# Brakes on my 2000 Lexus, ES 300

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [May 25, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950 "2011-05-25T00:30:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![STP007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@STP007](https://community.cartalk.com/u/STP007)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950/1 "2011-05-25T00:30:29Z")

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I have a 2000 Lexus ES 300 with 140k miles that I have owned since new. Brake ware has always been an issue (replacement every 15-20k miles) but has gotten worse just recently. After 5k miles with new pads and rotors, the front wheels (driver side worse than passenger side) seem to very near to locking up while driving on the open road. At 60 MPH there seems to be a definitive drag due to the brake system; when I pull over to the side, the aluminum wheels (mostly on the driver side) is too hot to touch while the rear wheels are ice cold. This is on the open road, with no braking. Calipers were replaced 20k miles ago. Could problem be related to the brake lines, master cylinder or other things? Suggestions needed. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950/2 "2011-05-25T01:11:29Z")

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Your calipers are sticking.

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**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950/3 "2011-05-25T16:43:14Z")

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Stuck calipers would do this. So would a brake line that’s collapsing internally and keeping pressure applied.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950/4 "2011-05-25T16:54:18Z")

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Lion9car is correct. A phenomenon that many mechanics seem to ignore is brake lines that are collapsing internally. Generally speaking, this is the result of not changing the brake fluid every 3yrs/30k miles.

How often has the brake fluid been changed?  
Has your mechanic checked both the calipers and the brake lines?

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**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-on-my-2000-lexus-es-300/64950/5 "2011-05-25T17:55:32Z")

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Just because the calipers were changed, doesn’t mean that the bushings (pins) were replaced or even properly lubricated. These would cause the calipers to stick and cause your problem, so could collapsed brake lines, but your vehicle isn’t that old so I betting on caliper bushings (pins).