Hi- I’m trying to see if this mechanic is trying to take my money. I said that I needed new brake shoes, and they sent me a quote with an entire rear wheel replacement- with the shoes and “drum brake wheel cylinders.” I missed their call but they said over voicemail that they’re just giving me worst case scenario, and that maybe the cylinders don’t need replacement. But that they’ve had experiences where they recommend it and customers decline only to have a huge problem shortly after. Sounds fishy? At what mileage do cylinders typically get replaced? 2007 prius with 220,000 miles. Thanks
IYou have incorrectly posted in the Prius v forum. Is the brake wheel cylinder leaking or is it frozen? The wheel cylinder is cheap to replace. Bleeding the brakes will cost more.
Trust in a mechanic is important. If you don't have it, go elsewhere. Normally the brake drum is replaced with the brake shoes if it is scored up due to the shoes going metal to metal. The cylinders are not required if they are not sticking or leaking. These are routine jobs; ask to be shown the bad drums and leaking cylinders before they are removed. You have to be available for this to be effective. Regardless, ask for the price if its just shoes, if drums are necessary and the price for everything including cylinders. It would be useful to get those prices from another mechanic before you call the first guy. If available I would find an independent who does Prius hybrid work for future reference. Nothing hard, hybrid or magic about rear brakes but it could be a good time to evaluate a mechanic's experience, communication and pricing before a big job shows up. The parts are not much. A well equipped handyman could handle the job. Just make sure the brake booster system is disabled. https://pmmonline.co.uk/technical/braking-system-repair-issues-toyota-prius-2004-09/
