Joys Of Motoring

[gareth1902]

I went to drive my IS200 this morning and 2 lights appeared on the dash, namely the TRC OFF which was flashing and the (!) which was illuminated constantly. I managed to get to the local garage and the car seemed to drive ok (pretty normal). Anyway the mechanic said they'd plug it in to the diagnostic machine. Result is that the rear brakes have not been releasing and hence getting very hot and it appears the problem is....ABS unit needs replacing. Cost £550 + VAt + Labour. I must say I feel as sick as a parrot. I bought a Lexus on the basis that they were extremely reliable and then this happens. I know that it's part and parcel of motoring but just had a new bathroom a few days ago so could have really done without this. Ruddy cars!!

[ormi]

take it to lexus/toyota heat from the rear brakes wouldn't damage the abs unit!!sounds like they are pulling your leg...

[gareth1902]

Strange thing is that they say the ABS unit needs replacing but the ABS light is not even one that is on. Odd...

[ormi]

if their is a fault with the abs the abs and trc light will be on..

go to lexus or toyota the can both diag it correctly.

did they give you the fault code?

[gareth1902]

no. This garaged serviced it a few months ago and advised me that the rear brakes were pitted because it had probably been standing a while before I bought it but they didn't tell me I needed new brakes it was just an advisory thing. Then all was fine until this morning when these lights appeared. I have always found this garage reliable and reasonable and they only do work that NEEDS doing rather than for the sake of it so I'd be very disappointed if they were as you say "trying to pull a fast one". However I am also reluctant to part with around a grand just like that without looking into things a little more. He didn't give me the actual fault code but he phoned me and told me that the rear brakes weren't releasing and getting hot when driving etc. He then told me that it could be an ABS issue or it may be something else and he'd look into it and get back to me. Then he rang me back after a couple of hours with the bad news about needing a new ABS thingy for 550 notes plus vat. It gave me a shock I can tell you as the car has only done 64000 miles so wasn't expecting much to go just yet!

[ormi]

mate seriously ive been a tec for years,i had a lex in the otherday rear brakes binding on and binding on so bad they were smoking!!

the heat wouldnt reach the abs unit either due to the cooling the wind would do to the lines from driving..

heres a wee thing you could try take your car out for a 20-30 min drive park up now go round and touch all the wheels if the fronts are hotter than the rears spot on if the rears are hotter they are sticking or if youve done no braking the wheels should be cool to touch.

[gareth1902]

but it seems they are saying that the brakes are not releasing because of a fault with the ABS unit. So they are making it sound like it's not the heat from the brakes that is damaging the ABS unit but that a fault with the ABS is causing the brakes to not release.

[ormi]

this will settle it!! when pushing the brake what happens because it its not taking the brakes off you will have noticed something else....

[ormi]

also the abs unit doesnt work every day..the unit only takes over if it senses a skid

[gareth1902]

Well when I drove it to the garage the car seemed to drive ok to me. Obviously I could see the lights indicated some kind of brake issue so I was extra vigilant towards the brakes but it seemed to drive as normal and there was certainly no smoke or burning smells to suggest th wheels were getting that hot.

[ormi]

all the abs unit is is a box of valves that really does nothing till it gets a signal telling it the wheels are skidding then the wee valves move in and out applying the brakes and releasing the brakes quickly ie thats the pulsing that comes through the pedal when your skidding if your abs unit was causing that sort of fault everytime you braked regardless of speed you would have a pulsing and it would take you forever to stop!!

take my advise drive to toyota/lexus which ever is closer and get a proper diag done..itll save you lots of money

[clifton 94]

I went to drive my IS200 this morning and 2 lights appeared on the dash, namely the TRC OFF which was flashing and the (!) which was illuminated constantly. I managed to get to the local garage and the car seemed to drive ok (pretty normal). Anyway the mechanic said they'd plug it in to the diagnostic machine. Result is that the rear brakes have not been releasing and hence getting very hot and it appears the problem is....ABS unit needs replacing. Cost £550 + VAt + Labour. I must say I feel as sick as a parrot. I bought a Lexus on the basis that they were extremely reliable and then this happens. I know that it's part and parcel of motoring but just had a new bathroom a few days ago so could have really done without this. Ruddy cars!!

hi you should listen to ormi he does know his stuff

[gareth1902]

Thanks Ormi for all your advice. I took your advice and went to the Lexus garage. They threw it on the diagnostic machine and fault code C1202 came up. They told me that I needed a new ABS Actuator and they warned me they were expensive. Pretty much backed up what my independent garage had told me. New ABS Actuator £642.43 (inc VAT), £11.76 for brake fluid (inc VAT) and £198 in labour (inc VAT). Total £852.19. I had to wait a week for the part to come in and the Lexus guy told me they are common faults which is why they had to wait so long to get more in. I must admit I didn't see that coming.

[ormi]

common?i phoned our lexus beanch and theyve never seen that fault..he went as far as to tell me the last unit they ordered was 4 years ago and that was for a body shop...

i would try eBay mate youll get one off their for a 1/4 of that price...