AboutTed Ritter Expertise I have more than 26 years experience as toyota technician, I will be able to answer most questions related to the toyota product line up to the present year models, I specialize in difficult to diagnose problems but when posting a question please keep in mind that some situations require the used of special test equipment and diagnostic procedures especially as the newer models become more technologically advanced, so without actually having the car on hand I may only be able to try to steer you in the right direction and in some cases may have to refer you to the toyota dealer but at least you will know what you may be dealing with. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, I will have an answer for you in most cases. When posting a question keep in mind that I reside in the US, although I get questions from all over the world I may not have an answer for models that are not sold in the US, I will do a reasonable search to try to match your model to the US model,please refrain from asking about diesel powered vehicles, I have no information for them. In most cases I will not answer questions about major modifications of OEM components, engine swapping or aftermarket products,please post a question not a statement, please provide enough basic information such as year, model, what engine and if anything has already been done to fix the problem, the more information I get the more I can help without having to ask you more questions.
Experience Toyota technician since 1979,expert in electrical systems,OBD systems,engine repair, driveability problems,EFI systems,ASE certified,Toyota master technician. Certified Hybrid Vehicle technician.
Education/Credentials Toyota master technician, ASE certified in eight catagories, Hybrid vehicle certified.
I have a 2004 Toyota Sequoia with 41,000 miles (no more warranty.) For the last few months the red brake warning light would come on intermittently, and sometimes the ABS or VSC lights would come on as well. I had my oil changed and asked them to look at the brake pads (not at the dealer.) They showed me the front brake pads, they were down to about 1/4 inch. Had those replaced at a local auto repair shop last week. This week, the brake light (only) starts coming on again intermittently. Then today I was making a u-turn and as I pressed the brakes, I heard a loud groaning/grinding sound and it felt like the brakes were not as effective as they should be. This happened 3 times in a row as I pressed the brake, then it stopped and brakes worked normally. All lights were on this time (ABS included.) I called the shop that changed the brake pads (they used ceramic, by the way) and I dropped it off. They said the line had some air in it so they bled the system and drove it for 3 miles and says it's fine now. Here are my questions:
1. Would air in the line cause the brakes to make that loud noise when I pressed the brake?
2. Since this is an ABS system, could there still be some air in any components that I need to be concerned with?
3. After changing brake pads, shouldn't the braks feel more sensitive? They don't.
We are about to drive 400 miles for vacation this weekend with my kids and I want to be certain it is fine. I know ABS systems have to be treated a bit differently.
THanks so much!
Answer To answer your first question, it's possible that air in the system will cause a chattering type noise but my questions is how did air get in there if they only replaced the brake pads? The best advice I can give you is to invest in the diagnostic fee of around $100 and have the toyota dealer connect their diagnostic scantool to the system to see what trouble codes are stored in the abs/vsc system. Those lights turning on indicate that there is a problem with the abs/traction control system. After replacing brake pads the brakes will usually not feel different than before. There have been some common problems with the system and one of them requires replacement of the skid control computer but it would depend on what codes are in the computer so before going on that trip have this diagnosed by a technician that is familiar with the diagnosis of these systems, after the trouble codes are retreived if you still need help I will be happy to do so.
