pasna

Just picked up my 2000 GS300 after the 30k service and brake checkup, where I explained to the service rep. the significant shimmy I experience when braking from 65-40mph. I first noticed this at 25k and reported it to the service dept but did not get a clear diagnosis.

Diagnosis from current (30k service) invoice states:
"Tech found that vibration caused by warp in front and rear rotors"

Current pads show: 8mm for Front and 3.5mm for rear.

Service rep. stated that this is a normal wear item and will not be covered under warranty, and could be a result of driving habit. I explained that of the 500k odd miles that I have driven in the past 10 yrs, in a similar driving pattern(s) (commuting) to current, I have never had to deal with warped rotors under 50k miles, in any of my prior vehicles:Infinti, Mazda, Isuzu or Ford.


Questions:

1. Is it reasonable to expect both front and rear rotors to begin to show warping at 25k miles ?

2. If the electronic brake force distribution were working correctly then why should the pads show such a significant difference in wear between the front and rear - given that 95% of my braking is "straight-line" ?

3. Bottom line: should Lexus foot the $600 bill for front and rear brakes and rotors ?


Tks in advance for your input.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

1. Yes.

2. The car doesn't have electronic brake force distribution. It has brake 'assist' which means if it THINKS you were intending to STOMP on the brakes (detected by speed of pedal travel probably) it applies maximum braking.

3. No.

Ag02M5

My car has 30k miles and has some of the same shimmy.

I'm hoping it is just the fronts and that will be solved with the TT brake upgrade.

My folks' 93 LS400 (70k miles) has some shimmy as well.

Ryan

Just get your rotors turned...they should still have some meat left.

Murph

Rotors can warp for many reasons. Most common I believe is driving thru a puddle when they are hot from braking. Also if they've been turned to the limit, then excessive heat from hard braking will warp them (seems not the case here).

Regarding pads. I usually wear out the fronts twice faster than the rears. The laws of physics puts most of the braking work on the fronts.

Regarding the dealer, maybe you can negotiate some middle ground. Since you only have 30K miles I can't believe that they need to be replaced rather than cut to true them up to specs.

Good luck...Murph

pasna

Thanks folks for all your comments and suggestions.

Talked to the service manager and they are willing to come half-way with the rotor/brake job.

Better still the dealer that I originally purchased the vehicle from has indicated that they willing to 'take care of it'. I'll find out next week.

Hence I still have faith in the Lexus family.

oldguy

When the rotors warped on my '89 MR2 S/C, Toyota replaced them under warranty. I was told that they were perhaps not thick enough, and that they had some trouble with this. Lexus should take care of this, in my opinion. I've did not have this happen on my '98GS400 in 48000 miles or my '01 430 in 18000 miles. This should not happen as I see it.

pasna

Just got my GS300 back from the dealer where I purchased it (Putnam Lexus in Redwood City, SF Bay Area).

All work was done under warranty ($0): they replaced the front pads and both the front rotors. To top it off, all the work was completed in 3 hours.

This contrasts radically with replacing the pads and turning the rotors, which was quoted by Magnussen Lexus as costing approx $600.

Needless to say, I'm very pleased with this outcome, and have a restored confidence in certain Lexus Service shops.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Mr GS400

Consider yourself fortunate. Pads and rotors are usually not warranty items.

I had a simlar brake problem on my '99 GS 400 and after a lot of service department BS (they wanted to rebalance the wheels) they turned the front rotors. They of course claimed I was driving too agreesive or frequented very hilly terrain that caused the rotors to heat up and warp.

Bottomline I paid a nominal service fee and they (So Bay Lexus in Torrance, CA) never saw me again as a paying customer.