We're at roughly 45K on our 17 RX and front pads are just about ready for replacement. Question - should I have the dealer service or search for a less costly independent? Anything unusual about replacing these as compared with other cars?

 

It doesn't matter who as long as they have the technology to do it, yes even for brakes one has to get into the @#$%# computer. Also have you changed the brake fluid yet? It should be done every 3 years according to the manual.

 

Just a reminder that a Toyota Dealer might do it for less.

 

Yes definitely will have the fluid changed as well.

 

You can do it yourself but the electronic parking brake requires that you retract the rear calipers, but NOT by compressing. You can either use the computer (TIS system) or there is a way of mechanically using a torx to retract. There is also a way to jumper power to the motor in the caliper to retract but I would not use that method....could cause some other problems. Like everything, even basic maintenance is becoming more difficult/complex to do. When the time comes I will do with the torx method. Fronts are pretty standard.

 

this i gold in case your indy don't have the scan tool, make sure puts the power to the caliper side, not the wire side

 

The electronic parking brake makes me nervous about having my independent mechanic do the brakes.
Is the Techstream software that they have at Toyota dealerships the same as what they have at Lexus?
Could I have an independent mechanic replace the front brakes only, then take it to Lexus/Toyota to replace the electronic rear brakes?

 

Yes TIS is for both platforms.
Front brakes are normal job. Even an informed independent should have no problem doing the rear brakes if they are any good, but you could do fronts at one place and rears at a Lexus/Toyota place. The fronts generally wear much faster.

 

Why not just ask your guy if he knows how to do it? I think it's a bad idea to bring it to a different place to do either the front or rear. If there's an issue later, it could turn into a problem between them.
Find a good shop and let them do it.

 

Didn't need pads yet afterall. Roughly 50% life still left at 45k miles. Not bad.

 

You must drive a lot of highway miles?

I'm at 35k miles and was told by the Lexus dealer that my brakes are down to 30% front and rear.

 

It's my wife's daily driver. Plenty of stop and go - I'd say 50/50 highway and local.

 

I had all four pads replaced at 78000km. Was at a independent shop. Was told that the front pads are basically gone but the rotors are still good. If waited until maybe 85000km then the rotors have to be replaced as well. Didn't hear anything about the rear parking brakes, maybe because there are so many RX driving around in GTA, Ontario area that everyone knows how to work on them.

I was under the impression that modern cars are designed to have rotors and pads replaced together since you can have lighter rotors and have less weight under the suspension. Of course, that makes dealership happy too.

 

As long as rotors aren't warped and haven't been thinned out by a prior resurfacing, they should be good with a new set of pads.

 

That's also part of the quality that Lexus builds in the vehicle and also reflects the way you drive.