Brake Caliper Is Smoking After Pad Replacement

Earlier today I had the dealer install updated rear pads on the Prius to correct a brake noise problem, per the TSB.

On the drive home I noticed lower than usual MPG (upper 20s) and upon arriving home, the left rear caliper was burning and very hot-- as evident by the wheel cover. All of the other wheels were cool to the touch-- as they should be.

Any ideas on what may have happened? I think someone may have twisted the ebrake cable...but I can't think what else could have caused this.

Thanks.

MB860 ?

 

Yes-- the car is going back to the dealer first thing in the morning.

I think the e-brake on this car is one of those where the assembly is part of the rear caliper. Not sure how a routine brake job can cause that to malfunction unless the cable was twisted.

 

It is a threaded piston so possibly the groves are not aligned with the tabs on the pad? I've seen that happen before but it usually won't result in symptoms this severe.

The dealer advised me to have Toyotacare dispatch a tow truck so I'm at home waiting for the flatbed to arrive.

 

I already did this. The LR is heavily dragging. It is still movable though.

The RR drags much less and spins freely. I am also sitting at 31 MPG after 30+ mile on this tank if that is any indication.

MB860 ?

 

I am going to insist that at a minimum, they install a new rotor on that corner and a new set of rear pads.

I think the hub/bearing is a one-piece unit on these cars and are not serviceable.

 

So, they said the pin on the back of the pads was not aligned with the groove on the caliper piston. Therefore the pad was dragging against the rotor. That makes sense, as I have seen this happen before on other cars.

Their resolution was to align the piston properly, road test the car, and according to them-- everything is now OK.

I am not thrilled with having one rotor that looks fairly dark and having rear pads that are somewhat cooked after 30 miles of driving with their error. Even the advisor admitted that the rotor was a bit glazed.

So, my proposal to them is to install a new set of rear pads and resurface that 1 rotor. The advisor said he would have to talk to the service manager on Monday and make the case to him. I also mentioned that ideally that rotor should be replaced due to the heat issue. Not to mention, there's also one wheel cover that was likely damaged by them, but I don't know if I can prove.

Thoughts?

 

I took the car to a different dealer today and had them put the car on the lift and take off both rear tires. Both of the rear rotors look identical (signs of well seated pads, no excessive overheat or grooving) and pads on both corners measure at 8mm.

Not sure what to do now since they both look the same. I could still try to have them do the work, but I'm not sure if there's any benefit since no visual damage seems to have occurred.

The tech did mention the possibility of the LR rotor being warped but it is not immediately apparent.

But thanks guys, good point on the safety factor-- this should have been caught during the test drive.

 

The dealer has agreed to install a new set of rear pads and a new left-rear rotor, as I had requested. The car will go back in on Thursday.

 

The car is back. As I requested, the dealer installed another new set of rear pads (latest version), along with 1 new rear rotor for the left-rear corner. Absolutely nothing was done to the right-rear rotor.

Now it stops adequately and smoke free.

Hopefully the pads will bed-in soon so that the rear brakes will become balanced.