Took the 2012 Prius V to Colorado last summer and noted brake pulse and steering wheel shake under hard braking in the mountains. Never happened before in Florida, I assume because the brakes never heated up enough here in the flatlands.
The dealership says that putting in new pads and cutting the front rotors will fix the issue. I thought that cutting the rotors instead of replacing them would just make them more likly to overheat again.
Any advice on what I should do?
We cut rotors on 95% of the brake jobs we do. If you decide to replace them, just don't buy cheap ones. List price on new Toyota units is only $77.99 per.
I'm sure you already know, but the brakes themselves rarely see actual use under normal driving conditions since the car uses the generator(s) to slow the vehicle. Makes sense that you'd have issues in the Rockies where you'd be using the brakes rather hard and for extended periods.
I never bother turning rotors. Half the time it's actually cheaper to just buy new blanks and replace them.
But, yeah, new rotors are the way to go.
I typically go with new rotors as well. Usually, Centric brand rotors because their quality and price line up nicely.
In reply to CrustyRedXpress :
How many miles on the current Prius brakes?
I'm into Gen2 Prius and getting 130k on the original pads is typical.
Considering mountains, did you use the "B" function on the auto trans shifter? That B stand for Braking and on the CVT it is engine braking, like what you would do with a normal trans of shifting into Low Gear down steep grades.
Did you possibly overheat the front and now you're getting some warp affect? This warp might be exasperated by "thin" rotors on pads that are near the end of their life.
Generally, Prius brakes are rather cut and dry, pretty trouble free.
Another problem with pads that last 130k is that slider pins can get dry. Dry pins means sticking caliper. Sticking caliper means drag wear which can then be pulse and shake.
CrustyRedXpress said:Took the 2012 Prius V to Colorado last summer and noted brake pulse and steering wheel shake under hard braking in the mountains. Never happened before in Florida, I assume because the brakes never heated up enough here in the flatlands.
The dealership says that putting in new pads and cutting the front rotors will fix the issue. I thought that cutting the rotors instead of replacing them would just make them more likly to overheat again.
Any advice on what I should do?
Re-reading...you went to CO last year. It was then A YEAR AGO that you had some pulse/shake?
What has been happening since return to FL? Still shake/pulse?
In reply to John Welsh :
Thanks everybody-looks like we're split down the middle. John-I was hoping you would chime in =)
Correct. Original problem showed up a year ago with some "spirited" driving in the Rockies. During around-town driving on the same trip, and ever since, they have been fine. Not sure if that's because they just cooled down, or because I'm actually just using the generator(s?) to stop the car. I didn't put it in B except on long and consistent downhill sections (descending Pike's Peak). I should have mentioned-we're headed back to CO which is why I'm dealing with it now.
Car has 96k on it-no service history but it wouldn't surprise me if brakes were original. Prius drivers in Florida don't exactly do stop-light racing.
I'm leaning towards letting the dealer cut the rotors and see what happens.
If it were me, I would do nothing. It's been fine for a year other than one time and has not repeated. No assurance that it will repeat. Neither in FL or in CO.
Or, if replacement would make you feel better, now at 97k you're 3/4 of the way toward brakes being worn out. Some proactive replacement wouldn't be out of the question.
I chose Akinobo pads because I heard they were the oem manufacturers at about $35 for Gen2 but real Toyota pads are likely only $50. Then, rotors are $35—ish and above says $77 for Toyota. If you do the work yourself $100 to $250 guess. There's nothing complex about Prius brakes. Watch a few YouTube videos. If you do this you're good for another 100k+
I bet the dealer sticks you for $650 for just front pad/rotor replacement. But even then amortized over 100k miles the cost is minimal.
I wouldn't stop at recut rotors. If you have them do anything, have them do all. You too could just put on fresh rotors but doing that yourself has you just 10 more minutes and $35 away from everything being new.
Recap. I'd do nothing but piece of mind will cost you $100 to $650
Any chance that this incident of pulse/shutter was abs kicking in during the spirited driving?
Closing this out incase somebody finds it via. search later on.
I told the dealer to cut the rotors+new pads, and the pulse went away. 5k miles (2k of that in the Rockies) they are still fine. Will update this thread if issue comes back, but I'm calling it fixed.
FWIW, a pulsation that exists when cold is never from being too thin, it is due to runout, thickness variation, or uneven pad transfer, and in any case, the first one of those can and will cause the other two.
On a Prius it is usually that the rotors have turned into balls of rust due to lack of use, and the rust is flaking off.
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