(!) Warning light

[ChiTDI]

'05 Highlander popped a (!)warning light with an accompanying rattle and whooshing sound from the rear. I pulled the wheels and found the rear pads worn to the bone and a "spring/clip" broken on the right side. Replaced pads and rotors, replaced the "spring/clips" on both sides. Not exactly sure what they do.
Full brake job f/r was done six months and 8k miles ago. Operator then had a "carrier" for a Vespa-like scooter called a Metropolitan bolted to the frame. Seemed to work well she said. Can that carrier and scooter cause the rears to wear that quickly? How do I turn that warning light off? My scan gauge couldn't cut it.

 

[Tosh]

Maybe some background?
At what mileage were brake pads replaced 6 months/8k miles ago?
Who did this replacement? (And was it just a coincidence that the fronts needed new pads at the same time?)
What condition were the rear left pads in when the right side wore out?
Does the parking brake have separate pads from the main brakes?

 

[oilyriser]

Did you verify that the brake job was actually done? A friend of mine paid for a full brake job, and was complaining that the brakes were still pulsating. On inspection of the rear drums, they were both rusty and worn, as if they had not been touched.

 

[JTK]

Are you sure the parking brake is not on slightly? That or low brake fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir are will light up the 'brake' light.

Joel

 

[ChiTDI]

Tosh, good thoughts. Written records sure put a lot of memory to shame. Especially mine.
F&R brakes were done in March, at 39k miles. Current mileage is over 54k, so seven months and fifteen thousand miles later, this issue arose. Brakes were done, but the issue of competency is always a question when you're not the one doing it. She ususally brings it to me first, but if she's on the road...
Tough subject to prove/disprove - good thought on your part. Maybe the fronts didn't need replacing and they just needed the work. ($)
The parking brake design has separate little shoes, cable operated and not really part of the rear hydraulic disc system.
I've been told that light could be the tire indicator, not necessarily brake. She did have a tire repair on the road she tells me. Now if she can find the owners manual, Ahhhh!

 

[mechtech2]

Right. Was a brake job really done on the rears?
No way should they be worn out in that short of time.
IF brake work was done, they may not have adjusted them right, parking brake problems [common] or you may have sticking calipers [also common].

 

[Tosh]

Quote:

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What condition were the rear left pads in when the right side wore out?

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If the left rear pads have normal wear (based on the wear rate on the original set), and the right rears are spent after 15k, it sounds like you have a binding caliper (that should be covered by warranty on an '05).

Is the dash light on from low brake fluid level? It doesn't have a worn brake pads warning light, does it?

 

[parimento1]

worn pads make the light come on because it inherently lowers the fluid level in the reservoir

 

[pp_rp]

It is a low tire pressure warning light. I have one also.

 

[ChiTDI]

How do I reset that warning light? I do think it is a tire pressure warning light. The brake jobs could have been Rip City. Makes sense.

 

[Gary Allan]

Does this have a load sensing/compensating proportioning valve? If so, with the Vespa weight added would bias more braking to the rear ...where normally there's virtually none in most cases.

 

[mechtech2]

Even a Vespa with a full tank of gas and painted with lead paint should not wear out the rear brakes in 6 months!

 

[Gary Allan]

We don't know what condition that they were in before the installation. They may have been passable ..but (normally) not due for quite some time. My wife's 99 jeep has the OEM shoes on the rear @ 130k. Now she doesn't have a load compensating proportioning valve ..but it's been over 7 years on the same shoes. If they actually had to do any work ...I'm sure that this would not be the case

Mainly I'm looking at alterations that would put more bias toward rear pad wear ...the Vespa and support device filled that bill.

 

[falconman]

Quote:

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How do I reset that warning light? I do think it is a tire pressure warning light. The brake jobs could have been Rip City. Makes sense.

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Some vehicles with an electronic tire pressure monitoring system need to be reset anytime tire pressure is adjusted. Check the owner's manual or contact the dealer on how to reset the light. As for the brakes, I don't believe the scooter is heavy enough to affect brake wear. Check the caliper piston and slides, also, with the truck jacked up, have someone apply, and release the brakes. When the brakes are released, try to turn the wheel to see if the brakes are hanging up.

 

[ChiTDI]

I'll check the calipers when I get the car from her again. Lead paint - mechtech you crack me up.
I do think it has a proportioning valve, but don't know about a load/compensating valve. I'll check the library and provide us all with some info.
Thanks to everyone for helping me solve this issue.

 

[ChiTDI]

update - pulled the rear brakes and the pads looked brand new. 5k miles and two months, and the shop said "Oh he doesn't work here anymore." That explains the quick brake wear.

Tire warning lite is turned off by pushing the button below the steering wheel, while turning the ignition on and off a couple times.

Thanks to all.

 

[Tosh]

Originally Posted By: ChiTDI
update - pulled the rear brakes and the pads looked brand new. 5k miles and two months, and the shop said "Oh he doesn't work here anymore." That explains the quick brake wear.

I'm SO confused: How can the pads look brand new AND have quick brake wear...?

 

[ChiTDI]

Tosh - the quick brake wear was in reference to a set of rears that were "Replaced " at 39k miles and then at 54k were worn to the bone, and had to be replaced again. The issue was whether or not they were replaced the first time. I think my sister-in-law got robbed, but I can't prove it. The guy may not have put the rear pads on at 39k when she paid for it ... At 54k they were really worn out and were replaced. 5k later I brought the vehicle back to check them. After 5k they still look brand new. No issues of quick wear, which leads to the thought of " how did they wear out so quickly before?" (The tech pocketed the new pads and rotors probably). Guys were giving input because of other issues. She has a carrier on the rear, sometimes transports a Vespa, etc.
I added the warning lite as a possible related issue. It turned out not to be related and I finally figured out how to reset the display light.
People gave me a lot of input and a lot of help with this and I'm grateful.