may need to have the parking brakes serviced to free them up. I think AAA will only tow it to a shop, not work on your car at home.

The parking brakes are brake shoes inside the rear rotors which have lots of springs and moving parts that can rust and stick, or freeze, rust and stick, especially after many years of driving and the lubrication has worn away.

Apr 1, 2020 | 07:39 AM

#17

RX in NC

Racer

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,988

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From: NC

^^ What he said. These modern vehicles behave so much better when they are driven regularly so their fluids and components are exercised. We currently have four vehicles for just two drivers, but I try to make sure that each vehicle is taken out for at least a 10-mile jaunt every week.

Apr 1, 2020 | 04:44 PM

#18

CodyH17

Driver School Candidate

Joined: Mar 2020

Posts: 2

Likes: 0

From: WI

Thanks for the quick replies guys and the warm welcome to the forum . . . I contacted a mechanic at the dealership too and he said it sounds like things calcified and the rear pads are stuck on the rotor.

So, I've continued to put the car in drive and reverse as recommended by all, over and over again, hoping to get it to break free but no luck thus far. Probably done it for a combined 30 mins including using the gas peddle a bit which inevitably drags the tire a few inches each way -- I don't want to do it much more becasue I fear I'll have to replace the tire as well eventually.

That said, I feel like I am running out of options. Probably have to have to call a flatbed soon to have them take it to a mechanic to disassemble the left rear brake or at least take the wheel off and maybe bang with a rubber mallet to get the calcium/rust to break free?

Do you guys agree?

Last edited by CodyH17; Apr 1, 2020 at 04:47 PM.

Apr 2, 2020 | 04:25 AM

#19

RX in NC

Racer

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,988

Likes: 601

From: NC

I would at least pull the wheel and have a look at the caliper assembly and the brake pads. A bit of careful cleaning with a spray can of brake cleaner may help you get a clearer look at what is going on.

Sep 28, 2021 | 10:19 AM

#20

Vineauguy

Driver School Candidate

Joined: Sep 2021

Posts: 1

Likes: 0

From: WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rania

thank you Salim, I called the mechanic he did ask me to try to force it to move forward and backward a few times it will unlock, and it did. Apparently it is the water from the car wash and because I parked it for 2 days it all added up. Thanks again!

I have just experienced this phenomenon. I took my RX450h in for routine oil change and maintenance last Wednesday, drove home and parked in my attached garage, where it sat until Saturday morning. The weather had been mild and dry, with no salt, snow, or freezing weather and yet the rear wheels appeared to have frozen in place. When I called my dealer, they said they had never heard of such a thing and asked me to have it towed to their service dept. Luckily, Lexus furnishes you with a loaner, so I am not car-less but I AM wondering what causes this - as well as what the remedy is when it DOES happen. Rocking back and forth by myself and the tow-truck driver (who had never seen such a thing, either) had no effect.
PS- I NEVER use the emergency brake unless I'm parked on a hill, and haven't had to use it in over a year.

Last edited by Vineauguy; Sep 28, 2021 at 10:23 AM. Reason: Add a bit of data

Sep 29, 2021 | 07:01 AM

#21

Clutchless

CL Community Team

Joined: May 2005

Posts: 7,179

Likes: 1,721

From: VA

On a hybrid where the brake pads typically last 100,000 miles, mechanics often neglect to service the brake caliper slide pins. Over time and mileage the grease in them dries up from the many heat cycles, time, brake pressure etc and the slide pins no longer slide but can become frozen in place. This can lead to a locked caliper and uneven braking or brake pad wear, or in the extreme a locked caliper. I arrived at this possible cause for your vehicle based on your history and as it is too warm out for you to have water in the parking brake that froze and lead to a stuck brake system. I had the frozen brake slide pin on my HS250h on a rear caliper at around 70,000 miles because I neglected to service them as I usually do every year on my other vehicles. Now it too is on the brake service rotation. It is also good to flush or change the brake fluid every 3 years as the fluid absorbs water which leads to internal corrosion of expensive brake components.
Let us know what the dealer finds was the cause of your problem.
Unless they caused the problem somehow when doing your recent oil change....

Feb 1, 2023 | 11:05 AM

#22

vbacky

Rookie

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 49

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From: Quebec

The same thing happened to me today with my 09 ES350.
I brought it to the carwash last night.
Had trouble climbing out of the driveway.
Once I got onto the road, I noticed my car wasn't moving properly and all the lights came up on the dash.
A driver next to me told me my wheel wasnt spinning.
After reading all of the posts here, I can only assume it was the same incident.
Will bring car to shop, as it is freezing cold here in Montreal.