Rear Brake Drum 'Sticking'

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Robert John, Jul 19, 2025 at 3:03 PM.

  1. Robert John

    Robert John Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2021
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    Location:
    Montreal, QC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    After a few days of wet weather & very high humidity I got in my Gen 2, and one of the back brakes 'held' for a second before breaking-free as I backed-up. The emergency brake had NOT been set. The new shoes, drums & hardware have only a few thousand kms. I did a 'roll test' on a slight slope: car rolled easily. I tried a few 'panic stops' on sand & gravel: ABS performed flawlessly, no tire locked & skidded. Once out on the road, I stopped a few times to see if either of the rear brake drums were heating-up from a 'dragging' shoe: both were cool.
    Q: Before I jack up the back and remove the tires & drums to have a look-see, has anyone experienced something similar? If so, what was the cause and/or outcome?
    Thanks!
     
  2. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2021
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    Location:
    South Central PA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    What you described is normal. It is caused by rust.