TMLInfinity

Hi,

I own an 06 TL Auto and I have started to see my brake pads change color.

First they were nice and silver when new then they started getting a few dark circular streaks.

I wasn't sure if it was because of me applying the rim / wheel washer from time to time when i washed my car since it helped remove brake dust.

But they are turning yellow. I did not notice it at first this year but they yellow.

My dad looked at my car today and it was so dirty that he felt obligated to wash it as I haven't washed the car in about 3 months (I now am forced to zaino wax it tomorrow since he used dawn instead of Z7 to get rid of everything). I truthfully cannot say if he used any rim / tire cleaner that I had. I hope not but I noticed it after the wash that the brake pads are yellow.

I don't think it is rust but I need your help to determine if it really is.
It looks like yellow streaks. Not brown colored.

Thanks.

TL|GTX

Rust? I see alot of 05 06 used TL's on the lots, with yellow brakes for sitting thier months threw harsh conditions and stuff?

csmeance

did you take off the wheels and inspect the pads or are the ROTOR's (the metal disk) turning yellow?

If its the pad, that's a new one!
If its the rotors, that is completely normal. The rotors are metal and will have some slight oxidation on them as soon as you hose them down with water. This happens to any car with metal rotors from Hyundai's to BMW's to Ferrari's!

1fsthatch

yea my rotors turn a rusty color but after a little driving there back to normal

joerockt

Normal. Rotors are made of iron. Iron rusts.

01tl4tl

the `thin` ever darkening stripes and sometimes `small` grooves in the rotors are normal-
Heavy grooves that suddenly appear indicate no more brake pads!!

those drivers with performace pads and rotors notice it more- or watch for it~
Rotor ring colors indicate several things to the trained eye

Give the car a quick run (or drive) around the block after you dry it off- use the brakes a few times from 25-35 mph to get water out of the pads ,,, drying the rotors with some gentle heat

With the wheels off- give them a good wash all over front and back of rim
Then apply 3 coats of `synthetic car wax` to the rims- that helps keep the searing hot brake pad micro-bits from sticking- which then atttracts road dirt and more brake pad material
Synthetic has a 100 degree higher melt point than carnuba- which will melt off in the Vegas summer! let alone stay on a wheel

TMLInfinity

Thanks for replying everybody.

I noticed that my rotors started to get less yellow since Friday. I don't know if it was oxidation or whatever.

I actually put my finger on the brake pad and yellowish brake dust came off.

But now it looks back to the dark silver color with dark gray streaks.

My brake pads according to my last maintenance (End of Feb.) have 60% remaining I think?

nomi00

That happens to me sometimes after it rains and my car has not even touched 6k miles yet. I think its something to do with the acidity in the rain and I live in houston. Nothing to worry about, once you drive around and apply the brakes, the yellow stuff comes off and remains off until it rains again.

01tl4tl

NEVER trust an estimate by any tech who gives a percentage
MEASURED is what matters

Is that total depth of pad, or to max useable depth (minimum thickness of pad material) which is about 2mm or ~17% of new

Most guys look in the viewhole on the caliper top maybe with the wheel on!!!-
if they can still see the vertical cooling slots in the center of the pad---which run all the way to the backing plate, or to 2mm depending on pad make
They call it x percent and its a guess, maybe that tech doesnt like doing brake jobs and maybe they need to do yours to make the rent this month...

In a month it may be 30 percent because the next tech measured the pads and the amount to minimum
When pads get low they dissapate heat poorly and brake weaker-longer stops.
pads start about 8mm thick ,,as referance point