Overheating Brake Caliper - Is200

[vinnyh]

Had a strange incident the other night on the motorway, all of a sudden the steering wheel started to rattle and it felt like I had a flat tyre. Pulled over to check and all 4 tyres had good pressure, however there was a terrible burning smell. Limped back home off the motorway and all seemed OK.

Then yesterday it happened again. I noticed that the front driver's side brake caliper is getting extremely hot after only a couple of miles, while the others are still cold. Could the caliper be jamming? How could I free it?

The front driver's side tyre was completely flat this morning, I had to put on the spare. Don't know if this is just co-incidence though or whether the overheating has affected the tyre in some way?

[TigerFish]

Sticking caliper pistons and caliper slide pins are a common issue on most older Lexus models. There are a couple if tutorials in my signature for slide pins and calipers which may help.

[vinnyh]

Sticking caliper pistons and caliper slide pins are a common issue on most older Lexus models. There are a couple if tutorials in my signature for slide pins and calipers which may help.

Thanks - these are great - I will check these out.

However the mystery deepens. The spare tyre has now gone flat as well after approx a 2 mile trip. Brake caliper is red hot as well. I thought the first tyre was co-incidence, but perhaps not. I can't understand how a sticky brake would cause 2 tyres to go flat?

[vinnyh]

Sticking caliper pistons and caliper slide pins are a common issue on most older Lexus models. There are a couple if tutorials in my signature for slide pins and calipers which may help.

Thanks - these are great - I will check these out.

However the mystery deepens. The spare tyre has now gone flat as well after approx a 2 mile trip. Brake caliper is red hot as well. I thought the first tyre was co-incidence, but perhaps not. I can't understand how a sticky brake would cause 2 tyres to go flat?

Actually it's all making sense now. The caliper was smoking when I got home and the tyre rim was also very hot. Probably the temperature increase is heating up the air in the tyre and forcing the air out if the tyres have slight leaks.

I've pulled it off the road for now and will wait for recovery to the garage - I dare not drive it again in case something melts at speed.