Left rear disc brake intermittently over heats. I can drive 15 miles and both rear wheels and brakes are cool. If I drive another short distance the left rear is clicking as the metal cools, it is very hot to the touch, and smells overheated while the other 3 wheels are cool.

Both rear brakes were recently rebuilt with new pads and calipers. I took it to the shop that did the work and they rechecked the movement of the pins and pads and pistons. They said everything is moving as it should. Their suggestion was to change the brake hose to see if that solved the problem. They said that collapsed hoses on this model car is rare but anything is possible.

I'm puzzled about the intermittent nature of the problem and how to trouble shoot it.

 

First thing, I'm confused. I think the 2007 LX has rear drum brakes, not disks. So there are no calipers.

The first thing is what the shop did - check the calipers & pads are moving like they should & not binding.

Does it correspond to when you use the handbrake vs. when you don't use the handbrake?

 

Hi Jim,

Yes it is a 2007 LX and it definitely has rear discs and calipers.

I had not used the handbrake at all since I had started getting the overheating.

I had both rear calipers, rotors and pads replaced in Dec, 2015 due to dragging and overheating.

In Aug 2017 the left rear was overheating and the shop replaced the pads.

I didn't drive the car for Sept and Oct but in Nov the left is overheating again.

Way back in 2011 I had the rear pads and rotors replaced-the right rear was hanging up. Shop could not determine why.

Seems the car has a history.

 

The brake system is pretty simple. The pads can be binding in the caliper bracket, the caliper piston can stick, the pins are not sliding easily, or maybe the hose the the caliper has an issue.

When the brake pads were replaced, did the shop install new stainless steel clips where the caliper rides in the caliper bracket?

 

I'm not sure. I will have to fill up the reservoir on my floor jack and take a look.

I guess the piston on those brakes must be screwed in rather than pressed in. I guess that's how I would check the movement of the piston.

 

In 2015 were your calipers rebuilt of replaced new. The overheating and sticking is due to to pins sticking. The piston may have been ruined by the heat. I would suggest a new/used caliper. Always clean and grease your pins with every brake change. I know this because I went through your same situation. Once I picked up a caliper from the junk yard and installed it I had no more problems.

 

The LX V6 has rear disks - I was confused thinking about the 4-cyl.

Twisting the pistons is how you retract the piston when installing new pads; for the handbrake auto-adjust mechanism. The piston doesn't spin during actual operation with main brakes or handbrakes.

If it was adjusted too tight, and you never use the handbrake, that might explain things. But it seems like the brakes would drag all the time, not just sometimes.