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New single clicking noise from brakes

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by EastR, Aug 24, 2015.

  1. EastR

    EastR Junior Member

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    Gen II Prius at 175k miles is making a new clicking sound. One solid brief single click when the brake pedal is pressed. It doesn't happen every time (about half the time?) but can be heard the loudest at approx. 10-20 mph (possibly because road/wind noise is at a minimum at this speed). The work below was done at my local independent hybrid mechanic at 151k miles but since then I have only done oil/filter changes and checked oil levels, which have looked good. Any ideas?

    Turn Rotors, Pack Front Bearings and Replace Pads, GOLD BRAKE PADS, REAR BRAKE SERVICE, PERFORMED INDUCTION SERVICE,CLEANED THROTTLE BODY,ADDED TANK INJECTOR ADDITIVE, 3IN1 INDUCTION KIT, TRANSMISSION SERVICE KIT,TRANSMISSION FLUID, TRANSMISSION SERVICE PACKAGE, PERFORMED COOLANT SERVICED,DRAINED AND REFILLED COOLANT SYSTEM,FLUSHED OUT CONTAMINANTS,REFILLED RESVOIR, COOLANT SERVICE, INSPECTION, REPALCED DRIVE BELT, DRIVE BELT
     
    #1 EastR, Aug 24, 2015
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Can you judge where the sounds coming from, front, back?
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Aug 24, 2015
  3. EastR

    EastR Junior Member

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    It is difficult to tell sitting in the driver's seat (could use a spotter to identify more accurately). If I had to hazard a guess it would be the front near the engine/brake pedal.
     
    #3 EastR, Aug 24, 2015
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Drive beside a wall in quiet parking garage might help. Good luck with this.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Aug 24, 2015
  5. EastR

    EastR Junior Member

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    Going back to my local mechanic on Friday for this and other lingering questions. Any idea of a ballpark price even if pre-diagnosis? Strangely enough I am having the same clicking noise on-and-off while braking on my 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid with similar mileage (150k).
     
    #5 EastR, Aug 24, 2015
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Hmm, both have rear drum brakes. Typically there's three contact points between each shoe and it's backing plate. Those points need periodic greasing or they'll get noisy. You need to use a good quality high-temp grease, very sparingly and use care when applying, it's right next to the shoe surface.

    If you could get someone else to depress the brake pedal while you walk around the car (shut down), you might be able to isolate the sound.

    How's your 06 Civic Hybrid, still on orig battery? We have one too, with our son and daughter-in-law now. Had to do a battery swap around 160000 km's.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Aug 24, 2015
  7. EastR

    EastR Junior Member

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    Good idea for diagnosis. Both '06 cars are on their original batteries and far out of warranty. I bought the HCH at 96k miles five years ago and it's still running strong today with basic maintenance.
     
    #7 EastR, Aug 24, 2015
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If you do try lubing the rear brake shoe contact points, if that turns out to be the issue, I'd strongly suggest to remove the spring clips first. I'm describing the Civic, but the Prius hopefully is similar. There's a headed pin that pushes through from behind the drum brake backing plate, through a hole in each brake shoe. The spring clip is pushed down onto that and turned 90 deg to lock in notches on the pin.

    You can coerce the pins off with a pair of regular pliers: open the jaws slightly to clear the pin, push down hard on the pin with the jaw tips and rotate the clip through 90 degrees, to free it. It helps to have 3 hands, lol.

    Once that clip is off, the shoes are a lot looser, and you can just pry them up slightly, sneak a bit of grease in at the contact points (3 loc's), with something long and slim. Be careful to keep it off the shoes.

    The one big issue with all of this might be getting the drum off. The can get rusted on. There are two M8X1.25 (coarse thread) tapped holes I believe. Screw the right bolts in, one side at a time, a turn or two, can help to bust it loose.

    This may or may not be your problem, but hey, it's something to do periodically anyway. Drum brakes are pretty bullet proof, this is the main thing that needs doing, every 50000 miles or so.
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Aug 24, 2015
  9. doctor-jabs

    doctor-jabs New Member

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    What was the determination? I have the exact same thing with my 2008 Prius at 125k miles. Firestone suggested it was something with the Power Brake Booster, but they told me I would have to take it to the dealer. PLEASE HELP!
     
    #9 doctor-jabs, May 8, 2018
  10. atlsud

    atlsud Junior Member

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    Did you have any work done on the car that precipitated the noise?

    I'll be checking the following:
    1. lower control arm bushings
    2. caliper sliding pins properly lubed
    3. lubing CV axle splines where it meets the hub (lots of Leaf owners resolved with this fix)
    4. torquing the axle nut to 159#
     
    #10 atlsud, Jul 13, 2018
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